Guy de Forez Les Riceys Tradition Brut Champagne NV

It doesn’t say so on its label, but this distinctive grower Champagne is 100% Pinot Noir. Of the many things that will intrigue you about this well-priced wine, its slightly coppery color will be the first. The minuscule Guy de Forez property, located in Champagne’s southerly Aube sub-region, specializes in Pinot Noir-driven sparklers. This producer has quickly become a new favorite at our shop, and one taste of this wine will make it easy to see why. Highlighting their home village of Riceys on every label, Sylvie and Francis Wenner farm just 12 hectares of vines rooted in soils of Kimmeridgian limestone—not surprising given that Riceys is just 10 kilometers north of Chablis. Despite their proximity to an iconic Chardonnay terroir, about 90% of the Wenners’ vineyards are in fact Pinot Noir. The centerpiece of this property is a beautiful 17th-century stone building that houses the winery and its vaulted caves underneath, and the Wenners do their bucolic setting justice by farming sustainably, seeking to eliminate or at least minimize chemical inputs at every turn. This Brut “Tradition” is non-vintage, comprised of 79% 2016 vintage, 2% 2015 and 19% 2014 vintage. The palate is tangy, racy, and yet surprisingly full-bodied, with lots of baking spice, smoke, crushed stones and chopped almonds that lend considerable savor to the profile. The ‘dosage’, or added sweetness, is just 8 grams per liter, and the wine certainly finishes bone-dry. Serve alongside a plate of cured meats as a mouth-watering apéritif!