Cédric Bouchard – Roses de Jeanne “A passionate and dedicated perfectionist, Cédric Bouchard has only been making wine since 2000, yet his champagnes have already become some of the most sought-after in the region.” Peter Liem, Champagne Guide Ironically, Bouchard actually doesn’t even drink very much champagne himself. “In fact, I’m not very Champenois,” he says. “The bubbles bother me a little. That’s why with Roses de Jeanne, the bubbles are very fine, as fine as possible. I don’t like it when the bubbles attack your palate too much.” Towards that end, all of his wines have a lower pressure than usual for champagne, at 4.5 atmospheres rather than six, and the second fermentation proceeds very slowly, often taking two full months to complete the prise de mousse. Peter Liem, Champagne Guide One parcel, one variety, one vintage, this is the essence of Bouchard’s philosophy.
Early on he produced wines under a label called Inflorescence, this no longer exists. The vines that bore the first for these wines, came from Cédric’s father, who had a very different approach. He now owns these vineyards and farms them in the same way as all the other Roses de Jeanne wines. The estate is named with homage to his Polish grandmother, Janika. Roses de Jeanne parcels are trained in Cordon du Royat for pinot noir and Chablis for chardonnay, and are always harvested exceptionally low, at 4,000 kg/ha (26 hl/ha). This helps deliver the extreme concentration, minerality and precision found in Cédric’s wines. _______________________________________ Roses de Jeanne Val Vilaine - 100% Pinot Noir from the 1.5 hectare lieu-dit of Val Vilaine. This vineyard was formally owned by Cedric’s father until 2012 when he took full control. Before 2012 this wine was under the Inflorescence label, but now it is part of his Roses de Jeanne range. This is a south-facing parcel in the village of Polisy, planted in 1974. 300-500 cases produced annually. “The NV (2015) Roses de Jeanne Blanc de Noirs Côte de Val Vilaine is a bright and tightly wound wine, which is quite surprising for the year. My sense is that more of the radiance of 2015 will emerge in another year or two, as the wine was disgorged only six months ago. Orchard fruit and floral notes add lift. This is an especially bright style of Pinot. Disgorged in April 2017 with no dosage.” << Antonio Galloni >> << 91 Points >> Roses de Jeanne Cote de Bachelin [La Parcelle] - 100% Pinot Noir from the 1.5 hectare lieu-dit of Côte de Bachelin. Spends a full three years on the lees, and thus, is always bottled as a vintage cuvée. La Parcelle comes from a 0.73-hectare, southwest-facing parcel in the village of Celles-sur-Ource that Bouchard purchased in 2007, from an old friend of the family. This too was once part of the Inflorescence range, but is now Roses de Jeanne. 150 cases produced annually. “The 2010 Roses de Jeanne Blanc de Noirs Côte de Béchalin is terrific. Finely cut and lifted, the 2010 is full of character. Mirabelle, kirsch, hard candy and sweet floral notes give the wine its exotic personality. As is often the case, the Côte de Béchalin is a wine of crystalline purity and tension. The 2010 is a bit quirky, but it is also delicious. Disgorged in April 2017 with no dosage.” << Antonio Galloni >> << 93 Points >> Roses de Jeanne Les Ursules - 100% Pinot Noir from the .9 hectare lieu-dit of Les Ursules. It’s a relatively flat vineyard just down the road from Bouchard’s cellar, vines are planted in 1974. Some magnums are produced and imported of this wine, but in minute quantities. 