Tasting Notes
This is so good. The palate is fine and elegantly textured, with a gentle mousse and flavours of ripe apples, green pears and shortbread. One of our customers pitched this ‘blind’ to their friends, against all the famous names, to choose a Champagne for their wedding and it was unanimously preferred. Made with techniques normally reserved for much more expensive Champagnes, and very rarely, it's a Blanc de Noirs made from only the black grapes Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier that is matured in oak barrels and then blended with the reserve wines. Whenever we serve this to friends they cannot believe how delicious Champagne can be.
More Info
Collard-Picard is one of the most exciting houses in Champagne today, who is definitely at the forefront of quality. Both Olivier and Caroline are from eminent Champagne families, and Olivier's grandfather Rene was a pioneer of organic farming in the region. They are what's known as an independent grower, based 15km west of Epernay. They have brilliant grand cru and 1er sites in Mesnil, where they grow Chardonnay and farm organically. It's also home to a couple of Champagne's most famous cuvees like Krug Le Mesnil and Salon Mesnil. In the Marne they have a site regarded as one of the best for Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir. Collard-Picard age this Champagne in wood, which is very unusual, and harks back to the more traditional way of making great Champagne in the past. They opt not to do malolactic fermentation on any of the wines to preserve their character, all yeasts are indigenous too.