New in the range: Champagne Solemme

A Focus on Naturalness

Since its founding in 2009, the Champagne estate Solemme, under the direction of Olivier Langlais, has quickly made a name for itself. From the very beginning, the focus was on organic farming. Certification was initiated in 2010 and successfully completed in 2013. Since 2018, the Agriculture Biologique seal has featured on the labels of his wines. Olivier Langlais uses ever fewer additives in winemaking, making his Champagnes increasingly pure.

The Origins of the Champagnes

The estate is located in the 1er Cru village of Villers-aux-Nœuds, part of the La Petite Montagne de Reims region, an area held in high regard by Champagne connoisseurs. Here, where the estate of Emmanuel Brochet is also based, the Langlais family cultivates 6.11 hectares of land across three different villages, planted with 62% Pinot Meunier, 30% Chardonnay and 8% Pinot Noir – a typical grape variety blend for this part of Champagne.

One of the areas in which Langlais holds parcels is Chamery, known through Champagne Bonnet-Ponson. The soils in Villers-aux-Nœuds are rich in chalk, limestone and flint, whilst Chamery is characterised by a mixture of clay and limestone. The estate’s vines were planted between 1957 and 2018 and have an average age of 52 years.

The Philosophy of Reduction

“We vinify our wines as simply as possible”, explains Olivier Langlais. Chaptalisaton, filtration and cold-induced tartrate stabilisation are all eschewed. The wines ferment naturally in stainless steel tanks, without the addition of sulphur, dosage or any other intervention, and age for a minimum of 36 months on the lees. Production follows the lunar calendar and natural cycles, with only the entry-level Champagne Plénitude de Solemme receiving a minimal sulphuring and a dosage of 1.1 grams per litre.

The Champagne Range

The result is a collection of authentic Champagnes that capture the diversity of the Petite Montagne de Reims. The Plénitude de Solemme 2019 enchants with a balance of 50% Chardonnay and Meunier alongside a subtle dosage. The Esprit de Solemme 2019 unites the estate’s three principal grape varieties into a straightforward tasting experience. The Nature de Solemme 2017 is a pure Chardonnay, a Blanc de Blancs without malolactic fermentation.

With the Ambre de Solemme 2016, Olivier Langlais, supported by his son, presents an exceptional Blanc de Noirs that acquires an almost rosé-like colour through a brief period of skin contact with the Meunier grapes. The Rosé de Solemme 2020 stands out as a particularly fresh and unadulterated representative of its colour. This philosophy of purity runs throughout the entire range of Champagne Solemme.

Our Solemme range comprises five Champagnes of 0.75 litres each from the following wines:
2019 Plénitude de Solemme
2019 Esprit de Solemme
2017 Nature de Solemme
2016 Ambre de Solemme
2020 Rosé de Solemme