Cuvée des Caudalies Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs NV

Erick de Sousa, third generation of the de Sousa family, has been at the helm of this interesting Avize-based champagne house since 1986.  His philosophy is straightforward - it is not enough just to have great terroir, you have to respect it and allow the grape to express the best of its character. The champagne house has 10 hectares of old vines, spread over 42 parcels, in the Grands Crus of Avize, Oger, Cramant and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger for the Chardonnay, and Äy and Ambonnay for the Pinot Noir.

The Maison de Sousa obtained organic certification in 2010, practicing biodynamic growing in the belief that the best wine comes from a well treated vine, one which is not subjected to pesticides, herbicides, or other chemicals. To create its champagnes, the champagne house uses indigenous yeasts for fermentation and wood for the malolactic fermentation.

Appearance:

Golden yellow.  Fine, long-lasting bubbles.

Nose:

Loads of finesse with distinctive aromas of baked apple, autolysis and traces of maturity. Elegant oaky aromas.

Palate:

Delicious and well-structured, with retronasal notes of pastry and a big, very long finish.

Comment:

The name “Caudalies” is a reference to the duration of the champagne’s aftertaste, because, in oenology, a “Caudalie” is a unit of measure of a wine’s length.  The wine is produced from Chardonnay vines of over 50 years of age, grown biodynamically, in Grand Cru parcels in Cramant and Oger.

Erick de Sousa invests all his time and energy in this cuvée, seeking the quality of the fruit and authentic terroir expression. The result is an unusual champagne, full of floral and mineral nuances.

The champagne is aged on its lees in oak barrels for 36 months, which gives it its mature character and greater overall softness and complexity.

Recommended with cooked Galicians barnacles.