Our selection of Millesime Champagnes to celebrate anything at any time of the year!

As a starter, we couldn’t pass through some champagne and spirits to enjoy any sparkling and joyful time of the year! That’s why, we send you some bubbles from the Côte des Bar appellation (that we have already covered in this article). Starting with the Champagne Devaux house, founded in 1846, which is considered as one of the flagship cooperatives of this Aube department. For your information, most of their blends are composed of Pinot Noir grape variety but not only, since you also find some brilliant millesimes editions.

Therefore, we are glad to propose you a taste of their Cuvée D 2009, known as the flagship cuvée of Champagne Devaux, composed of at least one third of reserve wines and mainly aged in casks (photo credits: Devaux).

This juice skillfully combines the roundness of pinot noir grapes, representative from the Côte des Bar and the elegance of chardonnay, extracted from the various areas of the Côte des Blancs, Montgueux and the Côte des Bar.

Then, a good proof that time has been very effective with the fine product of the Grande Sendrée, edition 2010 imagined by the Champagne Drappier. Unless this domain is spread in the south of Reims, over 100 hectares of vines, divided between its old vines in the Côte des Bar and its intense Pinot Noir presence in the Montagne de Reims and its delicate Chardonnay as well in the Côte des Blancs, this Champagne Grande Sendrée 2010 comes from a set of plots based on limestone soils, called crayots, dating from the Kimmeridgian Jurassic era.

For your information, in 1836, these archipelagos of plots unfortunately underwent into a fire which ravaged the surrounding village of Urville. That’s why this special flamboyant cuvée takes its name from an original spelling error but that lead to a brilliant jewel revealing the expression of those old grape varieties and terroirs (photo credits: Drappier).

Therefore, we invite you to discover this charming juice, conserved in a Louis XV-shaped bottle, born from vines cultivated in organic and sustainable viticulture, even cradled with good sunshine. As far as we know, this champagne continues the experimental homemade philosophy that already expressed with submarine cuvées (pictured upon) and here is the result of a blend between Pinot Noir (55%) and Chardonnay (45%) varieties. It is proposed with a low sugar dosage (5.5 g/litre) but a malolactic fermentation, allowing to age the contents over 7 years, with the  adding of a homemade speciality in terms of a dosage liqueur old of 15 years.

Once adopted, you should feel its fragrance, displaying a bewitching aromatic bouquet with velvety notes of honey, acacia and beeswax, before eventually revealing explicit flavors of candied red fruits and hawthorn, for a mineral final moment. This reference is recommended to be appreciated during an aperitif time, but also match with main dishes or even fine cheese, rather served at 8°C.

The 2014 year is also very interesting and notably enhanced by Champagne Jean-Claude Vallois. Sustained by the 5th generation of winegrowers, since the late 1800s, and nowadays run by the heir Jean-Guy Vallois, this independent wine house will welcome soon the 6th generation with the arrival of his son Clément Vallois, an oenology graduate from the Avize training center (photo credits: Vallois).

In this domain, the annual production is about 15,000 bottles per year, focusing on the aging of champagnes for a minimum of four years in the cellar before being marketed, after being vinified in a thermoregulated vat room. This process made it possible to improve the aromatic and tasteful potential of their champagnes.

Apart from this, among its 11 hectares and 22 parcels, a certain responsible approach has been implemented to preserve the local biodiversity, mostly with mechanical weeding, use of certain organic practices and products, but also some reasoned and limited protection of the surrounding vineyards. The result is a more natural and healthy production, honored by a high environmental value certification, obtained in 2017 and sustainable viticulture certification, obtained in 2019.

On top of that, we naturally invite you to enjoy their extra-brut edition of Millesime 2014, fully composed of Chardonnay. It’s a normal fact since the exploitation is located in Cuis, in the heart of the Côte des Blancs!

Therefore, don’t miss to appreciate its first noble and rich fragrance, displaying complex aromas of dried fruits and candied citrus fruits. This champagne is also associated with brioches and pastries notes, under a deep yuzu and passion fruit domination, and before a chalky with a hint of white pepper length. Perfect to appreciate at 8°C temperature for a lovely seafood dinner.

The 2015 year is renowned to offer fine millesimes, especially since most of their grapes reached a certain perfection. One good example would be the millesime 2015 recently issued by the Champagne Chapuy.

This family domain of 9 hectares, mainly composed of Chardonnay vines, located on the Côte des Blancs, naturally allows the production of fine Champagne Blanc de Blancs. Without forgetting that those grapes, situated in the village of Oger, produce labelled Grands Crus Champagnes (already reviewed in this article), while other plots in the Coteaux Sud d’Épernay are planted with Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, for blended cuvées, as much supple and fruity.

Today, the third Chapuy generation, run by two sisters, continues its permanent search for high quality champagnes, and proposes a certified High Environmental Value 3 range. 

On Spring 2022, the house just launched an amazing 2015 edition of their Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs, which aged for 5 years then and for just 4810 bottles. Fermented in stainless steel tanks, with some malolactic method, this gourmet champagne with notes of citrus and vanilla, so typical of 2015, is softly dosed with only 3g. This golden tainted gem offers a sustainable length in mouth supported by a persistent tension, in full accordance with its subtle and light buttered nose revealing fragrances of white flowers, almond, orange and apricot, that would express themselves over some time (photo credits: Champagne Chapuy).

