Champagne Vincent Couche - Sensation - Brut Nature - 2002

🍇 Chardonnay, Pinot Noir

Region: Champagne, France

Farming/Vinification: Certified Biodynamic, traditional farming practices. Vincent Couche’s mother who inspired his passion for vineyard work, and especially, for maintaining a natural, chemical-free ecosystem. As such, he has spent every waking hour over the past two decades ensuring his wines are free of additives. Because he refuses unnatural methods at every step of the process—from eschewing “-cides” to banning chaptalization and sulfur during fermentation to only using gravity to move the wine—Vincent Couche is leading the charge in the biodynamic grower Champagne movement. 

Couche only produces “Sensation” in vintages he deems worthy and 2002 was beyond worthy: This exceptional growing season holds court with other legendary years like 1996 and 1988, and many consider it the finest of the 21st century, ahead of blockbuster vintages like 2008 and 2012. 

The blend is Chardonnay from Montgeaux, a renowned outcropping of flint inflected calcareous chalk and Pinot Noir from his home town of Buxeuil on clay, marl and limestone. Fermented and aged for 4 months in barrel before aging for 20 years in bottle, then disgorged with 5g of dosage. 

Notes: Incredibly aromatic and complex: earth, mushroom, soil, crackers, with fresh pear, apple, lemon. The rest is minerality, cheesy lees and acid for days.