Champagne Flavien Nowack

In my last wine trip I had the pleasure to visit the new upcoming producer Flavien from the family Nowack.
The house Champagne is situated in the "Valle de la Marne" in the village of Vandieres in the right bank where the Pinot Meunier is the main cepage, with various soils predominaly sandy and clay.
Vandieres with Damery, Chatillon sur Marne and Reuil give to this part of Champagne a great importance.
Flavien Nowack is a young guy with experience outside of champagne, he worked in east Europe in the region Etyek Budai with the producer Hernyak Birtok and also work with the famous Mersault producer Coche Dury. Flavien in order to finance his new project, he continue to make traditional blended Champagne under the family label (Champagne Nowack) a great traditional producer.

Flavien start at his father domaine in 2012 with 3 hectare of vine with the idea to convert everything in organic farming, in-fact in 2016 all his vines in total 6,5 hectare has been certified.
His Idea of Champagne is pretty straight, at this stage is:  
             
                                       One grape  -    One Climat  -    One  vintage

                                       
All the wines we tasted with him where done in this ways, however he told us he would like to build a reserve wine preferable with the perpetual method (a variation of the Solera) to give more complexity at his production, also to build his N.V. champagne.


The parcel "Les Bauchets" "La Fontinette" "La Tuillere"  which are his single cuvee Champagne are  all situated at the same altitude and the same level of distance; this is his concept of identity of Terroir (height, distance and agglomerate).
In Flavien Champagne we having the same thought of the revolutionary Nouvelle Vague Champenoise:
Harvest at the perfect maturation, healthy soil and no treatment in the vinification, low dosage, wild yeast fermented.

La Fontinette cuvee is a Pinot Meunier, 1 hectare in Chatillon Sur Marne planted in 1965
we tasted 2012 disgorged in 2016 - Red fruit, clay minerality, the spine of acid was fresh in harmony with the toasty nuance of the second fermentation.

La Tuillere cuvee is a parcel of Chardonnay in the village of Vandieres on fine sandy soil with marl and limestone,
we tasted the vintage 2013 disgorged in 2018: this is a wine very different from the chalky soil of the Cote de blancs; the wine is tight and full of energy, however there were more fat in the palate with hints of spicy.

Le Bauchets is a Pinot Noir from a special sandy soil with southern east aspect; the vines where planted in 1983 aged in oak tank with 36 months on lees.  This is a red fruit Champagne with notes of yeasty bread, croissant and ginger spiciness all correlated with a salty minerality and a complete razor acidity.

In this photo Flavien show us, how in winter time he move his barrel outside to age his Vin Clair....


This is another cuvee in Vandieres a micro parcels called "Les Arpents Rouge" planted in 1987. This are tre parcel with the 3 traditional Champagne grapes with a rich ferrous soil. 
A very small production. A Champagne with straw gold colour, highly perfumed with cherry and red apple, dried rose petal... Shortbread and citrus peel. Great persistence and long finish. 


We had also the pleasure to taste is Liquer the tirage made with Pinot Meunier; a kind of Pied de cuvee; so tasty on the palate ...

Listen him trough the visit was very special, we loved his passion and concept. 


Raf 
--------------------------------------
wine / spirit / lambic / drinker








Comments

  1. UnknownMay 13, 2020 at 8:26 AM

    Hey, do you know the website for this producer or his contact details?
    Thanks, R

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. raffaele mastrovincenzoAugust 27, 2020 at 9:16 PM

      https://www.champagne-nowack.com/en/
      that is family maison, he does his little production inside there ... No personal website, you can try with the social forum
      Cheers

      Delete

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