Cuvée “5 Sens” Brut Nature 2019

Wine description for Cuvée “5 Sens” Brut Nature 2019 by Olivier Horiot

Character

A Champagne that deliberately sets itself against the mainstream: bone-dry, bottled without any dosage, with zero grams of residual sugar. The 5 Sens is precise, chalky and of a stark elegance that evokes great white wines rather than festive sparkling wine. It is a manifesto – bringing together all seven permitted Champagne grape varieties in a single bottle, including rarities that would otherwise have nearly vanished.

Terroir & Origin

Les Riceys in the Côte des Bar is the only village in Champagne entitled to three appellations. Beneath the vineyards lies Kimmeridgian chalk – geologically related to the soils of Chablis – which imparts a pronounced minerality to the wines. The Horiot family has cultivated vines here since the 17th century; Olivier Horiot took over the estate in 1999 and promptly converted to organic, and now biodynamic viticulture. The soils are ploughed by horse, and synthetic inputs are strictly forbidden.

Grape Varieties & Vinification

The cuvée unites the region’s seven varieties, including Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc and the nearly extinct Arbane – vines that together account for less than one per cent of Champagne’s vineyard area. Each plot is harvested and vinified separately; fermentation takes place spontaneously with wild yeasts in used barriques. Unfiltered, unfined and only minimally sulphured – a craft practised with unwavering commitment by Olivier Horiot and his wife Marie, who manages the cellar.

Food Pairings

The chalky tension and complete dryness make this cuvée a serious everyday wine: with oysters and other raw shellfish, with grilled sole fillet or ceviche. Aged Comté or a simple chicken with lemon and herbs also allows the minerality of the chalk soils to shine through clearly. A Champagne for those who seek a sense of place in their glass rather than mere celebration.