2022 'Blanchefleur' Blanc de Blancs

An elegant & lithe methode traditionnelle sparkling with a clean, crisp, dry finish balanced with delicious aromatics of brioche & lingering lemon notes. Blanchefleur is a vintage sparkling cuvee which embodies the purity of our cool-climate Chardonnay grapes and meticulous approach to winemaking. Nearly 900 years ago under the patronage of Marie, Countess of Champagne, Chrétien de Troyes penned the first romantic novel and first written account of the Quest for the Holy Grail called le Conte du Graal. The story follows the quest of the young knight, Perceval, as he seeks out the Fisher King. He encounters a besieged castle (Chateau de Beaurepaire) commanded by a beautiful lady (Blanchefleur). Perceval falls in love with Blanchefleur after which he challenges the besieging knight to single combat, is victorious, liberates the castle and later marries Blanchefleur de Beaurepaire. A great inspiration for one of our premium wines, and as the translation of Blanchefleur means White Flower we thought it appropriate for a White of Whites sparkling. The fruit was 100% de-stemmed & very gently pressed to retain premium free-run juice (the cuvée). Primary fermentation at 15 degrees was conducted in the tank using native (“wild”) yeasts, delivering beautiful primary fruit characters. The wine undergoes a full malolactic fermentation to produce excellent mouthfeel & richness. Very light fining. Secondary fermentation on lees lasted 16 months. Dosage 3g/litre.