Flavien Nowack, an eighth-generation Champagne producer, has made significant changes to the family winery over the previous decade. He turned the family vineyards to organic farming, and then to biodynamic farming, with the encouragement of mentors. Flavien also started a campaign in 2018 to plant more trees and a ‘les clos environmentals,’ a tree wall to safeguard the vines. Flavien concentrates on distinguishing his three grape varietals when it comes to winemaking (Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay). To allow for ideal levels of oxygen to reach the wine, all grapes are pressed slowly, matured in barrels on their lees, and undergo a second fermentation with corks opposed to crown caps. Only grape must is used if a dosage is required. Last night, we opened two bottles: La Tuilerie 2016 and Crus d’Origine Cuis 2015.
La Tuilerie 2016 is 100% Chardonnay. There were 2639 bottles made, and they were disgorged in January 2021. La Tuilerie was a citrus explosion. The wine had a fresh and bright acidity, with notes of lemon and grapefruit on the nose and palate. This champagne has a wonderful balanced minerality and little biscuit aromas. This is a great aperitif, and it was gone before we even realised it.
The following Champagne was Cuis Crus d’Origine 2015. It’s a Premier Cru limited to 528 bottles. It was disgorged in May 2021, and it was 100% Chardonnay once more. All of the grapes for this wine were purchased from close friends and come from terroirs that Flavien doesn’t usually work with. This was a complete change of pace from La Tuilerie. It had notes of brioche, was nutty, buttery, and had a lot of complexity. A faint salty flavour and chalkiness were also present. This is a wine to savour or drink with food. This is a significant departure from La Tuilerie.
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YesWack
boxesintheattic
Looks good!
Maybe not the best place to ask this, but I’m looking for “natural” champagnes that focus on the less common of the 7 grapes allowed in the cahier de charges, arbane, petit meslier and pinot blanc.
3 Comments
Flavien Nowack, an eighth-generation Champagne producer, has made significant changes to the family winery over the previous decade. He turned the family vineyards to organic farming, and then to biodynamic farming, with the encouragement of mentors. Flavien also started a campaign in 2018 to plant more trees and a ‘les clos environmentals,’ a tree wall to safeguard the vines. Flavien concentrates on distinguishing his three grape varietals when it comes to winemaking (Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay). To allow for ideal levels of oxygen to reach the wine, all grapes are pressed slowly, matured in barrels on their lees, and undergo a second fermentation with corks opposed to crown caps. Only grape must is used if a dosage is required. Last night, we opened two bottles: La Tuilerie 2016 and Crus d’Origine Cuis 2015.
La Tuilerie 2016 is 100% Chardonnay. There were 2639 bottles made, and they were disgorged in January 2021. La Tuilerie was a citrus explosion. The wine had a fresh and bright acidity, with notes of lemon and grapefruit on the nose and palate. This champagne has a wonderful balanced minerality and little biscuit aromas. This is a great aperitif, and it was gone before we even realised it.
The following Champagne was Cuis Crus d’Origine 2015. It’s a Premier Cru limited to 528 bottles. It was disgorged in May 2021, and it was 100% Chardonnay once more. All of the grapes for this wine were purchased from close friends and come from terroirs that Flavien doesn’t usually work with. This was a complete change of pace from La Tuilerie. It had notes of brioche, was nutty, buttery, and had a lot of complexity. A faint salty flavour and chalkiness were also present. This is a wine to savour or drink with food. This is a significant departure from La Tuilerie.
YesWack
Looks good!
Maybe not the best place to ask this, but I’m looking for “natural” champagnes that focus on the less common of the 7 grapes allowed in the cahier de charges, arbane, petit meslier and pinot blanc.
Any recommendations?