Ephemere 031

I’m very pleased to offer today the latest release of Champagne Éphémère, 031, based on the outstanding 2019 vintage. I’ve become a huge fan of this project, and judging by the response to the previous Éphémère releases we’ve offered, many of you have as well. The idea behind Éphémère is what makes it so interesting: tiny, one-off Champagnes selected by Frédéric Savart, who for 031 has invited Jérôme Prévost into the selection process, bringing together two growers whose own wines rank among the most sought-after in Champagne. Éphémère means something fleeting, a moment captured and then gone, which seems particularly appropriate when you consider that just 3,405 bottles of 031 were produced.

031 may be one of the most compelling releases yet. It is a 2019 Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs, 100% Chardonnay from Avize, which spent 72 months on the lees prior to disgorgement. The wine was vinified and bottled by Drémont Père & Fils, who provide the glue that makes this unique project possible. This is exactly the kind of Champagne I love: there is richness and depth, but nothing feels heavy or overdone. The ripe fruit of 2019 is balanced by beautiful freshness, with citrus, white flowers and a wonderful chalky, saline quality running through the wine. It’s pure, precise Champagne that allows the fruit and terroir to speak for themselves.

I’m particularly excited about 2019, which I believe is developing into an exceptional vintage for Champagne. Those in the know have been quietly buying the 2019-based wines as they’ve made their way into the market over the past several years. The vintage has the concentration and generosity of a warm year, yet the best wines have retained tremendous energy, acidity and tension. I find that combination especially exciting in the Côte des Blancs, where the deep chalk soils are particularly well suited to retaining water and protecting the vines during warm, dry growing seasons. 031 captures that combination beautifully: ripe and generous, yet chalky, fresh and precise. With the success of the previous Éphémère releases, the pedigree of 2019 and barely 3,400 bottles produced, this feels like something of a unicorn and exactly the sort of Champagne I love finding and offering.