Champagne PHILIPPONNAT 'Clos des Goisses' 2014

'The first clos and first terroir to be vinified and blended separately, Clos des Goisses is unique and instantly recognisable for its extremely steep slope. Its slope reaches 45°, hence the origin of its name: in the local dialect, “Goisses” means a very steep slope.'

Wine Region: Champagne - France

Grape: 61% Pinot Noir and 39% Chardonnay

Vinification:The 5.83-hectare vineyard is one of the region’s few “clos” and the oldest and steepest in Champagne. In a perfect position facing due south, it stands on the best hillside in Mareuil-sur-Ay. It really is an exceptional terroir where the chalky bedrock is very close to the surface. Partial vinification (62%) in wooden barrels leads to more complexity without premature oxidation. There is no malolactic fermentation, which enables the wine’s natural acidity to compensate the powerful character of the terroir.

Aging:Lees aged for eight years in the bottle, also referred to as second fermentation or “prise de mousse”, at a constant temperature of 12°C in the House’s historic cellars in Mareuil-sur-Ay. The very low dosage (4.25 g/litre) gives full expression to the vinosity and minerality of this exceptional vineyard.

Tasting notes: The wine presents a bright gold hue, with fine effervescence forming a persistent bead. On the nose, it is elegant and fruity, revealing notes of raspberry and raspberry eau-de-vie, followed by a delicious finish of praline, frangipane, sponge cake, and pastry cream. On the palate, the attack is fresh and pure, leading into a refined, elegant mouthfeel with subtle mentholated nuances. The finish is long and mineral. This is an excellent vintage—more intense and aromatic than 2008, with slightly less acidity but arguably greater overall balance.

About Clos des Goisses

The topsoil of Clos des Goisses is different to that in the surrounding vineyards. All over Mareuil-sur-Aÿ the topsoil consists of clay with a siliceous content and some dark, crumbly, rendzine that develops naturally under grass over chalk; but on Clos des Goisses, where the topsoil would naturally be just 2–3in (5–8cm) deep, due to erosion, the topsoil is in fact 10–20in (25–50cm) deep, thanks to centuries of manure that man has dumped on this constantly eroding, very steep slope.

The liming effect from the subsoil on the humus that has built up through manuring has created a natural nutrient production cycle which, with the higher temperature, gives the wine its exceptional power, structure, and intensity, while the higher active lime content (30 percent compared to 25 percent throughout the rest of Mareuil-sur-Aÿ) imparts a certain spiciness and minerality that makes it closer in style to wines from Aÿ (the most calcareous Pinot Noir growth in Champagne, with 35–40 percent active lime) than to the rounder, more mellow wines that are more typical of this village.

First produced in 1935, itwas named ‘Vin des Goisses’. They aim to make it very year, even in such difficult vintages as 2001 (one exception however, was 1984, which proved simply too challenging even for this special plot). Malolactic fermentation is always blocked in Clos des Goisses wines, and they are routinely aged under cork rather than crown cap closure.

Its partial vinification (approx. 50%) under wood offers more complexity. It’s then aged for +8 years in the cellars of the House and a low dosage is chosen to let all the minerality and vinosity of this great vineyard express itself.

“Our barrels are on average 3 or 4 years old, so they are rather young, in the sense that in Champagne, the old tradition was to use them until they died. We thus had an old wood with an oxidative character, but no longer any tannic contribution. In our case, micro-oxygenation is not absent, but as we still have tannins which are antioxidants, this does not lead to oxidation, and only promotes aromatic deployment. We therefore have this somewhat paradoxical double effect which allows the wine to open up while retaining its freshness. Finally, we will not forget this flattering contribution of wood provided by the young tannins. They have a slightly sweetening power in perception, which is expressed in vanilla notes.” explains Charles Philipponnat.

In 1999 Charles produced the first-ever rosé from this hallowed site, Juste Rosé, a cuvée de prestige rosé of unmatched power and depth. Extraordinary from the first release, it has become even deeper and more refined following the decision in 2006 to make it using the saignée method, macerating a portion of the Pinot Noir for color, perfume, and structure.