France Inter quotes the nude vintage

ON VA DÉGUSTER - FRANCE INTER

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• Champagne, a new cartography

🍾 A new cartography for this emblematic vineyard?

Yes, as long as you don't approach it in geographical terms: with the exception of a relatively recent enlargement, the delimited production area is subject to only rare changes.

We'll look at it from an environmental point of view, since today this northern region has learned to spell "Bio", to spell "Biodynamie" and to welcome a few "Vin méthode nature". Let's be fair, these technical itineraries are here, more than anywhere else, difficult to implement in a vineyard with a sometimes conflicting relationship with the weather.

This new cartography is also taking shape in gustatory contours. Or rather "organoleptic", as we say, with specialist verbiage slung over our shoulders. Farewell to dosages (in sugar) to round out cuvées geared towards boudoir aperitifs and multi-saccharose desserts. Today, cuvées with "extra brut" dosage (or no dosage at all) are legion, delivering wines that are as close as possible to frank, direct expression. The graphic universe also contributes to renewing the panorama. In this new way of telling our story, labels feature less gilding and over-the-top illumination, and more fresh, poetic and offbeat imagery.

Finally, in terms of players - and actresses! - the new generation has come into its own, bringing with it a host of new ideas, with more natural and sometimes more creative winemaking techniques, just like those found in the world of still wines. Aging in jars, in solera courses, in "zero sulfite" mode - these are all brightening up the Champagne region, just as they have shaken up still wines elsewhere.

Young guard and new approaches, free of the "Prestige" or "Tradition" cuvées, are rubbing off on the style of the wines and broadening the Champagne horizon.
Pour and freer wines.

• Carnet de Champagne - New vintages