Drappier : Millésime Exception 2018

An aromatic and complex champagne by Drappier

The estate

Since its creation in 1808, the Drappier Champagne House has a history intimately linked to pinot noir, its grape of choice. It was in the 1930s that against the general opinion of the community, this grape variety was replanted on the estate. History proved the house right, whose Drappier 100% pinot noir cuvée, for the record, was General de Gaulle's favourite for his family meals.

Today, André and Micheline Drappier's children represent the eighth generation to cultivate this exceptional vineyard using organic and biodynamic viticulture, honouring forgotten grape varieties such as Arbane, Petit Meslier and Blanc Vrai.

The wine

The idea of the Exception Vintage is to capture the essence of a season in a bottle. Beyond the wine, this cuvée reflects the unique climate of an exceptional year.

The vineyard

The Drappier House vineyard extends south of Reims over 75 hectares of vines, divided between the Côte des Bar and its old vines, the Montagne de Reims and its intense pinot noir as well as the Côte des Blancs and its delicate chardonnay. This exceptional Champagne vineyard owes its uniqueness to its limestone-rich terroir combined with maximum sunshine. Some of the Drappier House's plots are also worked with draft horses.

Vinification and ageing

The grapes are gently pressed, then the first press is done by gravity, followed by a natural settling. The malolactic fermentation takes place without filtration and with a minimal addition of sulphur. The ageing, entirely carried out in barrels, gives the wine a unique aromatic complexity. Thanks to a 4-year ageing on lees, it develops a rich texture and remarkable depth.

Blend

Pinot noir 
Chardonnay