Cuvée CXVI Sans Soufre Blanc de Blancs Augustin
AOC Champagne, 750 ml
| Grape variety: | Chardonnay |
| Producer: | Champagne Augustin |
| Origin: | France / Champagne |
Description
The prelude of this characterful winemaker's champagne appears discreet at first and opens up after a short time in the glass. The nose presents aromas of yellow fruits and dried flowers such as camomile. Intense on the palate with a mineral, sherry-like saltiness, some smoked almonds and an animating acidity. Elegant with a precise structure, fine perlage and a long-lasting yet slender finish. This blanc de blanc is perfect as a food accompaniment to game birds. No added sulphur; contains only naturally occurring sulphites.
Attributes
| Origin: | France / Champagne |
| Grape variety: | Chardonnay |
| Label: | Certified organic or biodynamic wine |
| Ripening potential: | 1 to 10 years |
| Serving temperature: | 10 to 12 °C |
| Food pairing suggestion: | Meat terrine, Roast saddle of venison, Wild fowl, Spicy hard cheese |
| Volume: | 12.0 % |
| Note: | Contains sulphites |
Champagne Augustin
When the paths of Emmanuelle and Marc crossed, two champagne houses that had existed for four and five generations respectively came together. It was a union that gave birth to a shared passion: Champagne Augustin.
Marc and Emmanuelle Augustin refer to themselves as "coeurviticulteurs", loosely translated as "winemakers with heart". They have dedicated themselves to their work with their hearts and minds, cultivating their vines using biodynamic methods involving empathy and sensitive, constant observation of nature.
Chardonnay
King or beggar?
Hardly any variety of vine shows such a broad spectrum of quality as the Chardonnay. Its wines range from faceless neutrality to breath-taking class. It is an extremely low-maintenance vine, which explains why it is grown around the world – even in places where it probably should not be. The aromas of the Chardonnay variety are not very pronounced: a bit of green apple, a little hazelnut; in warmer latitudes, also melon and exotic fruits. The wines are often defined by maturing in casks. They develop more or less subtle notes of butter, toasted bread and vanilla. The grapes achieve their highest expression in their region of origin, Burgundy. Its heart beats in the Côte de Beaune: one might think of the plant growth of Meursault or Puligny-Montrachet. With their finesse and complexity, they can survive for decades. Chardonnay also achieves first class in some Blanc-de-Blancs champagnes. It additionally yields great wines in the Burgundian Chablis, and increasingly in Australia and Chile. A simple rule of thumb for pairing with food: When butter and cream are involved, you cannot go wrong with Chardonnay.
France
France – Philosophy in a bottle
According to French philosophy, wine should be an expression of the soil and climate. They use the word “terroir” to describe this. Terroir makes every wine different, and many especially good. French wine is regarded worldwide as an expression of cultural perfection. The French believe that humans are responsible for the quality of the berries, the vine variety for their character, and nature for the quantity. This philosophy can be expressed succinctly as: “the truth is the vineyard, not the man.”
