Average rating 4.9/5 stars across all Google and external reviews
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Bought directly from Philipponnat's UK agent, the bottles are stored in bond at London City Bond Eton Park, in ideal conditions at a constant 13°C. For same-day deliveries, small quantities are kept in our office cellar, where the temperature is maintained between 11–13°C. We source all our bottles directly from the Maison or their official UK office, eliminating the risk of poor storage. This is crucial, as champagne quality is highly sensitive to heat: temperatures above 18°C accelerate maturity significantly, which compromises quality.
The Philipponnat family, originally from Switzerland, settled in Champagne in the middle of the 16th century. Their history as vine-growers is believed to have begun in 1522, but the house as we know it today wasn't officially founded until 1910. Pierre Philipponnat established his house in a difficult era, with the Champagne Riots, a World War, and the Great Depression incoming. But the house's fortunes changed in 1935, when Pierre acquired what would eventually become one of Champagne's greatest treasures and one of the world's greatest wines - a little-known, steep-sloping, south-facing vineyard called Clos des Goisses, which is still the jewel in the Philipponnat crown today.
In 1997, the house was purchased by Bruno Paillard, becoming part of what is now the Lanson-BCC Group. Although Philipponnat has lost family ownership, it is now back under family management, after Paillard convinced sixteenth generation Charles Philipponnat to come and run the business his grandfather had founded 90 years earlier. Alongside cellar master Thierry Garnier, who has been with Philipponnat since 1993, Charles has been busy establishing a more Pinot-dominant house style, much-loved by connoisseurs. Philipponnat are also celebrated in the trade for printing disgorgement dates on their labels, which they have been doing since 1996. Today, Philipponnat enjoys growing acclaim from both wine critics and the world of haute cuisine.
The jewel in the Champagne Philipponnat crown is a tiny 5.5-hecatre single walled vineyard called Clos des Goisses. Acquired in 1935, Pierre Philipponnat was quick to realise the potential of this unique plot and immediately started producing a single vineyard blend. Originally named Vin des Goisses, it was changed to Clos de Goisses in 1959 and thus the category of Clos champagnes (produced from grapes within walled vineyards) was born. Clos des Goisses is truly iconic: situated by the Marne canal, it is a steep-sloping, south-facing vineyard with an inclination of 35-45 degrees that can only be fully appreciated by visiting. Gois, means a very steep slope. Due to its size, production is limited to a maximum of 55,000 bottles each year.
Weather: The 2002 vintage shaped up magnificently over the spring, with no significant frost and near-perfect flowering. Then followed a summer marked by long, sunny periods interspersed with regular cloudy and rainy spells. The vines were in good health and the dehydration of the grape berries helped them reach new heights of ripeness. Generally considered one of the best harvests in the last twenty years.
News Article: Philipponnat Clos des Goisses 2002 placed sixth in our comprehensive Prestige Cuvées from 2002 blind tasting in October 2016 with Jancis Robinson MW. Read the full write-up here.
Technical Information:
Vineyards: 100% 1er Cru | Single vineyard: Clos des Goisses
Grape Varieties: 70% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay
Ageing: 8 years on the lees
Disgorged: February 2012
Dosage: 4.5 g/l
Drink: Now to 2030+
Tasting Note: The 2002 season was a near-perfect vintage, especially for this tiny plot in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ. Clos des Goisses 2002 is a deep golden colour. On the nose aromas of Pinot Noir are prominent with hints of fruits and honey. The palate is full of flavour with the fruit complexity shining through. With such a remarkably long-lasting finish, this champagne will age exceptionally well.
Almost 500 years ago, the ancestor of Apvril Philipponnat - a soldier of King François - was awarded land in the village of Aÿ as a reward for his bravery during the Battle of Marignan. During the 16th century the Philipponnat family were winegrowers and merchants, famously supplying the court of Louis XIV. However, it took a few centuries for Champagne Philipponnat to be founded - finally being established by Pierre Philipponnat in 1910.
