Champagne Étienne Calsac L'Echappée Belle Blanc de Blancs NV
Champagne, FranceAfter taking over his grandparents' 2.8 hectares scattered in small plots around Avize, Etienne transitioned to organic viticulture, working the vines by hand, plow and horse. This cuvée is based on Grauves, but also contains grapes from his family's plots in Cote de Sézanne, Côte de Blancs, and Vallée de la Marne. This current release is based on 2021, with 20% reserve wines from a perpetual starting in 2011. It was native fermented, with MLF encouraged, and aged on lees for 7 months before bottling, followed by 36 months in bottle. My bottle was disgorged April 2025, with 3 g/L. Super earthy and savoury styled, with crushed stones, pithy lemon, and deep wet chalk underneath. Lingering lemon pith and peel run long on the saline finish. Certainly distinctive.Tasted: 12 September 2025Tasted by: Prices:
Champagne Étienne Calsac L'Echappée Belle Blanc de Blancs NV
Champagne, FranceAfter taking over his grandparents' 2.8 hectares scattered in small plots around Avize, Etienne transitioned to organic viticulture, working the vines by hand, plow and horse. This cuvée is based on Grauves, but also contains grapes from his family's plots in Cote de Sézanne, Côte de Blancs, and Vallée de la Marne. This current release is based on 2021, with 20% reserve wines from a perpetual starting in 2011. It was native fermented, with MLF encouraged, and aged on lees for 7 months before bottling, followed by 36 months in bottle. My bottle (with a brand new sharp label) was disgorged in August 2023 with 4 g/L. Deep, damp chalk is carved with pithy lemon, kissed with reduction, and structured with chardonnay's nimble acidity. The textural palate is almost chewy with lemon meringue, finishing with a chalky, saline return. As with all his wines, this is very savoury, though I find this cuvée the freshest, and most approachable.Tasted: 28 March 2024Tasted by: Prices:
Champagne Étienne Calsac L'Echappée Belle Blanc de Blancs NV
Champagne, FranceAfter taking over his grandparents' 2.8 hectares scattered in small plots around Avize, Etienne transitioned to organic viticulture, working the vines by hand, plow and horse. This cuvée is from predominantly premier cru villages in the Grauves, in the Côte des Blancs, from 30+ year old vines, aged on lees for seven months before bottling with 30% reserve wines, followed by 36 months in bottle. It was bottled with a 2 g/L dosage in July 2022. Classic Avize, with its profound yet precise structure. Crisp green and red apple, lemon pith is based on a deep chalky layer, shaped with tight rivets of acidity, and kissed with lightly toasted meringue. There's a lovely tactile quality to this wine, making it alluring and memorable.Tasted: 26 January 2023Tasted by: Prices:
Champagne Étienne Calsac L'Echappée Belle Blanc de Blancs NV
Champagne, FranceAfter taking over his grandparents' 2.8 hectares scattered in small plots around Avize, Etienne began the transition to organic viticulture, working the vines by hand, plow and horse. This cuvée is from predominantly premier cru villages in the Grauves, in the Côte des Blancs, from 30+ year old vines, aged on lees for 7 months before bottling with 30% reserve wines, followed by 36 months in bottle. It was bottled with 2 g/L dosage. Classic Avize, with its profound yet precise structure. Deep chalk bases meyer lemon, green apple, chilled with a grippy, saline framework along the nimble, crispy meringue palate. There's a lovely balance between delicacy and depth here, making for beautiful drinking now, but with time to build in your cellar also. One to watch.Tasted: 29 March 2021Tasted by: Prices:
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