My French Wine Odyssey: Champagne Cattier

 After a hearty gourmet lunch at  Billecart-Salmon (see previous blog post), we headed towards the Champagne house Cattier, which is located in a beautiful village called Chigny les Roses between Reims & Epernay. As our vehicle took the turn on Rue Dom Perignon, one thing appeared very distinctive to our all Indian contingent - the roads were vacant as if the traffic had been diverted due to VIP movement- but unlike back in India, that was not the case. The density of population and various other factors like orderliness (a debatable issue) were the reason for the all pervading solitude.

The Mechanical Press at Cattier

M. Philippe Bienvenu  (L) & M. Jean Cattier (R)

Reaching the Cattier house, a meticulously maintained grape press of yesteryears greeted us. These presses were used for extracting the juice from grapes until the advent of more advanced pneumatic presses. At the glittering reception area replete with colourful Champagne bottles all around, we were greeted by none other than the owner M. Jean Cattier and the Director Commercial, M. Philippe Bienvenu. They suggested to us, a wine tasting followed by visit to the cellars or the other way round. Knowing well that we desperately needed some exercise after the gourmet indulgence at Billecart-Salmon a short while ago, we opted for the latter and braced ourselves for climbing some really steep steps in the  150 years old Cattier cellars that are 3 floors deep and happen to be one of the deepest in Champagne. Our young guide named Gauthier Bongras who spoke English rather well contrary to his modest admission, escorted us to the place that was designed using three different architectural styles- Renaissance, Romanesque & Gothic. The cellar expedition was  not as difficult  though- going by the sheer beauty of the place. The area where the famous prestige cuvee Armand de Brignac rests before seeing the outer world is full of razzmatazz with the colourful bottles reflecting the carefully placed lights. For a moment you feel you’re in Vegas!

Armand de Brignac Cellars

The visit to cellars concluding, we were escorted  back to the Cattier bureau for dégustation  As we sank into the plush pristine white leather sofas in the dégustation area, Gauthier placed the glasses and opened the first bottle which was a Brut Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru. Our first sip coincided with  M. Cattier and Philippe arriving and we thought it was a good idea to move to the beautiful illuminated Bar  for more animate discussions across the bar counter The degustation progressed as follows:-

Brut Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru

Blanc de Blancs

A lovely lemon-gold colour that can be appreciated from the clear bottle itself. Citrus and green fruits aromas with a hint of flowers.  A super refreshing palate with sensations of green apples, pears and dried fruits that make for a complex character. Overall a refreshing wine that can be an excellent aperitif but I suppose the fruits on the palate would emerge more after three to five years for optimally balancing the high levels of acidity.

Brut Vintage 2003 Premier Cru

A blend of 40% Pinot Meunier, 35% Pinot Noir and 25 % Chardonnay, this Vintage Champagne is another good wine as an aperitif as well as an accompaniment with poultry and sea food. A deep golden colour with a generous mousse, the aromas are of citrus and green fruits with  biscuit  and bread nuances. The palate is fruity, light and refreshing and the finish is medium with a touch of spice.

Brut Vintage 2003

Brut Blanc de Noirs

This one turned out to be my favourite wine tasted with Cattier.  Blanc de Noirs means ‘White wine from Black Grapes' and true to its name, this wine is produced from a 70:30 blend of the two black grapes of Champagne i.e. Pinot Noir & Pinot Meunier. The wine has a seductive peach-pink colour and pours with a strong but restrained mousse. The nose is complex with aromas of black currants, ripe plums and a distinctive feel of spice. The palate is medium bodied and rich with an immense fruity feel. Well structured wine fit to be paired with a wide variety of meats and other robust textured food.

Brut Blanc de Noirs

Clos du Moulin Brut Premier Cru

This is the prestige cuvee of Cattier and grapes for producing this wine come from an exclusive 2.2 hectares parcel near Chigny les Roses. This cuvee is always made from 3 vintages selected for their quality and ageing capacity. The composition of the wine is  50% each of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

The wine is medium gold in colour with an amber tint. The nose is delicate yet firm with fruits and pastry shop aromas. The mouth feel is creamy and vinous with lush fruit. The wine lingers in the mouth for a long time  and hence would qualify as a good food-wine. Overall a delicate, complex and full bodied wine that would do well with seafood and rich creamy textured dishes.

Clos du Moulin

The dégustation culminated with talks of the possibility of Cattier coming to India. Presently, the annual production of the house is around 1 million bottles, of which 60 percent is exported to 70 countries. The main deterrent for exporting to India seems to be  the same old story- stiff trade barriers in India. But things look positive on that front owing to hectic parleys between the European Union and India on effecting mutual concessions.

