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The GILBERT & GAILLARD International Magazine : Make some room in your lounge for WINE REGIONS from around the world
The GILBERT & GAILLARD International Magazine :
Make some room in your lounge for WINE REGIONS from around the world
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CHAMPAGNE<br />
– STYLES –<br />
The Barfontarc co-operative winery<br />
de Reims. Its predominant trait is its fruitiness, and its<br />
sun-ripened characters. The Champagnes are therefore<br />
more easy-drinking, he points out. Pinot noir is the<br />
dominant grape here, accounting for 95% of the varietal<br />
range. The Brut Tradition thus inevitably contains 80%<br />
Pinot noir, with a balance of Chardonnay, and accounts<br />
for approximately 80% of sales. The bottles currently<br />
being marketed have a backbone of 2016 vintage wines,<br />
with 24% reserve wines. “Four years’ maturation for<br />
a non-vintage Brut has become rare”, stresses Vallée.<br />
Particularly when it has a price tag of €22. The reason<br />
for this is that most of the cooperative’s members are<br />
winegrowers, and don’t have another job. They are<br />
therefore mindful to keep their Champagnes affordable,<br />
so their pricing policy is deliberately restrained.<br />
The Blanc de Noirs label, made entirely from Pinot<br />
noir, could almost be a non-vintage Brut because of the<br />
level of fruitiness in the Pinot noir. Despite this, it is<br />
powerful and works particularly well with Parma ham<br />
or parmesan.<br />
Just before Covid, building work was carried out on the<br />
co-operative so that it could welcome visitors and serve<br />
its Champagnes with local produce. The house’s priority<br />
is about spending time welcoming visitors, remaining<br />
accessible, reaching out to all audiences, providing<br />
consensual wines and making people want to hold their<br />
flute out for a second glass, all of which contribute to its<br />
style and image.<br />
The Barfontarc winery welcomes visitors with open arms<br />
THE MYRIAD ASPECTS OF CHAMPAGNE<br />
Evidently, there are countless ways of hitting the<br />
right notes and as many instruments to do it with.<br />
Consequently, it is difficult to refer to ‘Champagne’ and<br />
more relevant to speak of ‘Champagnes’. Do you prefer<br />
the laser-sharp freshness of a Blanc de Blancs? Or the<br />
delicate balance and complexity of a Champagne by a<br />
prominent house that has matured for several years? Do<br />
the full body and vinous aromas of a Blanc de Noirs take<br />
your fancy? Or rather the gratifying flavours of an Extra<br />
Dry or a Demi-Sec? The magic of this extensive wine<br />
region is its ability to provide an extensive array of wines,<br />
where everyone can effortlessly find what they’re looking<br />
for, both in terms of style and price points.<br />
26 WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE