As in so many wine regions the world over, biodynamic farming is changing the face of Champagne. In vineyards where mechanization and chemical treatments were once the norm, a growing number of producers are bringing balance and life to their soils with biodynamics.
On a recent tour at a top château in Bordeaux—another region that suffered greatly from decades of ‘conventional’ farming—we met a young woman who described how biodynamic farming had transformed the health of their wines over the last decade. The conversation then turned to the Champagne region. I mentioned several small organic and biodynamic producers I loved, and her eyes lit up: she insisted I seek out the Champagnes of Françoise Bedel, under whom she had apprenticed for many years. I found Bedel’s importer and set up a tasting the moment I returned. And now I know why her eyes lit up: Françoise Bedel’s Cuvée, Dis Vin Secret,” epitomizes what I’ve come to call the “life force” of wines farmed biodynamically—its intensity and sense of place will leave you breathless. At this price, the wine is in a league of its own.
Françoise Bedel is revered by her fellow Champenois as an early proponent of biodynamics and a champion of Pinot Meunier, which flourishes in the soils of her Wwestern Marne Valley village of Crouttes-sur-Marne. What led this single mother of two to biodynamics was a very personal blessing in disguise. Her eldest son, Vincent, was seriously ill as a child and every doctor’s appointment failed to cure him. Her last ditch effort was with a homeopath in a nearby village. Vincent was cured by their natural approach and Françoise consequently swore off western medicine, along with synthetic, chemical practices at her tiny estate. Nineteen years later, her domaine is known for strict biodynamic practices and enchanting, terroir-driven wines—with Vincent at the helm as winemaker, no less.
The 8.4-hectare estate, on the western edge of the Marne Valley, is planted to 78% Pinot Meunier, 13% Chardonnay and 9% Pinot Noir. The late-ripening Pinot Meunier is perfectly suited to their alluvial soils along the banks of the Marne and reveals a wine that is round and plush yet retains the fresh acidity we all crave in great Champagne. Their wines spend an uncommonly long time on their lees and are well worth the wait. Cuvée Dis Vin Secret” is derived predominantly from the 2006 vintage and is a blend of 95% Pinot Meunier and 5% Chardonnay. The wine is vinified in a mix of enamel tanks and neutral oak, and it ages on its lees for an impressive seven years. Riddling is still done by hand and racking is conducted strictly by the lunar calendar, and at bottling the wine receives a very low dosage. The result is a profound Champagne that tastes of where it comes from, a true testament to the natural magic that happens when vineyards are encouraged to thrive naturally.
The Dis, Vin Secret displays a pale, golden core of concentrated viscous liquid traversed by slow-moving, tiny bubbles in the glass. The assertive nose reveals dried red currant, red berries, white peach, Meyer lemon preserves and complex secondary aromatics of turmeric, mushroom, honey, pink peppercorn, lees, white flowers and a divine nuttiness from its careful maturation. After a few minutes in the glass, the palate fills out to reveal further complexity, reminiscent of the nose that delineates into a stunning terroir-driven finish that you will want to savor all night long. Do not serve this expressive wine too cold (around 50 degrees max) and opt for an open-mouthed Champagne flute, all-purpose stem or even a Bordeaux stem to experience the full aromatic depth on display. It is, of course, built to be enjoyed with food, and its rich and earthy profile had us thinking of truffles (
this recipe for scallops and black truffles on a bed of leek confit should be an absolute knockout). Regardless of what you pair with it, however, spend some serious time with this wine. It has so much to say.
The wine is incredible, and at a price that's in its own world. The farm-to-table estate derived this Champagne from biodynamically farmed parcels, and the result is a thriving life force of pure energy. Predominantly from the 2006 vintage, this wine has roughly ten years of age with seven years on its lees and is everything I want champagne to be. With intensity of character and a true sense of place that will leave you breathless, this wine transcends anything around its price point.
