Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut

Wine Enthusiast: 93

The Story

After a military career that started in 1936, Gérard Soutiran returned to viticulture, the job he had learned in his youth. He took over the vines of his former tutor, and extended his land thanks to the vineyard brought by his wife Solange. In the 1950s, he became the first to use the name Soutiran on a bottle of champagne. In 1989, the third generation joined the family business. They took over management and developed the commercial side, changing the name to Champagne Soutiran to facilitate communication with export markets.

Winemaking

About 30 plots are harvested manually over a period of approximately 10 days. Following the pressing using a membrane-press of 4000 kg, the juices begin their alcohol and malolac­tic fermentations in a temperature-controlled environment. An additional palette of aromas comes from the oak barrels which complement the stainless-steel vats. The wines, fermented in large casks, are aged on lees without any racking until the blending. A stirring of the lees is done for an amount of time depending on the profile of the year. Prior to bottling, the wines undergo a cold stabilization and are filtered using clay filters. Once bottled, the cuvées rest horizontally on lees between 5 and 8 years before they are disgorged. The amount of dosage is redefined yearly for each individual cuvée, following trials in the laboratory and blind tastings. The harmony and balance of the wine are the elements sought after by the tasting committee. Following disgorgement, the cuvées rest an additional 6 months on average before being labelled and sold. This supplemental period of rest allows for the homogeneity of the wine.

Tasting Notes

Made up of 100% Chardonnay from exclusively Grand Cru sites. The grapes were harvested from the 2017 vintage and were fermented in 30% oak and 70% stainless steel to create a complex yet fresh base wine. The wine then goes through secondary fermentation and rests on its lees for 4 years. The result is fine, vivid bubbles that yield to a delicate wine with floral aromas blended with citrus notes and grapefruit zests. Its effervescent mouthfeel is supple and creamy. It brings notes of white fruit and a chiseled minerality that feels like lightning a bottle.

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