Brocard Champagne Bulles de Blancs Extra Brut 2013

Côte des Bar is Champagne’s southernmost subregion and was once considered part of Burgundy, a fact that informs its winemaking and gastronomic culture to this day. Thibaud Brocard is the fifth-generation to work his family’s estate of 6.5 hectares divided among 11 unique parcels, but otherwise he eschews tradition by making mostly single-varietal vintage champagnes that get extensive lees aging and minimal sulfites, while also converting the estate to organic viticulture since 2012. The estate lies mostly on limestone soils.

Bulles de Blancs is made from 100% Chardonnay harvested in 2015 from vineyards located on clay-calcareous, kimmeridgian soil. Fermented in stainless steel, with secondary fermentation in bottle, and aged on the lees for 5 years. Citrus, vanilla, and white flower on the nose, with a whiff of almond. Bright and crisp on the palate with baked apples and orange peel, a mid-palate of savory brioche, finishing with slate-y minerals.