Champagne Pinot-Chevauchet
Coteaux Sud d’Epernay, Champagne, France
Located in the small village of Moussy, just six kilometers south of Epernay, Didier Chevauchet and Brigitte Pinot of Champagne Pinot-Chevauchet meticulously work 27 parcels of vines spread over a mere 3.7 hectares to produce just 3000 cases in the little-known region of Coteaux Sud d’Epernay. The region, sandwiched between its more famous neighbors, the Vallée de la Marne and the Côte des Blancs has the clay-marl soils typical of the Marne but with a thicker chalk layer emblematic of the Côte des Blancs.
Wine writer Peter Liem dedicates a section in his book, Champagne, to the Coteaux Sud d’Epernay. Titling it Between two Giants, he argues that it’s this geologic complexity and gradient of soil types, from clay-marl to flinty-chalk, that produces a singular style unique to this region. Pinot-Chevauchet’s wines are characteristic of this, with a tension between body and finesse, a balance between Meunier and Chardonnay, and an engaging complexity that swings between chalky, oyster-shell notes and broad, fruity characteristics. The house has some notable neighbors too. This area is home to Laherte Frères, Jean-Marc Sélèque, and Meunier master José Michel of the now defunct Champagne Bruno Michel.
Brigitte’s family had been producing Champagne for three generations, under the name Champagne Pinot but it was after her marriage to Didier just over 30 years ago, and the addition of her brother’s vineyards, that the husband and wife assumed a hyphenated name for the Champagne house and changed gears in the cellar and in the vineyards. Didier immediately set about converting the vineyards to organics, creating a set of reserve wines in the cellar, and pursuing an elevated, extended-lees-aged style of winemaking. Now certified as High Environmental Value (HVE), the estate is practicing organic. Vineyard plantings are 50% Pinot Meunier, 45% Chardonnay, and 5% Pinot Noir. Pinot-Chevauchet is listed as RC or Récoltant-Coopérateur because they do not own a press due to space constrictions. Didier books time at the local cooperative in Pierry where they have a Coquard press. The pressed juice is then returned to the Domaine where the elevage is completed.
Pinot-Chevauchet’s vineyards are spread between the villages of Pierry and Moussy, with most of their Chardonnay vines in the 1er Cru village of Pierry, which is located a mere 10km from the iconic Côte des Blancs Grand Cru villages of Avize and Cramant. In Moussy, where vineyards continue along the same hillside as Pierry, Meunier dominates on the clay-marl soils. Ripening slightly earlier than Meunier from further north and west in the Marne, the Pinot-Chevauchet Meunier has a lighter touch, more mineral-laced and crystalline in structure that could only come from here.
We are pleased to offer Champagne Pinot-Chevauchet for the first time ever in the U.S.
Our Selections
Pinot-Chevauchet Joyeuse Brut NV
Joyeuse Brut is a blend of 80% Pinot Meunier and 20% Chardonnay, crafted from 70% base wine (2018) and 30% reserve wine (2017 & 2016). Fermented in stainless steel before undergoing tirage and bottling, this Champagne spent 5 years on the lees, followed by a dosage of 7 g/L and a year of rest after disgorgement. It is brilliant gold-yellow in color with a soft, fine bead. The Champagne has lifted aromas of pastry, ripe apples, lemon, and dried fruits, while the palate features notes of honey, dried fruits and a fresh minerality. Vibrant and refined.
Pinot-Chevauchet Généreuse Blanc de Noirs Brut Nature NV
Généreuse is a Brut Nature Blanc de Noirs from 100% Pinot Meunier. It comprises a blend of 70% base wine (2017) and 30% reserve wine (2016), having spent 6 years on the lees to develop complexity and depth, followed by an additional year of rest after disgorgement. With no dosage, the wine retains a pure expression, perfectly transparent of its chalky clay and limestone soils. A vibrant nose with white fruits, white blossoms, and a distinct mineral edge. The palate showcases a balanced attack of intensity and sweet fruit, apples, aromatic honey, and a noteworthy finish of crushed oyster shells and a salty minerality. This is an excellent example of the potential of Pinot Meunier.
Pinot-Chevauchet Distinguée Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut 1er Cru NV
Distinguée is a Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut sourced entirely from their 1er Cru vineyards in Pierry. This 100% Chardonnay cuvée is made of 70% base wine (2014) and 30% reserve wine (2013), having spent 7 years on the lees. Truly benchmark Blanc de Blancs for the region, the wine opens with freshly baked brioche, yellow fruits, and citrus. With a low dosage of 3.5 g/L, the palate showcases a bright attack of lemon and dried fruits, complemented by honeyed accents and an attractive minerality and oyster shells that reflect Pierry’s chalk-rich soils. Tremendous length, complexity, and character here.
Pinot-Chevauchet Millésime Blanc de Blancs 1er Cru Brut 2010
Didier and Brigitte’s 2010 Millésime Blanc de Blanc Brut 1er Cru is nothing short of a masterpiece. 100% Chardonnay sourced from a hilltop parcel in the 1er Cru village of Pierry. The 45-year-old vines thrive in chalky clay, limestone, and river stone soils. 85% of the wine was fermented in steel, while 15% spent time in used barrels before being blended, given its tirage, bottled, then left to age for a remarkable12 years on the lees. After disgorgement, the wine rested in bottle for an additional year, with a dosage of 6.5 g/L. The nose is both powerful and seductive with brioche, toast, crisp apples, and a delicate touch of honey. It is simultaneously deep and vibrant, the freshness derived from its chalky, lattice-like minerality, all framed with a touch of oak.