2007 Jean Vesselle Brut

Aromas of wildflowers, light citrus fruits, blood orange, small red berries. Juicy, penetrating, lightly smoky; more floral notes and a spicy finish. PAIRING SUGGESTIONS: Smoked salmon and other fish; Asian-inspired dishes.
A quarter-acre walled vineyard and one of the smallest grandcru rated ‘clos’ in Champagne, ‘Petit Clos’ is located at the heart of the family estate in Bouzy. Soils combine chalk and clay. AGE OF VINES: 15-30 years WINEMAKING: Hand-harvested. Fermented on selected yeasts in French oak barrels. Malolactic conversion stopped. Aged for 10 years in bottle. Dosage less than 4 grams/L. 100% Pinot Noir

Domaine Jean Vesselle crafts “grower” Champagne, a récoltant-manipulant house that grows its own grapes and makes its own wine all on site. This qualitative difference is crucial for those seeking the ultimate in Champagne flavor and character.
The family’s vineyards are planted to 90% Pinot Noir and 10% Chardonnay, a fidelity to Pinot Noir that’s much greater than other houses in the region. Vines are cared for according to lutte raisonée principles, concentrating mostly on organic practices and avoiding chemical treatments. Vineyard rows are plowed to avoid the use of herbicides. The estate too uses solar energy and recycles rainwater to reduce its energy footprint.
Soils in general are the classic chalk of the Montagne de Reims. Grapes are harvested exclusively by hand and pressed gently, then fermented in temperature-controlled, stainless steel tanks. Wines undergo second fermentation in bottle (méthode Champenoise) and are cellared for two years to 10, depending on the cuvée. Wines are disgorged just before they are shipped.

‘Petit Clos’ is the heart of the family domaine, a quarter-acre walled Pinot Noir vineyard and one of the smallest ‘clos’ vineyards in Champagne. Fermented in barrel; aged for more than 10 years in bottle. The domaine’s finest cuvée and the pinnacle of pure Blanc de Noirs Champagne.