Roses de Jeanne Val Vilaine Cedric Bouchard BV20 NV
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Roses de Jeanne is the range made from Cédric Bouchard's own vines, rather than his fathers vineyards which he also manages. He promotes low yields which results in an extremely complex, full flavoured champagne. The vineyards are farmed bio-dynamic with hand labour and horses. The Cote des Bar is typically quite different soils to the more northerly regions, more Kimmeridgian soil so a blend of limestone and clay, these more clay rich soils and the slightly warmer temperatures tend to bring broader and fuller champagnes.
A single vineyard champagne from a 1.5 hectare "lieu-dit" of Val Vilaine with vines 37 year old. 300-500 cases produced annually. The wine is bottled with a low sugar to yeast ratio giving a lower pressure champagne around 4.25 bars, compared to a typical 6 bars, so you get a softer mousse which is perfect for young champagnes with zero dosage. Bouchard prefers to go for fruit freshness and likes to keep lees contact much shorter than is typical in the region. This is from dominant vintage of 2020 and is identified on the back label with V20.
Weather: The 2020 season ended up having one of the shortest ripening periods ever, with notable heterogeneity in reaching ripeness. In 2020, the sugar levels were slightly below those of 2019 and 2018 but acidity levels remained fresher than for 2018, the lowest of this promising trilogy of vintages.
Technical Information:
Grape Varieties: 100% Pinot Noir from Celles-sur-Ource in Côte des Bar (Aube)
Lees Ageing: 15 months
Base Vintage: 2020
Disgorged: April 2022
Dosage: Zero
Grape Vines: 37+ year old Pinot Noir
Drink: Now to 5 years+
Tasting Note: Unfurling in the glass with aromas of pear, green apple, crisp stone fruit and bread dough, it's medium to full-bodied, pillowy and precise, with a beautifully refined but intensely flavored palate that's finer-boned than the richer, more powerful 2019 rendition. Long and penetrating, this is another brilliant wine from Cédric Bouchard. - Tasting note by William Kelley
A single vineyard champagne from a 1.5 hectare "lieu-dit" of Val Vilaine with vines 37 year old. 300-500 cases produced annually. The wine is bottled with a low sugar to yeast ratio giving a lower pressure champagne around 4.25 bars, compared to a typical 6 bars, so you get a softer mousse which is perfect for young champagnes with zero dosage. Bouchard prefers to go for fruit freshness and likes to keep lees contact much shorter than is typical in the region. This is from dominant vintage of 2020 and is identified on the back label with V20.
Weather: The 2020 season ended up having one of the shortest ripening periods ever, with notable heterogeneity in reaching ripeness. In 2020, the sugar levels were slightly below those of 2019 and 2018 but acidity levels remained fresher than for 2018, the lowest of this promising trilogy of vintages.
Technical Information:
Grape Varieties: 100% Pinot Noir from Celles-sur-Ource in Côte des Bar (Aube)
Lees Ageing: 15 months
Base Vintage: 2020
Disgorged: April 2022
Dosage: Zero
Grape Vines: 37+ year old Pinot Noir
Drink: Now to 5 years+
Tasting Note: Unfurling in the glass with aromas of pear, green apple, crisp stone fruit and bread dough, it's medium to full-bodied, pillowy and precise, with a beautifully refined but intensely flavored palate that's finer-boned than the richer, more powerful 2019 rendition. Long and penetrating, this is another brilliant wine from Cédric Bouchard. - Tasting note by William Kelley
