Grande Cuvée Thomas Perseval 2013

Lot presentation

Grande Cuvée Thomas Perseval 2013

The wine

After taking over the family vineyard in 2005, Champagne native Thomas Perseval converted the estate to organic farming, achieving certification in 2012. A decision that led to wines of greater quality while reducing both yields and production. Here is his Grande Cuvée, a blend of one-third Pinot Noir, one-third Pinot Meunier and one-third Chardonnay. It is a blend of grapes sourced from several parcels around the village of Chamery. The vines benefit from a northerly aspect on the gentle slopes of the Montagne de Reims, south of the city from which it takes its name. The soils are composed of sand, silt and clay.
In the vineyard, Thomas Perseval advocates environmentally respectful viticulture, with much of the work carried out by hand. Grass covers grow between the rows, while herbal infusions are used to care for the vines. In the cellar, fermentation occurs naturally with native yeasts. The wine is then aged on its lees for 11 months.

The estate, located in Chamery at the heart of the Marne region, covers two and a half hectares of vines planted on six separate plots, totalling 33% Chardonnay, 33% Pinot Noir and 33% Pinot Meunier. As well as working as a winemaker, Thomas is also a dynamic farmer, cultivating around 60 hectares of cereal crops. Thomas’s grandfather founded the estate when he was a cooperative champagne producer. A new chapter in the estate’s history was written in the 1960s, when the Perseval family reduced the proportion of livestock and developed the vineyard by planting new vines. In 1986, Thomas’s father stopped working for the cooperative and created his own estate to produce his own champagne. His son, Thomas, followed viticultural studies from an early age. He benefited from excellent tuition at Domaine de Saint Romain in Burgundy, where he learned about and embraced the concept of organic farming. He took over the family business in 2005 where he carefully applied biodynamic practices until 2013. Today, his elegant, refined Champagnes, all of which are certified organic, possess a beautiful salinity that is sure to win over connoisseurs.