250-300 cases produced annually. “The 2013 Roses de Jeanne Blanc de Noirs Les Ursules is one of the most accessible of these wines today. Creamy, open-knit and gracious, the Ursules is graced with tremendous purity in its fruit and soft contours that make the wine easy to drink and enjoy, even at this early stage. The Ursules doesn't quite have the pedigree of the top wines in this range, but it is hugely enjoyable right now. Disgorged in April 2017 with no dosage.” << Antonio Galloni >> << 93 Points >> Roses de Jeanne La Haute-Lemblée - 100% Chardonnay (five different clones) from the .12 hectare lieu-dit of La Haute Lemblée. Extremely limited. “The 2013 Roses de Jeanne Blanc de Blancs La Haute-Lemblé is superb. Smoke, slate, crushed rocks and citrus overtones abound. A wine of total finesse and detail, the Haute-Lemblé bristles with personality. At this stage, the Haute-Lemblé is a wine of texture more than anything else. If possible, and I know it is asking a lot, readers should plan on cellaring the 2013 for at least a year or two. In this range, the Haute-Lemblé is a bit cerebral and fleeting. Its beauty, on the other hand, is obvious. Disgorged in April 2017 with no dosage.” << Antonio Galloni >> << 96 Points >> Roses de Jeanne Bolorée - Very old and rare Pinot Blanc from a 0.217 hectare lieu-dit known as La Boloree. Bouchard was initially uninterested in the parcel, but it landed in his lap after he drew the short straw in a dual between growers. Today, it is perhaps his most cherished site. The parcel is on pure chalk with Pinot Blanc planted in the 1960’s. Extremely limited. “As it often is, the 2013 Roses de Jeanne Blanc de Blancs La Bolorée is the highlight in a range of magnificent, moving Champagnes. The Bolorée, 100% Pinot Blanc, combines the energy that is present in all of these wines with a kick of textural richness and body that elevates into the stratosphere. Tension, vibrancy and pure power are the signatures. The Bolorée is one of the very finest Champagnes I tasted this year. I rarely miss a chance to drink Cédric Bouchard's La Bolorée, and neither should you. Disgorged in April 2017 with no dosage.” << Antonio Galloni >> << 98 Points >> Roses de Jeanne Presle - The newest release from Roses de Jeanne is Presle, an unusual blanc de noirs from a west-facing parcel of the same name in the village of Celles-sur-Ource. Bouchard owns just 15 rows here, and in 2007, he planted this parcel with ten different rootstocks, each selected for low yields and high concentration: “I wanted as much diversity as possible,” he says. “The complexity of the genetic material encourages the complexity of the wine.” Extremely limited. “One of the more complete wines in this range, the 2013 Roses de Jeanne Blanc de Noirs Presle emerges from a parcel planted with ten different clones of Pinot. The flavors are wonderfully nuanced and layered in the glass. Bright, saline notes give energy to the finely cut Pinot fruit. Understated and classy, the Presle has much to say, but like all of the 2013s here, it needs to unwind. Disgorged in April 2017 with no dosage.” << Antonio Galloni >> << 95 Points >> Roses de Jeanne Le Creux d’Enfer Rosé - 100% Pinot Noir from the .07 hectare lieu-dit of Le Creux d'Enfer. There are just a few rows, which were planted in 1994 Made by the “saignée” method of crushing the Pinot Noir and running off the juice after several hours of skin contact to produce the classic rosé colour (rather than adding a bit of still red wine). Although this wine is “saignée” it is a wine of elegance rather than power “I want something fine, delicate, crystalline.” says Bouchard. Extremely limited. “The 2013 Roses de Jeanne Blanc de Noirs Creux d'Enfer Rosé is another stunning Champagne. Exotic aromatics and bright, delineated flavors grace this exquisite wine. The Creux d'Enfer is 100% Pinot fermented with whole clusters. In this vintage, the stem character seems a little less pronounced than it often does. Hints of cranberry, orange peel, cinnamon, rose petal and red stone fruits add myriad shades of expression. Creux d'Enfer is more than a wine, it is more of a magical elixir. Sadly, production is around 500 bottles a year. Disgorged in April 2017 with no dosage.” << Antonio Galloni >> << 97 Points >>
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AuthorThe Stories of Real Wines by Sebastian Crowther MS Archives
July 2019
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