The emergence of Champagne De Saint-Gall has earned them labels like “The kings of premium Champagne,” which has left many asking:
Just who are these guys? Upon tasting this delicious label, many will say there’s a new dawn of Champagne on the horizon, but our rebuttal would be that it's been here all along—just behind closed curtains. Champagne De Saint-Gall is part of a launch of in-house labels from Union Champagne, a luxury cooperative that owns...drumroll…50% of the Grand Cru vineyards in Côte de Blancs.
That’s right: Think of the prestige label from any renowned Champagne House and there’s a good chance their Chef de Cave pays an annual visit to Union Champagne to do some Chardonnay shopping. And while many of those wines end up being extraordinary expressions of luxury Champagne, the prices soar well beyond the reach of many. As such, the cooperative introduced De Saint-Gall, an incredibly affordable label crafted in-house, rather than selling all of their precious juice to Champagne powerhouses. So, if you’re not one to marvel the glitz and glamour of Champagne’s widely popular names—or pay the premium for them—let De Saint-Gall’s 100% Premier Cru Champagne introduce you to new, yet familiar, terrain. Rich, creamy, and loaded with mouthwatering freshness, it’s one of the best luxury Champagne values you’ll ever find!
Again, co-ops supplying premium grapes and/or juice to the big Champagne Houses isn’t anything new—in fact, many farmers that previously belonged to co-ops parted ways in hope to make their own labels as ‘RMs’ (récoltant-manipulants). This was one of the drivers for the famed “grower” movement. Several co-ops, however, have remained intact, and while their presence is formidable, no one can hold a candle to Union Champagne in terms of prime vineyard ownership. Formed in 1966 by a cadre of growers around the region, today they are responsible for farming and vinifying over 1,200 acres of Grand Cru and Premier Cru vines. While they have a dozen pressing centers around the region, every vin clair (base wine before secondary fermentation) is produced at their home base in the Grand Cru village of Avize.
This, of course, is where the majority of big Champagne Houses do their “window shopping.” Once the base vintage wines are made, they are sealed tight in tanks and Chef de Caves line up at the door like its Black Friday. Remember: Union Champagne owns an unrivaled amount of Grand Cru and Premier Cru juice, and in order to craft the best labels to fetch those ultra-premium prices, Champagne Houses MUST have this wine. Because of Union Champagne’s sheer volume of luxury real estate and 50+ years of business know-how, they have amassed an eye-popping collection of old reserve wines, as well as a perpetual solera that dates back over 40 years. So, while the Champagne Houses continue to scrap over their premium wares, Union Champagne decided to come out with their very own labels, at a much friendlier price.
Today’s “Le Tradition” is one of those remarkable values. Thanks to their massive network of farmers, the Chardonnay (70%) comes from estate-owned vines in the Premier Cru villages of the Côte de Blancs and the Pinot Noir (30%) is picked from Premier Cru villages within Montagne de Reims. It was vinified in stainless steel tanks and blended with their 40-year-old solera before aging 36 months on lees. Each bottle was disgorged and topped off with approximately eight grams of sugar, or a “Brut.”
Fresh, ripe, creamy—that’s De Saint Gall in a nutshell. This is expertly crafted Champagne that harnesses the raciness of Premier Cru Côte de Blancs Chardonnay and adds some “oomph” with a splash of Pinot Noir. Ultimately, it’s a squeaky clean expression that stands up to its higher-priced competition. “Le Tradition” pours a brilliant straw-yellow with streaks of platinum that meet an ultra-fine mousse. The nose is all class, revealing white peach, crisp pear, citrus blossoms, fresh cream, a touch of brioche, and crushed chalk. Its beautiful aromatics perfectly transfer over to the medium-bodied palate too, which is filled with layers of refreshing minerality and ripe white-yellow fruits. I’m not sure how else to say it: This is exquisitely stylish Champagne that oozes class and texture—if you’ve been avidly searching for a best-in-class bottle, this could very well be your answer. Serve in all-purpose stems around 50-55 degrees (temperature is key if you’re enjoying it in scorching 90+ degree weather, like I did) and deplete your small stock over the next couple of years. Enjoy!
