New
75cl
Champagne Etienne Calsac 'Les Rocheforts' Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru Extra Brut
Vendor code : 601
The talented Etienne Calsac stands out among the producers of the Côte de Blanc region. His sharp and pure Chardonnay-based Champagne is an exceptional interpretation of the chalky terroir surrounding Avize. Only 30,000 bottles of this Champagne are produced each year. Etienne's main objective is to create champagnes that convey their location, respecting the soil and the vineyards. By switching to organic methods, Etienne Calsac refuses to use pesticides and herbicides in the vineyards. For several years, his mission has been to bring forgotten grape varieties back to Champagne, resulting in the planting of Pinot Blanc, Arbane, and Petit Meslier vines. These terroir Champagnes from Etienne Calsac have become part of the wine list of France's top restaurants.
Color
White
Fortress
12.5%
Country
France
Grape
Chardonnay
Region
Champagne
Producer
Champagne Etienne Calsac
Not available
Champagne "Les Rocheforts" Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut from the skillful winemaker Etienne Calsac is a terroir wine with a refined mineral character, created by one of the most promising producers in Champagne. "Les Rocheforts" is 100% Chardonnay from the lieu-dit Les Rocheforts, located in the Premier Cru village of Bisseuil in the Vallée de la Marne. The soils here are rich in limestone and chalk deposits. In the glass, Etienne Calsac's Blanc de Blancs "Les Rocheforts" Champagne displays aromas of fruit, citrus, white flowers, and hazelnut, complemented by tropical and mineral tones. Les Rocheforts is harvested exclusively by hand, then the grapes are transferred to the cellar for gentle pressing, followed by spontaneous fermentation of the must, half of which is aged in oak barrels and the remaining half in stainless steel tanks. Malolactic fermentation and maturation take place in the same vats over several months, at the end of which approximately 30% vin de reserve is added to Les Rocheforts. After at least 24 months on lees in bottles, Les Rocheforts is finally disgorgement.
Etienne Calsac, the new and young face of Champagne in the Côte de Blanc, is part of a circle of young artisan vignerons who are giving Champagne a new face through attention to quality, modern style, absolute respect for the vineyard and expressiveness of terroir. At the age of around 26, Etienne took over the family House and today manages 2.8 hectares of 30-year-old vines from three different villages, Avize and Grauves in the Côte de Blanc and Bisseu in the Vallée de la Marne. Etienne Calsac also owns a small plot in Clos de Sezanne, planted with three rare varieties, and Clos in Avize, which is particularly rare in the Champagne region. Etienne's philosophy is realized mainly in the vineyard, where absolute respect for the ecosystem and the soil allows him to create wines full of territoriality, synthesizing all the characteristics of the soil. As Etienne says, the roots of the vine penetrate deeply into the soil in search of nutrients that give the grapes their unique nuances of origin. This is why each plot is vinified separately, to achieve maximum territorial expression and thus highlight the differences between the various sub-zones. Etienne Calsac attaches great importance to the vineyard, putting it at the center of his project and considering it the main ingredient for the creation of a good Champagne. He uses a horse to plow the land, adopts advanced cultivation techniques, and forbids the use of any synthetic substances that destroy the vitality of the soil. In the cellar, Etienne controls every stage - from pressing to alcoholic and malolactic fermentation (which sometimes takes place in wood) - and assembles his wines like a jigsaw puzzle, putting together the best cuvées with harmony and personality. Etienne Calsac's Champagne wines are aged for several years on lees, enriching themselves with structure and personality. They have an elegant, deep, and stylish texture and are perfect for opening now or tasting in a few years for new emotions and interesting evolutions. Perfect for an aperitif, but can also easily go with first and second courses, especially if they are fish-based. A talented and crystalline class of Cote des Blancs!
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