Breaking News: Just received  a mail from Philippe that Cattier has entered into a contract with a Sri Lanka based company having Indian ownership for exporting their Champagnes to India. So there's more to cheer about the Bubbly space . Let them sparklers illuminate the scene!

My French Wine Odyssey: Champagne Billecart-Salmon

The anticipation fringed on impatience as the flight started its descent towards Paris Airport. I had been leaning towards the window ever since we crossed the Alps,  admiring the changing landscape- from snow capped mountains to alternating green and beige swathes of plains and finally the multi hued chequerboard of the French wine country as the ground came closer. Yess! finally my dream of visiting Champagne was about to come true and what better way for it to realise than being  a guest of the Comité Interprofessionel du Vin de Champagne (CIVC)- the apex body of Champagne producers!

At the Airport exit where an impeccably liveried chauffeur with a placard from CIVC was stationed, I met my three co-guests- two distinguished journalists and a jet setting sommelier. We introduced ourselves and quickly boarded the Mercedes SUV that lapped up the entire luggage like a hungry carnivore!  The journey to Reims took around an hour plus and we reached our hotel set amidst a tranquil yet festive street with an evidently vivacious night life. Our Champagne experience was about to begin.

The Billecart-Salmon House

The morning arrived soon and after a hearty French breakfast at our hotel, we set out to our first destination of the day which was the Champagne house  Billecart Salmon situated in the Champagne Grand Cru area of Mareuil-sur-Aÿ  near Epernay . The Champagne House has a history dating back to 1818 when it was founded with the matrimonial alliance of the Billecart and Salmon families. The house has its own vineyards of 50 hectares and sources grapes from a total area spread over 170 hectares with most of of the vineyards within a 20 km radius of Epernay covering the famed areas of Montagne de Reims & Cotes des Blancs.

M. Antoine Roland Billecart hosting the tasting

  We were received and escorted into the house by the graceful lady responsible for communication at B-S, and after the initial pleasantries, she  excused herself only to return a few minutes later with crystal clear eye protection gear that could put  a Roberto Cavalli to shame! The eyewear was  a protective measure against any likelihood of a stray Champagne bottle bursting while we visited the cellars, as these bottles contain a pressure in the range of 5-6 atmospheres and so, have to be handled carefully during the production process. The deliberately conducted visit to the vineyards, vatting rooms and the cellars took us through all stages of Champagne production and our lovely hostess bade us farewell at the tasting area situated amidst the beautifully manicured garden  that had hedges artistically crafted into the B-S logo.

The tasting enclosure was déjà  in the take off mode with glasses and other requisites lined-up. No sooner than we settled down, emerged the charismatic and suave co-owner of the house Antoine Roland Billecart, and the first of the wines for the afternoon too, arrived in tandem. The tasting thereafter progressed as follows:

Billecart Salmon Blanc de Blancs

Quite obviously a Chardonnay based wine, this Blanc de Blancs is a careful blend of two different years to maintain the House Style that the loyalists would expect. The grapes are sourced from five Grand Cru vineyards of Avize, Chouilly, Cramant, Mesnil-sur-Oger and Oger, as a result, the wine is delightedly complex yet delicate.  With floral and citrus aromas, this sparkler is dry, refreshing and  creamy on the palate with a persistent mineral finish so characteristic of a Chardonnay grown in limestone soils.  A perfect accompaniment for seafood and delicately spiced fatty food such as a confit-de-canard (cured duck preserved in fat).I am sure  it would also go well with the Indian preparation from Kerala of Appam with stew- given the creaminess of the ensemble.

Billecart Salmon Brut Reserve

Straw yellow coloured  Champagne with 45% Pinot Meunier, 30 % Chardonnay and 20 % Pinot Noir sourced from three different years- the youngest being from 2008. This elegant wine carries the well known nuances of its constituents and has an excellent structure and complexity with good levels of acidity. The nose is fruity and toasty with a pleasant hint of spice that reaffirms on the palate. The wine pours with an impressive mousse and continues with persistent bubbles. Ideal accompaniment to grilled food and Indian tandoori preparations.

Billecart Salmon Brut Reserve (Extra Brut)  The lower residual sugar variant of the above mentioned Champagne  (less than 6 grams per litre as compared to less than 15 grams per litre for Brut) the youngest wine in this blend is from the year 2007. Pale gold in colour with aromas of dried fruits and flowers, the wine has a firm backbone accompanied by biscuity and fruity palate and good levels  of acidity to retain the freshness. More masculine and hence would go well with robust textured food like game meat and fried poultry.

