Winemaker Notes
Sparkling with beautiful mineral bitterness, The Esprit Nature Brut pushes the door of the great wines of Champagne, while its incomparable fruit invites shared pleasure. On the eyes, a beautiful golden and blond reflections. On the nose, notes of stone fruits (pear, peach), vanilla and spices (white pepper) on a base of candied lemon which gives it freshness. Then come maturity and gluttony. The attack is fresh and then discreet and lets the overall vinosity express itself. The body, the very fullness make the structure of this wine. Minerality and light tannins contribute to a long, vinous, warm and silky astringent final structure with bitter almond and biscuit aromas.
Critical Acclaim
All VintagesRight from the beginning, this has an enchanting nose of red apple, raspberry and candied orange peel. But as it aerates in the glass, notes of chocolate and sushi ginger emerge. Tons of depth and structure for a Brut NV, the creaminess reining in the power. The long, saline finish pulls you back for more. A cuvee of 3/4 pinot noir and 1/4 chardonnay. Based on the 2016 vintage with just over a third of perpetual reserve (solera system). From organically grown grapes. Drink now.
This balanced Champagne has a fine mousse, with a well-knit spine of citrus-laced acidity defining rich notes of plumped cherry, rosehip, biscuit and candied ginger.
Associated with luxury, celebration, and romance, the region, Champagne, is home to the world’s most prized sparkling wine. In order to bear the label, ‘Champagne’, a sparkling wine must originate from this northeastern region of France—called Champagne—and adhere to strict quality standards. Made up of the three towns Reims, Épernay, and Aÿ, it was here that the traditional method of sparkling wine production was both invented and perfected, birthing a winemaking technique as well as a flavor profile that is now emulated worldwide.
Well-drained, limestone and chalky soil defines much of the region, which lend a mineral component to its wines. Champagne’s cold, continental climate promotes ample acidity in its grapes but weather differences from year to year can create significant variation between vintages. While vintage Champagnes are produced in exceptional years, non-vintage cuvées are produced annually from a blend of several years in order to produce Champagnes that maintain a consistent house style.
With nearly negligible exceptions, . These can be blended together or bottled as individual varietal Champagnes, depending on the final style of wine desired. Chardonnay, the only white variety, contributes freshness, elegance, lively acidity and notes of citrus, orchard fruit and white flowers. Pinot Noir and its relative Pinot Meunier, provide the backbone to many blends, adding structure, body and supple red fruit flavors. Wines with a large proportion of Pinot Meunier will be ready to drink earlier, while Pinot Noir contributes to longevity. Whether it is white or rosé, most Champagne is made from a blend of red and white grapes—and uniquely, rosé is often produce by blending together red and white wine. A Champagne made exclusively from Chardonnay will be labeled as ‘blanc de blancs,’ while ones comprised of only red grapes are called ‘blanc de noirs.’
A term typically reserved for Champagne and Sparkling Wines, non-vintage or simply “NV” on a label indicates a blend of finished wines from different vintages (years of harvest). To make non-vintage Champagne, typically the current year’s harvest (in other words, the current vintage) forms the base of the blend. Finished wines from previous years, called “vins de reserve” are blended in at approximately 10-50% of the total volume in order to achieve the flavor, complexity, body and acidity for the desired house style. A tiny proportion of Champagnes are made from a single vintage.
There are also some very large production still wines that may not claim one particular vintage. This would be at the discretion of the winemaker’s goals for character of the final wine.