Rémy Massin et Fils Blanc de Blancs Special Club Côte des Bar 2018

Suppose you close your eyes and imagine a quaint, picturesque village in Champagne, France. In that case, you're most likely picturing a landscape identical to Ville-sur-Arce, where Champagne Rémy Massin is based. The town boasts a population of 300 year-round residents, and Rémy Massin is the only Champagne house to call it home, having done so for five generations. In 1865, great-great-grandfather Louis-Aristide planted vineyards and passed along the farming tradition to his son, Marius, who continued to expand their acreage. The 3rd generation, Rémy, transformed their operations from vineyard-only to a récoltant-manipulant (grower Champagne house). Since 1974, the family has worked tirelessly to produce pure expressions of their 22 hectares and move their viticultural practices into the next chapter with sustainable practices.

Ville-sur-Arce lies in the center of Champagne's Côte des Bar sub-region towards the South. Its more southern location places it closer to the Chablis region than Reims (Champagne's unofficial capital). This proximity explains why Chablis' famous Kimmeridgian soils also underlie the Côte des Bar.  Rémy Massin's sloping vineyards benefit from the limestone, marl-rich soil's ancient seabed debris, lending salinity and extended finishes to their Champagnes. Additionally, Kimmeridgian soil and the cooler climate produce wines with exceptional acidity and, therefore, the ability to age.

Pinot Noir makes up almost all of Rémy Massin's vineyards around Ville-sur-Arce, making this 100% Pinot Blanc a rarity. Of their 22 hectares, just one is planted with Pinot Blanc. They farm with minimal intervention, having abolished herbicides and pesticides, and they choose to work the land by hand with a team they trust. Winemaking is tailored to each block, and the plot is fermented in stainless steel to preserve the land's and the fruit's characteristics.

White florals and white stone fruit aromatics open on the nose, beckoning the drinker into the glass for another sip. A delicate 4 g/L dosage enhances the clean, acid-driven verve running through the palate, where honeyed pear and blood orange notes balance with a round creaminess bestowed by 60 months of aging on the lees.