The House now owns seventeen hectares of vines, all situated in the Grand and Premier Cru vineyards of Avenay, Aÿ and Mareuil-sur-Aÿ. Traditional methods of harvest such as working the soil through horse ploughing and hoeing by hand are still observed at Champagne Philipponnat today. Their techniques of partial fermentation in oak and partial malolactic fermentation result in a complex and long-lived style of champagne. They were also one of the first producers to print disgorgement dates on the label of their bottles, commencing this practice in the mid-1990s.
Cellar Master: Thierry Garnier
Winery Location: Mareuil-sur-Aÿ | Champagne, France
Champagne Region: Vallée de la Marne
Annual Production (bottles): 700,000
Expert Reviews
18.5/20
Jancis Robinson MW
“Disgorged June 2011. RS 4.5 g/l. 70% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay. From producer's UK stock. Dark pinky gold. Very rich and interesting. Bit of a wild card. Philipponat? Really interesting wine (rather than champagne). Tastes of toffee apple. Really interesting with a hint of wild flowers. Long.”
94/100
Essi Avellan MW
“This big vintage is finally starting to come around. Still a baby, holding back plenty but it is starting to show its true colours of ripe opulence, vinosity, muscle and power. Its sweet aromatics are leaning towards ripe botrytised honey and apricot tones complemented by curry depth, ashes, red fruit, raspberry seeds, cedar wood and more. Big, bold body and lovely tingling sensation on the fresh, vivacious palate. November 2011 and February 2012 disgorgements were showing equally well in October 2014. November 2011 disgorgement retasted in May 2016. Similar notes, very slow in evolution. A long-long time keeper.”
17.5
Jancis Robinson MW
“Pesky duplicate. Tasted blind. Deep orangey tawny. Bit like cut peel on the nose! Very rich with some autumn leaves. A Christmas cake on the nose but a bit paler on the palate. Not quite the follow through that the nose promises. And a bit sweet and less gorgeous on the palate.”
95/100
Essi Avellan MW
“The south-facing Clos des Goisses plot can ripen almost any vintage, and for super-ripe vintages such as 2002, the winemaker has to tread carefully. However, blocking the malolactic fermentation guarantees great acidity in Clos des Goisses, even in the hottest of years. This March 2022 disgorgement impresses with its sweet and seductively spicy nose that has ginger and vanilla supporting ripe apricot and honey tones. A finely integrated oakiness can be found in the scent of aromatic wood and with some tannin on the back palate. There is more to come for this monumental Clos des Goisses.”
18.5/20
Gault & Millau
“On one of the finest champagne vintages of Clos Goisses this without the slightest doubt is a wonder! The nose has admirable complexity. A mouth full has incredible balance. Bubbles are joyful and endearing. The wine fills the palate with happiness.”
18/20
Jancis Robinson MW
“Pale copper. Rich, intense, very Pinot perfume. Tight bead with – surely? – some oak influence. A very meaty, substantial wine – and almost more of a wine than a champagne. Lightly frothy. Complex and attention-grabbing though more for food than an aperitif wine. A bit like a jewel. Long. Admirably distinctive, though it needs careful treatment.”
96/100
Antonio Galloni
“The flagship 2002 Brut Clos des Goisses is simply stunning in this vintage. Seamless, ripe and beguiling, the 2002 is pure harmony in the glass. Dried pears, apricots, flowers, red berries and spices are some of the many notes that inform this towering, aristocratic wine. At once vertical yet endowed with serious length, the 2002 stands out for its breathtaking balance and overall sense of harmony. Layers of fruit built to the huge, creamy finish. This is a great showing from Philipponnat. The 2002 was disgorged in June 2011.”
"The biggest challenge was not making too much!" With an abundance of ripe and healthy grapes, Philipponnat had a successful harvest in 2018, a vintage which sixteenth generation family member Charles Philipponnat likens to 1995, 2009 and 2012.
Since the early 21st century, a quiet revolution has been occurring in Champagne, and the ever-burgeoning demand for artisanal, hand-crafted cuvées continues to flourish. What are the origins of single vineyard champagnes, why are they so popular, and are they a fad or the future?
Charles Philipponnat describes 2017 as a "funny vintage". We visited the house of Philipponnat to taste the vins clairs and find out just what he means. Whilst there, we also sampled an incredible range of champagnes, including new Clos des Goisses 2009.
