Chaillots Hautes Vignes, Premier Cru Extra Brut 2019

Wine Description for Chaillots Hautes Vignes Premier Cru Extra Brut 2019 by Lacourte-Godbillon

Colour & Appearance

Intense straw yellow with fine, delicate bubbles – a Champagne that already hints at its maturity without losing its youthful character.

Nose

Straightforward and precise, this Blanc de Blancs presents itself with remarkable clarity. The nose is all about freshness: citric notes, flint and chalk dominate, underpinned by subtle hints of wood and pastry. Not an opulent aromatic spectacle, but a promise of clarity and tension.

Palate

Here the Chaillots Hautes Vignes reveals its true nature: electrifying acidity, uncompromising pressure and a chalky-mineral texture that envelops the palate. Lemon zest, pips and juice meet sourdough and a perfectly calibrated wood note. The 2.5 grams of dosage are barely perceptible, yet provide exactly the right counterpoint – a hint of lemon sorbet that merges with notes of white-fleshed stone fruit.

Finish

Long, precise and of impressive clarity. The minerality carries far, the acidity remains lively, and only in the finale does the fine balance between austerity and elegance reveal itself.

Terroir & Origin

Hailing from Ecueil in the Montagne de Reims, this Chardonnay grows on sandy soils (Chaillots) and loose clay (Hautes Vignes) – a combination that fosters both finesse and structure.

Grape Variety & Vinification

Pure Chardonnay, spontaneously fermented and aged for nine months in 228-litre barrels. Neither stabilised nor filtered nor fined – an uncompromising approach. Bottled in July 2020, disgorged on 10 May 2023.

Food Pairing Suggestions

The acidity and minerality make it ideal for sea bass carpaccio with citrus fruits, scallops on cauliflower cream or langoustines in seaweed butter with Rattes potatoes. A Champagne for refined seafood cuisine.

Special Features

An Extra Brut with just 2.5 grams of dosage, bearing the hallmark of a winemaker who prioritises terroir and transparency over accessibility. Lacourte-Godbillon impressively demonstrates here that modern Champagne can also be radically honest.