Triologie KM-3 2022

Wine description for Triologie KM-3 2022 by Clandestin

Character

A Brut Nature of Burgundian clarity: taut, mineral and with a cool precision that one would sooner associate with Chablis than with Champagne. The abbreviation “KM” refers to Kimmeridgian, that marly Jurassic limestone which lends the wine its saline tension. With no dosage and no cosmetic interventions – a Champagne that speaks unadorned of its origins.

Terroir & Origin

The Côte des Bar, at the southernmost edge of Champagne, is geologically closer to Chablis than to Reims. While the great houses in the north work on young chalk, Clandestin’s vines are rooted in Kimmeridgian marl and Portlandian limestone – Jurassic soils rich in fossilised marine shells. Benoît Doussot, who grew up in Beaune and trained under Jean-Philippe Fichet in Meursault, sources exclusively organic grapes from eleven growers in the region and vinifies them in his winery in Landreville, completed in 2023 – built over two levels so that gravity renders pumping unnecessary.

Grape Variety & Vinification

Pinot Noir is the soul of the Côte des Bar, and Doussot handles it with the sensitivity of a Burgundian: spontaneous fermentation, twelve months’ maturation in large 500- to 600-litre casks – slimmer than classic pièces, with less sulphur – followed by a further winter ‘en masse’ in tank. After secondary fermentation in bottle, the wine spends at least 15 months sur lattes. The result: a Champagne of linear texture, fine mousse and that chalky minerality which only Jurassic limestone can bestow.

Food Pairings

The saline structure and absence of any cushioning sweetness call for precise dishes: oysters or sole, Champagne goat’s cheese, smoked char or a simple chanterelle risotto. Whether alongside sushi or roast chicken with lemon, this Brut Nature demonstrates why the Côte des Bar has long since emerged from the shadow of Reims.