Pre Arrival Philipponnat Champagne "Millesime" Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut 2020

94 VM

Notes:

The blend
First press juice from exclusively Premier and Grand Cru plots. 100% Pinot Noir
from the Montagne de Reims and our vineyards in Mareuil-sur-Ay and Avenay.

Vinification

Vinified using traditional methods to avoid premature oxidation. Partial
malolactic fermentation for the wines in vats and vinification without
malolactic fermentation for the wines in wooden barrels (57%). Extra-brut
dosage (4.25 g/litre) to maintain a balance between freshness and vinosity
without masking the wines character or purity.

Aging
Aged for four to six years to develop maximum complexity and to highlight
the secondary and tertiary aromas that testify to extended aging on lees.

Producer: Philipponnat is one of Champagne’s historic houses, with family roots in the region extending back more than five centuries. The family traces its presence in Aÿ to 1522, when records show Apvril le Philipponnat owning vines at Le Léon, a site that remains part of the house’s vineyard holdings today. Sixteen generations of the family have followed in Champagne. Philipponnat is particularly associated with Pinot Noir and the Grande Vallée de la Marne, with important estate vineyards around Mareuil-sur-Aÿ and Aÿ. The house’s vintage Blanc de Noirs is one of its clearest expressions of that identity: Philipponnat itself describes the cuvée as its signature tribute to Pinot Noir, produced only in selected vintages from carefully chosen Premier and Grand Cru fruit.
Vineyard: The 2020 Blanc de Noirs is 100% Pinot Noir, produced exclusively from the cuvée, or first pressing, of Premier Cru and Grand Cru vineyards. The fruit comes from the Montagne de Reims and Philipponnat’s vineyards around Mareuil-sur-Aÿ and Mailly, bringing together two important sources of Pinot Noir in Champagne. Philipponnat builds the wine around mature, expressive Pinot Noir while retaining the freshness that distinguishes the house style. The 2020 growing season was notably warm and dry. A mild, wet winter replenished water reserves before a warm, dry spring accelerated vine development. Summer was exceptionally dry, and harvest began unusually early, toward the end of August. The resulting Pinot Noir reached high levels of maturity, giving Philipponnat the concentrated fruit necessary for a vintage Blanc de Noirs.
Winemaking: Philipponnat uses traditional vinification designed to avoid premature oxidation, while varying the vessels and malolactic fermentation according to individual lots. For the 2020, 39.7% of the wines were vinified in wood and tank without malolactic fermentation, preserving acidity and freshness against the natural richness of the vintage. After blending, the Champagne undergoes its second fermentation in bottle and receives extended aging on the lees. Philipponnat specifies at least five to seven years of aging for its Blanc de Noirs, allowing the Pinot Noir to develop greater complexity while retaining its structure and freshness. Dosage is deliberately restrained at 4.25 g/L, placing the wine firmly in the Extra Brut category.
Technical Details: Vintage 2020; 100% Pinot Noir; Blanc de Noirs; Extra Brut; 12.5% alcohol; dosage 4.25 g/L; 750ml. The wine is made exclusively from first-press juice from Premier and Grand Cru vineyards, with fruit drawn from the Montagne de Reims and Philipponnat’s holdings around Mareuil-sur-Aÿ and Mailly. A portion of the base wines is vinified without malolactic fermentation, including wines raised in wood, and the finished Champagne receives at least five to seven years of aging to develop complexity. Philipponnat recommends serving it around 8–9°C as an aperitif and 10–12°C with a meal.
Food Pairing: This is a particularly gastronomic Champagne, with the structure of Pinot Noir and low dosage giving it enough presence to work throughout a meal. Philipponnat recommends chicken tagine with apricots and almonds, terrines and foie gras, combinations that play particularly well with the richness and spice of the wine. It would also be excellent with roast poultry, duck, veal, mushrooms or game birds. The combination of Pinot Noir depth and Extra Brut freshness gives the 2020 considerably more flexibility at the table than a Champagne intended solely as an aperitif.

Vins Rare

Philipponnat Champagne "Millesime" Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut 2020

Name: Philipponnat Champagne "Millesime" Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut 2020
Brand: Vins Rare
SKU: 102425
Price: 79.00 USD
Availability: InStock