BRUT ZÉRO BLANC DE BLANCS
GRAND CRU, NV
Brut Zéro Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs is the third pillar of Vazart-Coquart’s non-vintage Blanc de Blancs range, alongside Brut Réserve and Extra Brut. Like its counterparts, it comes from the domaine’s eleven hectares of organically farmed Grand Cru vineyards in Chouilly, where Chardonnay vines average around 44 years old. Since 2020, these vineyards have been certified organic.
Jean-Pierre Vazart builds this cuvée with about 65% base wine from a single vintage, complemented by the domaine’s ‘Réserve Perpétuelle’—a solera-style blend dating back to 1982. Unlike Brut Réserve or Extra Brut, Brut Zéro spends an additional three to four years on lees before disgorgement, contributing to its distinct balance and depth.
Brut Zéro is bone-dry but far from austere. The nose is generous and precise, bringing together citrus and floral tones, herbal nuances, and touches of white and yellow fruit. A subtle trace of brioche and butter rounds it out. On the palate, the wine is incisive, with sharp acidity and pronounced minerality. The extended maturation and proportion of réserve wines lend finesse and texture, while the Chardonnay’s Belemnite chalk origins add a firm, chalk-driven presence.
This is a Champagne with energy and clarity, structured yet not severe. There’s substance and weight here, but always in a way that feels pure and transparent. A bottle for those who appreciate precision and depth in equal measure.
‘GRAND BOUQUET’
BLANC DE BLANCS GRAND CRU
EXTRA BRUT, 2017
This vintage Champagne comes from the best parcels in Chouilly and spends six years ‘sur latte’ in the cool cellars of Jean-Pierre and Caroline Vazart. It’s a selection of the finest Chardonnay from two Grand Cru vineyards, ‘Le Mont Aigu’ and ‘La Cerisière,’ where the variety thrives on the Belemnite chalk of the Côte des Blancs. The vines, now over 45 years old on average, have been farmed organically since 2015, though certification only came in 2020, meaning the label has yet to reflect it.
Fermentation took place in temperature-controlled stainless steel, with some wines undergoing malolactic fermentation, giving the 2017 vintage both tension and depth. In the glass, it forms a fine bead and delivers everything expected from a classic Blanc de Blancs: toasted almond flakes from extended lees aging, Williams pear, Golden Delicious, and a saline edge that evokes a fresh sea breeze.
On the palate, the aromas start out subtle, almost elusive, but gain presence with the exceptionally fine perlage. The long lees aging brings a seamless texture and a refined creaminess, while the low dosage (2 g/L) sharpens the mineral focus of the Chardonnay. A precise, beautifully balanced vintage Champagne that overdelivers for a Grand Cru of this caliber.
‘82/17’ BLANC DE BLANCS
GRAND CRU EXTRA BRUT, NV
The name ‘82/17’ hints at the essence of this Champagne. In 1982, when Jean-Pierre Vazart took over the domaine, he began a ‘Réserve Perpétuelle’—a continuous solera-style system—by filling a tank with Chardonnay from Chouilly’s Grand Cru vineyards. Each year, 40% was removed and replaced with the same proportion from the next vintage. Over time, this evolved into a living archive of the estate’s winemaking, now spanning 35 vintages from 1982 to 2017.
Disgorged with a low dosage of 1 g/L, ‘82/17’ reflects both depth and precision. Its golden hue and fine, lively perlage set the stage for an elegant and layered aromatic profile. The nose is unusually soft and refined, shaped by vinification that retained malic acid, avoiding lactic conversion. This silkiness carries warm buttered brioche, almond cream, vanilla, and orange blossom, alongside citrus tones of yuzu, cédrat, and lemon curd, with hints of herbs, stone, and foliage.
On the palate, the presence of the réserve wine is unmistakable, lending richness and texture. Bright citrus and taut freshness weave through layers of pastry, white chocolate, nougat, and a touch of mocha. The balance is impeccable—silky yet vibrant, with acidity that brings both freshness and drive. Deeply mineral and seamlessly composed, ‘82/17’ is as distinctive as it is accomplished.
‘TC’ BLANC DE BLANCS
GRAND CRU EXTRA BRUT, 2017
Beyond their ‘Réserve Perpétuelle’ Champagnes, Jean-Pierre and Caroline Vazart have another distinctive cuvée in their lineup: ‘TC.’ The name stands for “terre cuite” (terra cotta), a nod to the unusual choice of vessel for aging the base wine. Sourced from the domaine’s top vineyard, ‘Les Aventures,’ the Chardonnay ferments and matures in a terracotta egg—a method not unheard of in Champagne but still unconventional. For Jean-Pierre, it was an experiment at first, but one that quickly won him over. Rather than producing something eccentric or overtly avant-garde, the goal was to highlight a different kind of texture and structure, and that’s exactly what ‘TC’ achieves.
The 2017 base vintage gives this golden-hued Champagne a refined, steady perlage. It’s strikingly smooth yet vibrant, carrying both elegance and energy. The bouquet unfolds like stepping into a high-end Parisian pâtisserie—pastries, almonds, hazelnuts, orange and lemon cream, candied peel, ginger, and floral notes mingle with crushed lime, chalk, and a touch of fennel. On the palate, the precision and presence are undeniable. The aromatic complexity expands, becoming more layered with fresh and candied ginger, a trace of saffron’s earthy warmth, and a whisper of cinnamon. Almond butter with lemon zest rounds it out, bringing both richness and lift.
What truly sets ‘TC’ apart, though, is its texture—silky yet structured, offering just enough tension to highlight the wine’s mineral drive and freshness. That interplay between finesse and power makes it something special—distinctive, compelling, and completely seamless.