Long time subscribers to our Daily Discovery know that of all the Grand Cru villages, we have special reverence for Ambonnay. Here is where Pinot Noir, and its Champagne alter ego Blanc de Noirs, reaches its peak expression. Indeed, Krug’s Ambonnay bottling is one of the rarest, and priciest Grand Cru Champagnes you will encounter, and that is precisely why we love today’s offer from Eric Rodez. It's a long standing sommelier secret, albeit an open one, that Rodez’s bottling from this famous village shares the same depth, power, and luxurious richness as its cousin at Krug. And small wonder: Eric was the former cellarmaster at Krug, and Ambonnay is in his blood. The difference? We actually have some Blanc de Noirs from Rodez (though not a ton) and it’s less than a tenth of what Krug’s version sells for. Now that is a Friday Night Bubbles Bonus you should not refuse! And as a bonus bonus, we have a tiny amount of magnums available too, just click HERE if you’re ready to take the holiday celebrations to the next level!
The self-proclaimed “Auteur de Champagne” is precisely that, an auteur. Like a Scorcese of the vines, Eric and his son Mickael are involved in every aspect of growing and in the production of their fine Champagnes. They come by this passion honestly, patiently, and organically: records reflect that the Rodez family has been producing wine from this land since 1757. Eric didn’t just slide into the family business. As previously mentioned, he worked as an oenologist at Krug where he gained a vast appreciation for the art of blending. He also spent time in Alsace in the mid-1980s where he garnered knowledge of natural viticulture from biodynamic legend Jean-Michel Deiss. In a Decanter article, Rodez reflects on his invaluable experience with Deiss: “He does not make wines—he makes cathedrals. It was he who helped me to realize that the soil is everything.”
Eric brought these invaluable lessons back to the family business: He first started farming organically, then pushed the envelope even further with biodynamics and biodiversity. In fact, Eric was awarded the HEV (high environmental value) certificate, making Rodez Champagne the first agricultural company to be recognized for its respect not just for organic and biodynamic farming, but for efforts towards biodiversity as well.
Eric says “the role of the winemaker is limited to try and do everything possible to respect and preserve the integrity of the level of expression of the vintage. Winemaking in small oak barrels, no malolactic fermentation, no cold stabilization, no filtering but a lot of passion…” and that’s pretty much it. Of course he humbly omits his immense skill in blending vintages to achieve a wine that is both powerful and rich, and yet also balanced, graceful, and bursting with minerality and lift. The Ambonnay Blanc de Noirs is a blend of six different vintages, and is aged in both steel tanks (20%) and oak barrels (80%). Serve cool, not ice cold, in an all-purpose stem or if you’d like a more vinous experience go for the Burgundy bowl, and you’ll first notice the beautiful, shimmering copper-gold hue. Then the nose: Ripe, red raspberries, spiced cherries, red plums, white nectarines, citrus blossoms, lemon curd, brioche, vanilla bean, cinnamon, white pepper, and a hint of porcini all mingle with a soft, luxurious mousse and a vibrant, saline minerality. In a word, this is a “wow” Champagne, able to impress both a bubbles novice and a seasoned professional. Serve with all your favorite holiday appetizers and passed canapés, but it also has the power and presence to pair with main courses of duck, salmon, or game foul. This is a holiday must-have, don’t miss it!
