Les Terres Bleues - 2019
Domaine Nowack
- Region
- France » Champagne » Champagne AOC » Vallée de la Marne
- Type
- white traditional sparkling, extra brut
- Producer
- Domaine Nowack
- Vintage
- 2019
- Disgorged
- N/A
- On lees
- N/A
- Grapes
- Meunier
- Alcohol
- 12
- Sugar
- 7
- Volume
- 750 mL
- Cellar
- not available
Les Terres Bleues is a 100% Pinot Meunier Champagne, sourced from the Les Terres Bleues parcel in the town of Vandières, located on the higher altitude slopes (Haut-Coteau) of Flavien’s vineyards in the Vallée de la Marne. The soil here is fossilized limestone, and the vines are planted at an altitude of 180 meters. Fermentation is spontaneous with natural yeasts, and the vin clair is aged in small oak barrels, further enhancing its complexity. The wine is not chaptalized, fined, filtered, or cold stabilized, and it undergoes natural malolactic fermentation in the spring. For the secondary fermentation, it is aged under cork using MCR, with a slightly higher dosage of 7 g/L. This Champagne is a true expression of its terroir, showcasing the minerality and depth that Pinot Meunier can achieve in the right conditions.
Ratings
A fleeting wine that demands attention despite its intensity on both the nose and palate. The bouquet is intriguing, with notes of caramel, brioche, cotton candy, baked apple with honey, and subtle hints of boiled onion (in a surprisingly good way). On the palate, it reveals flavours of ripe plum and iodine. There’s a touch of sweetness, but it’s well-balanced, adding a pleasant volume to the wine. It’s vinous, ripe, with lovely cider notes throughout. A delightful bottle overall.
Domaine Nowack
Domaine Nowack, located in Vandières in the Vallée de la Marne, has rapidly gained recognition as a leader of innovation and quality in the Champagne region, thanks to the visionary work of Flavien Nowack. Since joining his family's domaine in 2011, Flavien has embraced a modern approach, becoming part of a movement that emphasises the production of single-vineyard, single-variety, and single-vintage Champagnes. This approach underscores his commitment to expressing the unique terroir of Vandières with clarity and precision, which are rare in the region.
Flavien's dedication to organic farming and his insistence on harvesting grapes only at full maturity reflects his respect for nature and his desire to create wines that fully express their origin. Starting with three hectares of vineyards handed down by his father, Flavien set out to craft three distinct Champagnes, each from a different single parcel of Meunier, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay. Remarkably, all these parcels are situated at the same elevation within Vandières, yet they reveal striking differences in the wines, highlighting the nuances of each varietal when grown in the same terroir.
Flavien's non-interventionist philosophy extends from the vineyard to the cellar. By avoiding chaptalization (the addition of sugar to the must) and malolactic fermentation, he preserves the pure, delicate flavours of his grapes. He also relies on natural yeast from unfermented grape must for the secondary fermentation in the bottle, a technique that enhances the vinous character of his Champagnes. Additionally, Flavien bottles his wines under lower pressure than is typical for Champagne, contributing to their distinctive, vinous texture and style.