Antoine educated us about various aspects of winemaking followed in  B-S  that make it a very distinct ‘House Style’ recognised by aficionados the world over. The maison has largely family owned parcels- which is quite unique since  most of the vineyards in Old Word wine producing nations, have seen increased fragmentation of ownership, spawning off smaller individual wineries. Production houses like B-S have consolidated control of land thus enabling them to exercise strict control over the viticultural aspects that results in better quality control in the production of wine.The average annual production of B-S is 2 million bottles and the wine is exported to many countries including India.

While still conversing, we moved for a specially hosted lunch with carefully assembled wine pairings. The gourmet lunch progressed as follows:

Billecart Salmon Brut 2000, Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart 

A Vintage Champagne in its prime having a nose of floral and toasty aromas with a hint of woodiness. The palate had surprisingly good levels of acidity (given its vintage) that made it super refreshing along with the complexity developed over the years. A blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the Grand Cru areas of Cote des Blancs and Montagne de Reims, it went exceptionally well with the pairings as under:

Entrée: Roasted Scampi, Scampi Ravioli Pasta, Cabbage cooked in butter, Scampi juice.

Main Course: White Fish cooked slowly in oven, Cheese-Pork risotto.

Billecart Salmon Brut Sous Bois

Sous Bois is the French word for Under Wood- which means that this Champagne has undergone oak treatment during the vinification process. The wine is an assemblage of all three grape varietals applicable to Champagne viz Pinot Noir, Chardonnay & Pinot Meunier. With 12% alcohol, this Champagne is well balanced with delectable aromas of citrus and dry fruits. On the palate it has a medium body with creamy texture and flavours of nuts & candy. The serving temperature recommended by the producer is 10° C in order to enable true appreciation of the wine’s complexity, and the suggestion did not feel out of place. The wine was paired with an assortment of French cheeses in perfect harmony.

Billecart Salmon Brut Rosé  2002, Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon

One of the popular wines in the millionaires club, this wine is a 50:50 blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vinified as white wines. A certain percentage of red Pinot Noir wine is later added during the assemblage to give it a beautiful hue bordering on pink and orange. The bouquet is complex with aromas of figs, honey and confectionery. The palate is intensely fruity underlined by the influence of oak and spice. It paired beautifully with the dessert course of Red fruits and Champagne soup with Plum Cake, and served as an example that a dessert course need not necessarily be paired solely with sweet wines.

Champagne Maturing in  Bottles in the B-S Cellars

The lunch concluded amidst discussions with Antoine on the extent of adaptation of modern practices in Champagne production while still maintaining the artisan skills passed down the generations. Needless to mention- we came back enlightened apart from being pickled in the finest Champagnes.

Coming up in next posts: Champagne houses of Cattier, Taittinger and more...

My French Wine Odyssey

 12 days, 16 wine estates all over France and a kickstart in the form of an all expenses paid trip. Sounds like a dream ? Indeed it was a dream that I realised when I took off for France on a Scholarship trip to the famous Champagne area by virtue of my fanaticism for wine that resulted in the award of a Global Scholarship by Comite Interprofessionel du Vin de Champagne (CIVC)- the apex body of Champagne producers. The Champagne trip was a hectic itinerary of 4 days and the wine freak in me could not just get around the thought of concluding the visit to the Mecca of wine (read France) so soon after having  made all the effort to reach there. Voila! I tapped one of my friends in France linked to the wine trade and fixed up an extended schedule to visit the other famous wine regions in a reasonable time frame- and my French Wine Odyssey was on!

My wine route chart in France worked out as  Champagne-Bordeaux-Provence-Rhone Valley-Beaujolais before returning to Paris for my flight back to India. The 12 days spent undoubtedly were super hectic but of immense value due to the exposure received in all aspects of winemaking from amongst the best and accomplished winemakers in the world. On the sidelines, it also afforded me an opportunity to put into practical use, my whatsoever knowledge of French language!
Having been to all these famous wine areas, I decided to chronicle them in my blog so as to share the experiences and possibly act as a guide to those who would like to proceed on similar sojourns. The blog posts would start in the same sequence as my route chart given above so watch this space for the first sub-post coming up on my Champagne experience in the coming week. I would encourage you to give comments on any queries or observations that you may have or if you would like to interact at an individual level, feel free to mail me at  ravi@ravikjoshi.com .

Au Revoir!