Is it rare to find a Grand Cru Vintage Champagne that ages 11+ years before release? You betcha. Far rarer, though, is finding one that hails entirely from a walled single vineyard, known as a “
clos.” I’m sure you’re familiar with the heavy hitters: Clos d’Ambonnay, Clos du Mesnil, Clos de Goisses, but there’s another secreted
clos that has demanded the attention of insiders over the last two decades: Clos Cazals.
Champagne Claude Cazals’ importer believes this treasured site to be “one of Champagne’s best-kept secrets” and it’s hard to argue with them when
élevage, quality, and price tags are compared with the high-flying competition. This tiny walled site hugs the hallmark stone church in the Grand Cru village of Oger and, for today’s 2006
prestige bottling, only the oldest Chardonnay vines (65 years) were selected. It then aged over 11 years before a painfully small release in 2018. I can’t think of anything more exciting than introducing our loyal customer base to a rarefied bottling that secretly exists among Champagne’s Grand Cru elite. At thirteen years and counting, this luxury Blanc de Blancs from the finesse-driven, harmoniously balanced 2006 vintage is in a perfect drinking window. Procrastination is not advised—only the smallest quantities remain.
From coopers to winemaking superstars, the origins of the Cazals family in Champagne start in the final years of the 19th century when Ernest Cazal, a native of Languedoc, resettled in the village of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. Today’s prestige “Clos Cazals” bottling, however, didn’t come until much, much later. For that, we have two people to thank: (1) Olivier Cazals, who originally purchased and planted this prized clos to 100% Grand Cru Chardonnay in 1957 and (2) his granddaughter and current proprietor Delphine, who was the first to craft a cuvée entirely from this distinct site in 1997.
“Clos Cazals” abuts the old église in the northwest corner of Oger, one of the select few Grand Cru villages in the Côte des Blancs. Over the years, the clos has gradually expanded, but ultimately remains a sliver of land at a mere 3.7 hectares. Other than exclusivity, one key benefit of a clos is that the enclosed vines enjoy more heat retention than those that are exposed to the elements. As such, in a cooler continental climate like Champagne, a clos is incredibly advantageous, especially when it’s entirely planted to 100% Grand Cru Chardonnay.
Two cuvées are made within this special walled site: their younger-vine, shorter-aged “La Chapelle du Clos” and today’s old-vine, insanely long-aged “Clos Cazals.” For the latter, the grapes are hand-harvested and driven a few minutes south to their cellar in the bordering town of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. The Grand Cru Chardonnay is gently pressed and fermentation, including full malolactic, occurs in a mixture of stainless steel and neutral French barrels. Following, the wine is bottled and aged for no less than 10 years (11 and change for today’s 2006) in their hand-carved, subterranean chalk cellar. The dosage came in at just five grams of sugar, which found perfect harmony with the nerve-rattling energy of Chardonnay in 2006. As always, production numbers were exceedingly low.
Whenever “Clos Cazals” hits the table royalty and refinement comes to mind and today’s 2006 is dripping with both. It pours into the glass with a deep yellow-gold core and densely packed carbonated beads that slowly march up to the surface. At its core, this is a deeply textured Vintage Champagne that highlights the “grandness” of Grand Cru Chardonnay from Oger. I highly recommend allowing it to unfurl in a large stem—even a bulbous Burgundy is fine—for 15 minutes before taking your first sip. Patience is certainly a virtue here, and for those that allow it time to stretch its legs, you’ll find this 2006 “Clos Cazals” provides waves of lemon curd, fresh cream, toasted brioche, yellow apple, Mirabelle plums, citrus blossoms, apricot, hawthorn, honeysuckle, and crushed stones...all of which are on a fine-grained bed of chalk. The palate reveals a full-bodied Champagne of staggering lift, delicately honeyed character, and brilliant precision. This is isn’t for voluptuaries, but for those who truly admire intricately crafted, profoundly complex Champagne. If that’s you, buy a couple and enjoy this extraordinarily long-aged Grand Cru stunner with a significant other. Cheers!
