6 Grape Champagne

[Craig Camp]

Champagne Moutard is about to release the first blend of all six permitted Champagne grape varieties for over 100 years.

[Jason Perlow]

How much is this gonna go for a bottle?

[Craig Camp]

How much is this gonna go for a bottle?

I don't know, but you can bet it will be more than it should. There was a reason winemakers stopped using this grapes.

[vserna]

They were too delicate, or too unproductive. But recovering almost lost grape varieties is never something to be pooh-poohed. It's always good news. The world of viticulture has been terribly impoverished by diminishing grape diversity.

[Scott]

Victor,

I agree, but it would ne nice to see this wine stand on it own for quality rather than it's constituent parts. Only then, is it really possible to herald the revival of these varieties. Rather than through press release.

[Craig Camp]

They were too delicate, or too unproductive. But recovering almost lost grape varieties is never something to be pooh-poohed. It's always good news. The world of viticulture has been terribly impoverished by diminishing grape diversity.

...or they just made lousy wine. Natural selection applies applies to fine wine production too.

Not EVERY varietal needs to be saved for production purposes. For historic and scientific reasons certainly, but not always for wine.

I don't believe they are doing this for quality reasons, but only in a desperate attempt to get some public relations.

[docsconz]

Craig, I suspect that you are correct regarding the motivation, but it will still be interesting to see what the wine is like. What may have lost favor 100 years ago, may be back in style today. In any case I think similarly to Victor that diversity is good for its own sake even if this particular example turns out to be plonk.

[budrichard]

Marketing Hype. -Dick

[Mayhaw Man]

Not EVERY varietal needs to be saved for production purposes. For historic and scientific reasons certainly, but not always for wine.

Exactly. If this were not the case every winery in North America would be using scuppernong (muscadine) grapes for their production. They can be about the size of a golfball, produce a ton of juice, are disease resistant, prolific, and really easy to grow. Sadly the juice does not produce very good wine.

[Boris_A]

I found this description here:

" I went straight to my Terry Theise grower Champagne handbook. It means “the old vines of the countryside” and the Aubry brothers are about the last family to have these old, arcane varietals and certainly the fi rst to reintroduce the world to them. I quote from Terry Theise…“Arbanne, (10%; it gives the “herbs and honey” fl avors), Petit Meslier, (30%; it gives the “orange and lemon” fl avors), Fromenteau! (30%; it gives the Pinot Gris fl avors, I guess!), plus 15% Meuniers, 10% Chardonnay and 5% Pinot Noir! Anyone who loves Champagnehell, anyone remotely curious about WINE-owes it to him/herself to slurp into this 1-of-a-kind wonder.”"

On a French site, I found something like "replantation (of Petit Meslier, Arbanne) is no longer allowed", but no reason was given

Regards

[docsconz]

I found this description here:

" I went straight to my Terry Theise grower Champagne handbook. It means “the old vines of the countryside” and the Aubry brothers are about the last family to have these old, arcane varietals and certainly the fi rst to reintroduce the world to them. I quote from Terry Theise…“Arbanne, (10%; it gives the “herbs and honey” fl avors), Petit Meslier, (30%; it gives the “orange and lemon” fl avors), Fromenteau! (30%; it gives the Pinot Gris fl avors, I guess!), plus 15% Meuniers, 10% Chardonnay and 5% Pinot Noir! Anyone who loves Champagnehell, anyone remotely curious about WINE-owes it to him/herself to slurp into this 1-of-a-kind wonder.”"

The wine described here is L. Aubry 1997 Le Nombre d’ Or Campanae Veteres Vites, apparently different from the one Craig's article described. Is this a new trend? I for one would like to try a bottle of one or the other. The Aubrey appears to be imported by Terry Theise. He is certainly a reputable importer with a very good track record for importing unique and interesting wines.

[Boris_A]

apparently different from the one Craig's article described.  Is this a new trend?

I just tried to find out something about the characterisitics of these old grapes.

I think the digging out of old, forgotten grapes is a fairly big trend in Europe. Some of them are incredibly confined, sometimes to a single hill side of a village. Many of them are by no means 'great' or so.

But after having seen wines made by global varieties (CS, Merlot, Syrah, Chardonnay, ...) from all over the world, many consumers feel attracted by the 'indigenous' (autochthones) varieties having existed maybe for centuries around the corner.

[docsconz]

Boris,

You are correct that it is a trend to be resurrecting a number of indigenous or more obscure grape varietals, many of whch are excellent. I was wondering if this particular blending of grape varietals is becoming a trend in Champagne. Are these the only two wineries currently doing this there or are there more?

[jsolomon]

docsconz, is this something you are going to promote with your wine-prescription?

[Boris_A]

if this particular blending of grape varietals is becoming a trend in Champagne.

If the other source I found is correct and any further (re-)plantation of Petit Meslier and Arbane (together around 0.2% of the total plantation surface) is no longer allowed, then this kind of Champagne is living history.

[Brad Ballinger]

I was wondering if this particular blending of grape varietals is becoming a trend in Champagne. Are these the only two wineries currently doing this there or are there more?

I'm not aware of other houses using these ancient varieties, but that doesn't mean that it isn't happening elsewhere. Other producers may simply not have the international distribution of Aubry and Moutard.

Aubry has been bottling Le Nombre d'Or since at least 1995. They have made vintage bottlings of this wine in 1995, 1996, 1997, and 1998. I've not had it, but I've talked with people who've either loved it or hated it. Figures. You can currently order the 1997 at K&L's web site.

[docsconz]

docsconz, is this something you are going to promote with your wine-prescription?

I don't know. I haven't tasted it yet. Then again I can't say I've tried everything I've prescribed before. It would depend on the studies, then. Wanna start one?

[Mark Sommelier]

Just emailed Terry. We'll get to the bottom of this.