Drappier ‘Charles de Gaulle’ Brut
Grape Varietals: 80% Pinot Noir & 20% Chardonnay
Growing Region: Urville - France
Owner / Chef de Cave: Michel Drappier - *(7th Generation)
4 Stars ★★★★
I was due to visit the Drappier family this year…*(you know what happened next), - it was 2 years ago when I last caught up with André, Michel, Charline & Antoine Drappier (6th, 7th & 8th generations) in the town of Urville (south-east corner of the Champagne region) where you will find their vineyards and winery. They are such a charming, humble and hardworking family who have recently added the 9th generation to the lineage with Charline having a son.
Drappier is one of the foremost producers in the region which are highly respected for its low intervention, Pinot dominant Champagnes. They own 55 hectares of vineyards and use another 50 hectares under contract with other growers. This particular Champagne is made in Honour of Charles de Gaulle (the Former Minister of the Armed Forces in France) as he was a big fan of the Drappier Champagnes - chosen for his private receptions at his country house in Colombey-les-Deux-Églises (situated close to the winery). So Drappier pay tribute to the great man with this cuvée revealing itself in strength of character and style.
The grapes in this area of Champagne are grown in Jurassic Kimmeridgian limestone. The family passionately practice a sustainable and low intervention growing and wine making ethos. This wine is from the first press only - then the wine is transferred by the use of gravity and then natural settling. The juice went through malolactic fermentation and then no filtering. A portion of the wine was aged in oak, with minimal low levels of sulphites and aged for 36 months on the lees. In pursuit of authenticity and typicity, Champagne Drappier use the lowest possible amounts of sulphur in their cuvées.
★ An inviting pale gold veal of persistent beading fills your tulip glass. This wine has generous aromatics revealing delicate mixed apples, and dried fruits, fresh walnut accents that are followed by biscuit and citrus notes. On the palate, this cuvée Charles de Gaulle is full of deft complexity and refinement with an appealing broad mid-palate (from the portion aged in oak) - along with offering ripe pip and stone-fruits like white peaches. The character and confidence of this wine are untiring through to the elegant dry finish.
This Drappier Cuvée 'Charles de Gaulle' Brut has 12% Alc./Vol. - with a dosage of 7g/L - *(no added sulphur). Chill gently and served in a generous tulip shaped glass at around 9°- 11°C.
CELLARING POTENTIAL: *(Review 19/12/20)
Drinking perfectly well this coming season; plus it will hold for another 3 - 4 years.
FOOD PAIRING SUGGESTIONS:
Perfect wine pairing with seasoned shellfish, crayfish, lobster, bbq’d whole fish, chicken kebabs, walnut and pesto pasta & with aged creamy cheeses - enjoy.
