There’s a lot of “what ifs” in the air right now—especially when it comes to the rumored Champagne tariffs in 2020—so we thought offering you the final bit of André Clouet’s Grand Cru “Grande Réserve” would be the smart thing to do. It’s the last of their current release and after it goes, we’ll have to wait several months for the new disgorgement—and hopefully not new, higher prices. Take what you can, while you can!
Since the birth of SommSelect, we’ve enthusiastically championed Andre Clouet without pause. Their astonishingly affordable Champagne is packed to the brim with Grand Cru fruit from the iconic Pinot Noir villages of Bouzy and Ambonnay, and it always delivers a breathtaking luxury experience. Clouet continues defying everything I thought I knew about wine value and Econ 101: Demand keeps skyrocketing, price and quantity remain at an impossible low, and quality is shining at an all-time high. If there was enough of this dynamic, texturally rich, profoundly deep Grand Cru sparkler to go around, I’d be on the street singing its praises like a newspaper vendor of yore. This is the be-all and end-all of value Champagne and, sadly, you’re already at a disadvantage because our longtime subscribers saw “Andre Clouet” and immediately took their full share. We can’t blame them for it either—it’s just that good of a Grand Cru Champagne. Happy New Year!
The Clouet family first found the spotlight after becoming the official printers for the Royal Court at Versailles in the mid-18th century (hence the beauty of their wine labels). Their estate in Bouzy, which current owner Jean-François Clouet still calls home, dates back even further! Beneath this historic site lies their labyrinthine chalk cellar, which still contains partial false walls that hid precious bottles during Nazi invasion in World War II. With all this historic grandeur surrounding him, Jean-François draws from tradition and time-honored techniques while respectively embracing modern technology into the mix. Clouet is a Pinot Noir specialist—Bouzy is widely regarded as one of Champagne’s greatest sites for Pinot Noir—and his wines are bold, soil-expressive, sumptuous Champagnes that demand to be enjoyed with food.
Their vineyard holdings, all Grand Cru, are spread across just eight hectares in Bouzy and its similarly Pinot-focused neighbor, Ambonnay. Grapes are hand-picked and then sent to the winery where they ferment, both alcoholic and malolactic, in stainless steel vessels. It is then bottled and aged in their cellar for several years before disgorgement. This bottle was topped off with a low dosage of six grams of sugar (technically qualifying it for the Extra-Brut category). With incredible terroir, extended lees aging, and meticulous winemaking, this offers an incredibly balanced combination of creamy complexity, rich fruit, and minerality that is nearly unrivaled in this price range.
This wine features incredibly delicate bubbles and has a golden-yellow core that moves to green reflections on the rim. Aromas of sliced yellow apples, pineapple core, preserved lemon, freshly made brioche, and honeysuckle, jump from the glass. The concentrated palate evolves to deliver red fruits with hints of red currant alongside lemon curd and toasted nuts. It’s a wine that masterfully walks a high wire between the full-bodied, rich mouthfeel and the crisp acidity and stony minerality we all crave from the best Champagnes. To allow the magnificent aromatics of this Champagne to really flourish, avoid serving in thin traditional flutes. Opt instead for a white wine stem or a tulip Champagne stem and serve just below cellar temperature (about 50 degrees). Drink it as a solo apéritif, pair it with a variety of tapas, or station it next to a greasy, crispy platter of fried chicken. For the newcomers: Oh yes, we mean it. Be it Clouet or Krug, I always jump at the opportunity to enjoy this odd, addicting, beauty-and-the-beast pairing. Cheers!
