Cuvée des Caudalies "Le Mesnil" Grand Cru Extra Brut 2013
The Cuvée des Caudalies "Le Mesnil" Grand Cru Extra Brut 2013 from De Sousa showcases the absolute perfection of pure Chardonnay from old vines in the legendary terroir of the Côte des Blancs.
Bottler: Champagne De Sousa & Fils, 12 place Léon Bourgeois, 51190 Avize / France
In the glass
Colour
Deep golden yellow to antique gold with a fine mousseux.
Nose
Extremely complex, revealing honeycomb, quince jelly, dried yellow pear, candied ginger and a fresh note of oysters.
Palate
Creamy entry with the finest perlage, full and rich in extract, accompanied by a mellow texture and great aromatic clarity.
Character
Baroque, opulent and expressive, whilst outstandingly structured and full of sublime elegance.
Pairing
Lobster with tarragon-vinegar melon, glazed guinea fowl with honey and rosemary, or crostini with golden beetroot and salted hazelnuts.
Notes
Pure Grand Cru Chardonnay from over 60-year-old vines in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, spontaneously fermented in oak with wild yeasts, lees-stirred (bâtonnage), bottled unfiltered and Demeter-certified.
Tasting note
Colour & Appearance
Deep gold-yellow to old gold with an extremely fine, elegant perlage.
Nose
An aristocratic, multi-layered interplay of aromas: dense notes of dripping honeycomb, quince jelly and dried, ripe yellow pear meet accents of candied ginger as well as a subtle, maritime sea breeze of fresh oysters. A complex, baroque bouquet full of effortless nobility.
Palate
On the palate, it reveals the signature De Sousa texture: creamy, rich and supported by a mellow maturity. The mousseux feels like fine, shimmering stardust. The champagne flows generously, powerfully and with perfect structure at 12.5% abv across the tongue, underpinned by the fresh elegance of Grand Cru Chardonnay.
Terroir & Origin
The grapes hail from the legendary Grand Cru site Le Mesnil-sur-Oger in the Côte des Blancs. The De Sousa estate works strictly biodynamically (Demeter certified) – the vines for this wine are over 60 years old and rooted deep in the region’s chalky soils.
Grape Variety & Vinification
100% Chardonnay. The base wines were fermented spontaneously with wild yeasts in oak casks and underwent regular bâtonnage. Bottling took place on 10 July 2014 without filtration; after years of maturation in the cool chalk cellars, the wine was disgorged on 29 November 2022 with a dosage of just three grams (Extra Brut).
Food Pairings
Ideal with crostini with goat’s cheese, golden beetroot, propolis and salted hazelnuts, refined lobster with chilled tarragon-vinegar melon or a savoury guinea fowl glazed with honey, rosemary and garlic.
Key Features
An impressive monument crafted by the De Sousa family. The combination of extremely old vines, oak cask vinification and Demeter-certified viticulture results in a champagne of majestic length, best enjoyed from a large universal wine glass.
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