*New* 180 Champagne AC 2002 Brut
Chartogne-Taillet

Grape:50% Pinot Noir, 50% Chardonnay (12% alc.)

A model of equilibrium between maturity and freshness. The pinot noir here seems very much in the foreground with mouthfilling depth of red berry flavours expanding on the palate with a fine texture and long, ample length. Dosage 7g/l. For drinking now to 2011.

Technical Information
Winemaker:	Alexandre & Philippe Chartogne
Location:	Vines in Merfy. Parcel called Les Couarres
Size of domaine:	11 hectares of which 1.35 for this cuvée
Grape:	60% Pinot Noir. 40% Chardonnay – 40 years old. Massale selection. 9600 vines per hectare.
Terroir:	Les Couarres. 6 metres of clays and sands (thenecian) overlying chalk. South-facing vineyard on 2% slope. 180m above sea-level.
Viticulture:	Debud, no vendanges en vert. Soil ploughed for last 4 years. Allow grass to grow, cutting it back only when it becomes a little too vigorous. Renowned soil specialist Claude Bourguignon is employed to analyse the soils yearly, judge the activity of micro-organisms in the soil and advise on any organic treatments. Manual harvest. Yields average 40 to 50 hectos per hectare.
Vinification:	Pneumatic press. Natural indigenous yeasts. Allow to settle for 24 hrs. Fermented in stainless steel with no chaptalisation, at 18-22°C. Fermentation lasts for 2 weeks and malo-lactics are carried out 100%. Racked once after malolactic fermentation. 8 months ageing in cuve. 24g/l for secondary fermentation then six years secondary fermentation and ageing under capsule. Dosed at 7g/l using MCR.
Press:

 

qty (bottles)

exc vat: £28.04