Henriet-Bazin Cuvée Hypolite Blanc de Blancs fût de chêne

100% Chardonnay

Dosage: 4,5g/l

At least 3 years of bottle maturity

vinified in oak barrels

Nicolas: "There is no special meaning behind this name. It's just a name that my wife Marie-Noelle and I really like. A long time ago we had the desire to mature our basic wine in wooden barrels (otherwise we still use enamel tanks but no stainless steel). At first we used used barrels from Burgundy, but this solution did not support our terroir as wine and barrels do not come from the same area. Next we bought new barrels, which were also made from French wood and hoped that our terroir could spread there and take possession of the wood. But we still weren't satisfied with that. There was still a lack of energy. Finally we found a manufacturer who agreed to make oak barrels from our forest. It was the only way for us to respect our terroir and make a champagne that only comes from our village. The oak was from the Chardonnay site of Villers-Marmery, so we made a single-variety Chardonnay cuvee.

Hypolite on the label is well dressed, but more like a gentleman-farmer style because the character of the cuvée is stronger: strong but elegant.

There is a “baby” oak on the front of the bike. Because he felled an oak for the barrel, he wants to plant a new one for the next generation. And because we work with the moon phase at every step, Hypolite searches for the moon to find the best place and the best moment for it."

Tasting SEP20: Genreous prelude with present but fine wood aromas, salty towards the back, with honey and vanilla notes, slim in delivery due to low dosage, also has something classy, with minimally bitter notes, wonderful character! Still young at the moment, will become even more generous over time.