Champagne has no shortage of intricacies, which we delight in showcasing here at SommSelect—especially when it comes to the blip-on-the-radar houses who let their
terroir do the talking. Take note of the prominent banner across the front label of today’s wine: “
Récolant-Manipulant.” No need to find ‘RM’ in small print on the back—Forest-Marie grows its own grapes, makes its own wine, and wants you to know that.
While based in the Montagne de Reims village of Trigny, Forest-Marié has 86 individual vineyard plots spread throughout Champagne—including nearby towns such as Sacy, Ecueil, and Ville-Dommange—and treat each one according to its unique characteristics. So yes, as is clear to see in today’s cuvée, “L’Absolu Blanc de Blancs,” there is some serious Chardonnay growing throughout the Pinot Noir-dominated Montagne de Reims. And in addition to flying their ‘grower-producer’ flag right on the front label, Forest-Marie also lets you know that this “Dosage 0” received no added sugar after disgorgement. This is bone-dry, impeccably balanced, soil-driven Blanc de Blancs with some added heft from partial oak aging, long lees aging, and the heavier soils of Trigny and its environs. It wowed us with its depth, detail, and incredible value-for-dollar. Champagne aficionados, take note!
A quick recap for those who scratched their heads upon seeing “Récoltant-Manipulant.” This is a “grower-producer,” meaning an estate that controls every aspect of farming and winemaking: 95% of the fruit must be from their own vineyards (if a grower who only has Chardonnay vines wants to make a rosé, he can purchase some Pinot Noir/Meunier with that remaining 5%). This greatly differs from the large négociants (Champagne Houses) which dominate the market. It doesn’t mean one is better than the other, but buying Récoltant-Manipulant Champagne means whatever name is on the label was in complete control of the process from start to finish.
There are deeds that show winemaker and proprietor Thierry Forest’s familial ties to the land in Trigny date back 1746. When he married his wife, Grancianne Marié, the family’s estate vineyards expanded beyond Trigny—most notably to the Premier Cru village of Ecueil, where Grancianne’s family is from—and the label got its hyphenated name. Sourced mainly from sites in Trigny and Ecueil, L’Absolu was aged in a combination of stainless steel vats and large, neutral oak barrels, then spent some four years maturing on its lees in bottle. Today’s bottling is a 50-50 mix of the 2012 and 2013 vintages and was disgorged in July of 2018. It was not given any dosage (sugar addition) before final bottling, yet while it is, as you’d expect, bone dry, it doesn’t lack for depth: Whereas many zero-dosage Champagnes are tooth-chatteringly austere, this one displays layered complexity and persistence.
That said, this Blanc de Blancs would make a stylish, enervating apéritif bubbly. Pull it from the refrigerator and pour into all-purpose white wine glasses (you know by now how we feel about flutes, apéritif or not!). Be sure not that it’s not so cold as to numb the delights awaiting your sip—my sweet spot is around 50 degrees. In the glass, it’s a shimmering, silvery straw-gold, with resplendent aromas of lemon curd, yellow apple, hints of dried guava, dried herbs, and crushed stones. Plump, best of season, Winter West Coast Oysters with apple/mint granita? Absolutely. But don’t sell this 'zero dosage' beauty short and relegate it solely to starter status. After some time and aeration, it aromatically broadens out with added aromas of freshly baked croissant. This expanse is the benefit of proper oak treatment, where it is undetectable in overt aroma, each sip is rounded, firm, and full. Yet, it doesn’t sacrifice an ounce of acidity, which only highlighting these newly released accents. Now I start to crave a lemon-zest-heavy salmon tart, as in the attached recipe. If you are still feeling the holiday buzz, top it with a dollop of caviar for some added decadence. Price notwithstanding, this Champagne has the class to mingle with such fancy company. Enjoy!
