Domaine Les Monts Fournois : "Côte Vertus" Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut 2010

Characteristics and Tasting Notes for the "Côte Vertus" Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut 2010 by Domaine Les Monts Fournois

Tasting

Color

The "Côte Vertus" Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut 2010 shows a pale golden color, enlivened by a fine, persistent stream of bubbles that reflects its many years spent aging on its lees.

Nose

The nose opens on a chalky minerality intertwined with a saline note reminiscent of a sea breeze, framed by citrus and white flower aromas. The long lees aging brings additional layers of brioche, butter, and pastry, seamlessly woven into the wine's primary fruit.

Palate

On the palate, the wine reveals a creamy, almost silky texture, carried by fine bubbles and a pronounced salinity. Chalky minerality and a long, iodine-tinged finish underscore its depth and balance, confirming its reputation as a genuine food-friendly champagne.

Food and Wine Pairings

Thanks to its saline, iodine-tinged profile and creamy texture, this Blanc de Blancs is well suited to the table. It pairs naturally with seafood and shellfish, as well as richer fish dishes that can stand up to its chalky minerality.

Serving and Cellaring

The "Côte Vertus" Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut 2010 was disgorged in October 2023 after thirteen years resting on its lees. According to Wine Spectator, it can be enjoyed now and through approximately 2030.

Other Characteristics

This Extra Brut champagne carries a dosage of 3.4 grams per liter, a measured level of sweetness that enhances texture and rounds out the wine's acidity without masking its freshness or salinity.

A Chardonnay from Vertus Reflecting the Chalky Identity of the Côte des Blancs

The Estate

Domaine Les Monts Fournois was founded in 2022 in Ludes, a Premier Cru village in the northern Montagne de Reims, Champagne. The estate centers on a single 8- to 9-hectare monopole plot planted with old-vine chardonnay and pinot noir on a chalk subsoil. It is led today by winemaker Juliette Alips, working alongside her cousins Raphaël and Vincent Bérêche of the historic Bérêche et Fils house. While its own Les Monts Fournois champagnes are still aging, the estate also crafts a selective micro-négoce range sourced from trusted growers across Champagne's finest Premier and Grand Cru terroirs.

The Vineyard

The chardonnay for this cuvée comes from the Premier Cru vineyards of Vertus, in the southern Côte des Blancs. This sector is known for its chalky subsoil, which lends its wines a distinctive saline character, often compared to a sea breeze, alongside citrus and white flower notes typical of the appellation.

The Vintage

The 2010 growing season proved more challenging for the Montagne de Reims' red varieties, as rain in August took a toll on pinot noir and pinot meunier. Chardonnay, however, weathered these conditions comparatively well, allowing growers in the Côte des Blancs to harvest fruit in fairly good condition and lay the groundwork for a structured, age-worthy Blanc de Blancs.

Winemaking and Aging

The "Côte Vertus" Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut 2010 was vinified and aged by winemaker Juliette Alips, who favors an unusually long, slow élevage for her négoce selections. This wine spent thirteen years resting on its lees before being disgorged in October 2023, a patient approach that allowed it to gain creamy texture, aromatic depth, and harmonious integration between its primary fruit and more evolved, bread-like notes.

Grape Varieties

This cuvée is produced from 100 % chardonnay, sourced from Premier Cru vines in Vertus.