Suenen | Leclapart | Selosse | Prevost

 
Suenen is a small new RM located in the Cote des Blancs. A small family Champagne house run by  Aurelien the son of Daniel, who took over in 2008 suddenly after his dad was diagnosed with cancer. 
Aurelien found himself with a great responsibility, but with the willing to do a great job; start to be inspired after visiting producers as Pascal Agrapart and Anselme Selosse. From this visit he start to take care of the the soil of his vineyard. Between 2009 and 2011 all the chemical was banned in his soil.  Emanuel Bourguignon help him to better understand the soil collaborating with LAMS the Laboratoire D'Analyses Microbiologiques des Sols. 
Suenen owns just over 3 hectare of vineyards in the villages of Cramant, Oiry, Cuis and Chouilly. 
Be in the Cote des Blancs the subsoil is very chalky with a very white topsoil showing great minerality and tension. 
The Rose is mainly Chardonnay with less 10% Pinot noir to give a beautiful rose colour. Acacia, Meyer lemon, citrus blossom with pastry and creamy lemon curd... Tension with a touch of dosage. 
The Vintage was done in September 2010 and was disgorged on September 2013 with 5g/l. 


David Leclapart is a very hot producer in the commune of Trepail in the Montagne de Reims specialized in biodynamic viticulture. In the same circumstance of Aurelien Suenen around 1995 he was called to help his family harvesting the grapes in Trepail, at that time he was working at Leclerc Briant as a biodynamic adviser. 
For him was quite difficult to move from that position and to go back to the family business, but with great courage and commitment he bottled his first vintage 1998, 6000 bottles. However this was refused by the appellation status by the Comitè of Champagne. However he continued to do his artisan job and after some time he received the accolade he deserved. Nowadays Leclapart champagne are in high demand and very hard to find. 
L'Astre was very detailed on chalky minerality with super salinity with pleased elegant oxidative note and taste, the colour was a Rose even if is not; it is considered a Blanc de Noir 100% PN...  an Oeil de Perdrix colour (a few years back at the Return the Terroir winefair; David told me about his ways to include the second pressing of the Coquard in his cuvee, so phenolic extract  will go into the wines and of-course release little pigmentation) Palate was nourished and full of tension with tart red fruit.  Zero dosage for a 2014 vintage. 

Jacques Selosse Rose is 90% Chardonnay from Avize and 10% Pinot Noir from Verzy and Ambonnay, a Brut style but you cannot feel any sweetness on the palate, the dosage was well done. 
Here we are talking about a Master of Champagne in Avize. 
The Colour was brilliant rose with beautiful nose of raspberry, Pastry notes as Lemon tart, Grapefruit anglaise, orange zest and bergamot... Salty flakes as fleur de Guerande almost a Vin Jaune palate from Overnoy. 


Jerome Prevost is the man with a single vineyard Pinot Meunier in the village of Gueux in the Montagne de Reims, the Lieu dit is "Les Beguines". 
100% Meuneir makes two cuvee 
La Closerie Les Beguines Extra Brut 
La Closerie Fac Simile a Rose style. 
Lately he made a cuvee called Climax a long ageing on lees of the La Closerie Les Beguines Extra Brut.
Jerome is an enthusiastic vigneron who started working with Anselme Selosse, then he met Claude and Lydia Bourguignon and realized the importance of the expression of healthy soil. Jerome and his wife Agnes did some research on the village of Gueux and found this lieu dit Les Beguines had a historical importance and they started to vinified Meunier from that vineyard. 
Production is around 13000 bottles per year and only a vintage champagne even if not stated on the bottles. 
The Rose Facsimile 2014 was red fruit mainly cherry, rose and violet water, crushed textural rose petal, delicate palate with finesse and elegance with a nice long finish  .....  a complex Rose...
Best

Raf 

Drinking and listening sculpture sound: Abruzzo & Melbourne
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wine / spirit / lambic / drinker




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