Andre Clouet 'Chalky' NV Champagne

Trust Andre Clouet to take the concept of terroir Champagne to a new level...in style. 5g to 6g dosage (no austerity) and abv12%, 100% Chardonnay, aged for 7 years on lees, read on for Andre's outrageous(ly good) tasting note...  Chalk is the fundamental element of the Champagne terroir ! The history of chalk goes back to the Jurassic era, 200 million years ago when the whole region was covered by the sea. Although poor in nutrients, chalk stores both warmth and water, releasing them regularly, providing the perfect foundation for Champagne vines. Draining off the excess, retaining water enriched by microscopic marine fossils, Chalk nourishes the vine with maternal affection, with minerality and an inimitable salinity ! Lastly, chalk is the protector of champagne as it ages, allowing itself to be dug into deep underground cellars, where the precious nectar can safely mature, tucked away from the light and fluctuations in temperature. ANDRE CLOUET  What does 200 million years of manifest minerality taste like ? Jean-Francois Clouet put the answer in this bottle. A completely new wine in Clouet’s portfolio, bottled in a special white-coated bottle with a matching box in a chalk cliff design. One third of the Chardonnay grapes grow on the southern slopes of the Montagne de Reims and two thirds on the Côte de Blancs. The base wines of the first wine, which is labeled without a vintage, come from the late-ripening, almost brutally brilliant year 2013 and are aged on the yeast for 7 years in the bottle. Then freshly disgorged in spring 2021 with only 6 grams of sweetness. The Chalky will therefore not be at its best until winter 2021 at the earliest (preferably 5 years later). As the name suggests, Chalky tastes like the salty-chalky purism of the chalk soils of Champagne, but it wouldn’t be a Clouet if it didn’t also exude a wonderful, melting charm and seductive appeal. 200 million years of minerality poured into the bottle as liquid chalk, what a smooth, delicious mineral hammer. 96 POINTS, LOBERBERG