Thus, behind those bubbles of great finesse, enjoy the frank and well-balanced introduction of this beautiful champagne, to match with noble fishes (such as turbot, bass or monkfish) cooked with white butter sauce or seafood (scallops or abalones, among many other alternatives).

Still in this flourishing 2015 year, we offer you the opportunity to explore more worthy millesimes, starring various styles, from other Champagne houses. That’s why we decided to introduce you here the millesime 2015 generated by the Champagne Gremillet, which has just been waking up from 5 years of peaceful resting on lees (photo credits: Gremillet). 

Following its illustrious Côte des Bar appellation, we may find here again the only presence of Pinot Noir variety, naturally leading to an authentic Blanc de Noirs champagne. This elixir is able to express all its character and invites you to discover a 2015 vintage cuvée, displaying multiple flavors. 

Rich in maturity, this juice has been vinified using the best Pinot Noir grapes of the exploitation and only the first press of the harvest integrates the constitution of this champagne, endowed with well-developed and gourmet aromas. Adding to this, this ensemble has been completed by a selection of alcoholic fermentation at 16° and malolactic fermentation at 18° in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats, before a minimum aging of 36 months. Without forgetting a typically brut dosage of 7 g/l with an expedition liqueur, made from wine (back from a circle). The result is a lovely shiny and luminous golden yellow robe, filled with fine and dynamic bubbles. Don’t miss its floral fragrance enhanced with ripe fruit, before conveying us to a round and well balanced taste, with a sustainable and lively final touch. Therefore, this champagne is ideal to appreciate, before 4 years, for an aperitif or for a dinner with regional dishes or a fruit cake.

Icing on the cake, don’t miss to visit (duration: 1h30) on last weekend of May, their arboretum (pictured nearby), accompanied by a tasting of 3 of their cuvées (price: 10€/person).

More information on their official website.

Once again on the 2015 timeline, why don’t you have a look to the Marina D. champagne house? Here is another player established on the gracious slopes of the Marne Valley (read our article here about this area), near Dormans, more precisely in Vandières and Vincelles.

For your information, an Élégance millesime champagne is promoted by Marina D. conveyed by her initials and her sense of quality, from her 6 ha of vineyards, exploited under a High Environmental Value (HVE) process, since 2017. Therefore, this domain is part of the Sustainable Viticulture group in Champagne (VDC), with the goal to respect the environment, preserving biodiversity and reducing energy costs. estate with our own press (photo credits: Champagne Marina D.).

For your information, Marina D. enjoys to develop her champagne with her own grapes, and wishes to mix different notions of terroir, tradition and innovation. In those terms, the team develops a wide line of original capsules to collect, this even lead to a collaboration with the designer Elena Viette who imagines dresses made with capsules. That’s why, by the way, a capsule exchange day would take place on June 18th, 2022.

We invite you to discover their wide range of champagne references, composed from the 3 main grape varieties, which are Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. In the case of the Élégance 2015 cuvée, this champagne is a Blanc de Blancs, which is only made of Chardonnay. Harvested in 2015, those grapes offer a floral nose reviving scents of pear, cinnamon, clove and even fresh butter, able to provide a subtle complex taste, thanks to a moderate dosage and a dynamic effervescence, reinforced by a good length.

More information on their official website.

Without forgetting the year 2016 conveyed here by a Grand Cru house, also reviewed in this article about this large Champagne domain, created in 1930, around the Montagne de Reims, exactly in Verzenay, a Grand Cru classified village. Thus, the structure of this millesime 2016 by Champagne Sabine Godmé has the talent to propose an expressive Extra-Brut (5 g/l) blend of Chardonnay (60%) and Pinot Noir (40%), which have been harvested in the best plots  and aged for a minimum of 4 years in the property cellar. 

This 2016 vintage may be considered as a really expressive champagne that would easily stimulate your senses with its sensual appearance, letting raise an elegant bead of fine bubbles. After this passage validated, take some time to get into its wide open buttery and fruity scents of cooked apples and eventually apricot compote.

In fact, this nectar would undoubtedly seduce you by the flexibility of its assets, supported by supple and balanced aromas of those previously cited white fruits but also an iodine aspect, before a long and crystalline final fireworks. All those elements are meant to highlight the inner characters of the premium Chardonnay grapes, to find in this wide Champagne area (photo credits: Champagne Godmé).

As you would have probably understood, this is a true gastronomic champagne, able to happily accompany your aperitifs and your hot shellfish starters, such as oysters, cockles and scallops.

Still in this Grand Cru section (our full article here), we are glad to introduce again the Guy de Chassey domain, located in Louvois since 7 generations, again in the heart of the Montagne de Reims. In this village, the Queen Marie-Antoinette even stayed a couple of nights and now belongs to the 17 Grand Cru labelled villages. Recently, this family affair issued an Extra Brut champagne, also Blanc de Noirs, logically only composed of grapes of Pinot Noir Grand Cru, from the 2017 harvest (photo credits: Guy de Chassey).

This fresh edition has been ageing during 4 years, without any malolactic fermentation nor expedition liqueur but has been evolving thanks to a manual riddling, has been awarded with 2 stars in the Guide Hachette. From outside, admire a beautiful golden dress, this champagne benefits from no sugar addition, but nonetheless holds an expressive nose, carried by matured white fruits and a nice touch of candied citrus.