Bistrøtage B.20 Extra Brut Blanc de Noirs

Wine description for Bistrøtage B.20 Extra Brut Blanc de Noirs by Françoise Martinot

Colour & appearance

Pale straw yellow with a salmon-pink sheen, clear reflections and a fine, even mousse of medium-sized bubbles.

Nose

Intense, multi-layered and deeply aromatic. Dried flowers from meadow herbs, hay, thyme, marjoram, lavender and tarragon set the opening. These are joined by nutty notes of roasted hazelnut and almond skin, flanked by delicate hints of bread crust, sourdough and fresh baguette. The fruit oscillates between redcurrants, raspberries and wild strawberries, complemented by candied pear, red apple, candied ginger and mirabelle plum. Behind this lie cool mineral undertones reminiscent of stone and gentle smoke – elegant and subtly enigmatic.

Palate

As one might expect, it presents itself as very vinous, resolute and uncompromisingly linear. The first impression is a taut, almost lash-like acidity that immediately asserts its presence, pushing the fruit somewhat to the periphery. What remains is a clear, straight-edged profile that places the emphasis squarely on its lean, mineral structure. On the palate, the Champagne feels dry, cool and intensely focused, almost ascetic. The fruit lingers only as a faint, delicate shimmer in the background, whilst the dried herb aromas – thyme, lavender, marjoram – are given ample space and dominate the picture. Stony nuances emerge, evoking rock dust and chalk, along with fine bitter touches that draw the wine towards a more austere, restrained direction. The nutty character of hazelnut and almond skin persists on the finish, mingling with a subtle smokiness that feels filigree and cool.

Finish

Not opulent, but rather abrupt, yet precise, herbaceous and slightly bitter, lending the Champagne an elegant rigour and an almost meditative aftertaste.

Terroir & origin

From the Côte des Bar, the southern, Burgundy-influenced tip of Champagne. The vines are located in Celles-sur-Ource and Chervey on warm marl soils – four hectares of Pinot Noir that here yield an unusually profound, almost full-bodied austerity.

Grape variety & vinification

A single-varietal Pinot Noir, vinified as a Blanc de Noirs (white wine from red grapes). Spontaneous fermentation with wild yeasts, maturation in wooden casks, with no added sulphur – a radically purist approach that allows the variety and the limestone soil to speak unfiltered.

Food recommendations

The ascetic structure and herbal spice call for precise, not overly rich accompaniments: oysters with shallot vinaigrette, sole in butter with almonds, raw beef tartare with capers and shallots, or young hard cheeses such as Comté (18 months). Also an exciting choice with smoked trout or mushroom risotto with thyme.

Special features

A Champagne with a Burgundian soul: the Bistrotage cuvées are Charles Dufour’s tribute to his mother, Françoise Martinot, who spearheaded the conversion to organic viticulture in 2010. He vinifies her grapes with meticulous craftsmanship – the result is an Extra Brut of almost ascetic clarity that showcases the Côte des Bar in its purest form.