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 ornate beauty of their wine labels. Their estate in the Grand Cru village of Bouzy dates back even further, and it’s the home of current proprietor Jean-François Clouet. Beneath this historic building 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 embracing modern technology.
Clouet is a Pinot Noir specialist—Bouzy is widely regarded as one of Champagne’s top 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 sent to the cellar where they ferment, both alcoholic and malolactic, in enormous vats—he calls them his “stainless steel giants”—and a small percentage of neutral oak. After marrying the base vintage with older reserve wines, today’s cuvée is then bottled and aged in Clouet’s cellar for no less than 36 months. With a hallowed terroir, extended lees aging, and meticulous winemaking, this offers a wonderfully balanced combination of creamy complexity, rich fruit, and minerality that goes unrivaled in this price range.
Why You’ll Love it
-A masterful wine that walks a high wire between the full-bodied, rich mouthfeel and the crisp acidity and stony minerality we all crave from the best Champagnes
-100% Pinot Noir, 0% dosage!
-Aromas of green apple, citrus zest, white flowers, and delicate hints of peach and nectarine mingle with subtle toasted brioche, almond, and chalky minerality. The concentrated palate evolves to deliver red fruits with hints of red currant alongside lemon curd and toasted nuts.
How To Serve:
-To allow the magnificent aromatics of this wine to really flourish, avoid serving in thin traditional flutes. Opt instead for an all-purpose stem or a flared tulip stem.
- Serve just below cellar temperature (about 48-50 degrees).
- Drink it as a solo apéritif or absolutely brilliant with fresh oysters. Our favorite pairing? Enjoy alongside a crispy platter of fried chicken and Pommes frites!
