Coteaux Champenois Chères Vignes Jacques Lassaigne 2018

Montgueux lies in between Côte de Sezanne and Côte des Bar. It is the only village in the Troyes region authorised to produce Champagne. In the past, this chalky outcrop surrounded by plains was known as the “Montrachet" of the Champagne region. It has to be said that the Chardonnay expresses itself beautifully here and as in Montrachet, the grapes have to be very ripe. Emmanuel Lassaigne has skilfully continued the work of his father Jacques. Every cuvée shows that although it is off the beaten track, the village of Montgueux is well worth a detour. Domaine Jacques Lassaigne owns 4 hectares of vineyard (complemented by grapes bought from 1.5-2 hectares). These Champagnes are full of character and fully express the terroir. Jacques Lassaigne is a firm believer in respecting nature and tends to each vineyard parcel meticulously. Chemical fertilisers and sulphites are avoided completely.

The Coteaux Champenois is a historic and distinctive appellation of Champagne, representing the still wines produced in the prestigious region. The terroir, composed mainly of limestone and chalk soils, provides ideal conditions for the vine, allowing the grapes to develop marked minerality and bright acidity. In the winery, fermentation occurs naturally with native yeasts in temperature-controlled stainless-steel vats. The wine is then aged for several months in seasoned casks on fine lees, without stirring, allowing it to develop finesse and complexity.
The wine displays a deep, brilliant red hue with garnet glints. The nose is complex and refined, revealing ripe red-fruit aromas of cherry and strawberry in particular, alongside subtle notes of undergrowth, sweet spice and damp earth. On the palate, it is full and balanced, lifted by delicate, silky tannins. Aromas of fresh fruit mingle with hints of liquorice, leading to a long, fruit-driven finish.