Chartogne-Taillet : "Hors Série" Extra Brut

Characteristics and Tasting Notes for the "Hors Série" Extra Brut NM by Chartogne-Taillet

Tasting

Nose

The nose opens on a bouquet of candied citrus and white flowers, soon joined by fresh hazelnut. With aeration, chalky and iodized nuances emerge, underscored by a pronounced saline minerality that recalls the great white wines of Burgundy as much as the classic Blancs de Blancs of the Côte des Blancs.

Palate

The palate shows an impressive balance between fullness and tension. Oak fermentation lends density and texture to the wine without ever masking the chalky identity of its terroir, resulting in a long, saline finish carried by a fine, well-integrated mousse.

Serving and cellaring

The "Hors Série" Extra Brut NM is best enjoyed at a classic champagne serving temperature, around 46–50°F (8–10°C), which allows its chalky minerality and aromatic complexity to fully express themselves.

Other characteristics

This Extra Brut cuvée is marked by a particularly low dosage, close to 2.20 grams per liter depending on the edition, placing it firmly among the driest styles of Champagne. The wine is fermented with indigenous yeasts, which contributes to its textured, saline, and precise profile.

A Blanc de Blancs from Chartogne-Taillet Shaped by the Chalk of Avize Grand Cru

The Estate

Chartogne-Taillet was officially created in 1920, when the marriage of Marie Chartogne and Étienne Taillet united two winegrowing families long established in Merfy, in the Champagne region. The estate farms around 11 hectares organically and remains the only récoltant-manipulant in the village. Since 2006, Alexandre Chartogne has directed the property, bringing a meticulous, parcel-by-parcel approach to terroir expression.

The Vineyard

The chardonnay destined for this cuvée comes from Grand Cru parcels in Avize, sometimes complemented by fruit from Oger and from the estate's home village of Merfy, in the Champagne appellation. These vines are farmed without herbicides and plowed with horses, a method applied consistently across the vineyards worked by Alexandre Chartogne to preserve soil life and encourage deep rooting into the chalk.

Blend

As a non-vintage cuvée, "Hors Série" is released in successive editions built around a specific harvest, with bases drawn from years such as 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2022. Each edition rests on its lees for an extended period before disgorgement, and the chardonnay from Avize is, in certain editions, rounded out with grapes from Merfy.

Winemaking and aging

The "Hors Série" Extra Brut NM is fermented in oak barrels using indigenous yeasts, a method that brings density and texture to the wine while respecting the purity of its chalky terroir. Malolactic fermentation is carried out in full, and the wine is aged on its lees for a lengthy period prior to disgorgement.

Grape Varieties

100 % chardonnay.