BANDITE
2019 Brut Nature 1er Cru Vrigny Champagne Roger Coulon
| Grapes | Pinot Noir |
| Colour | White |
| Origin | France, Champagne |
| Village | Vrigny |
| Classification | 1er Cru |
| ABV | 12% |
A one-off cuvée, the 2019 Blanc de Noirs Bandite derives from an east-facing lieu-dit, Le Grand Chemin, in the central part of Vrigny, planted with Pinot Noir in 1988 on sandy, clay-rich soils, where a diverse range of flora and fauna coexist in harmony with the vines. This site best exemplifies the agroforestry initiatives that the young Coulons are practicing today. Matured in used 228-liter barrels for 11 months and disgorged in July 2024 without dosage, it soars from the glass with a deep, highly aromatic bouquet of honeysuckle, red apple and tangerine mingling with brioche. On the palate, it’s full-bodied and concentrated, defined by the high maturity of the growing season, textural and multidimensional, with a generous core of fruit, succulent yet racy acidity and a long, saline finish. Technically speaking, with a pH of 3.5, it may sound like a wine with relatively low acidity, but it is indeed harmonious, though undeniably a gastronomic Champagne. Drinking range: 2025 - 2034 Rating: 94 Kristaps Karlklins, The Wine Advocate (May 2025)
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DELIVERY SERVICE
We offer free nationwide delivery on all orders over £150 (excluding Highlands & Islands). Express Delivery options also available.Champagne Roger Coulon
Eric and Isabelle Coulon, now joined by their children Edgar and Louise, have around 11 hectares of vines in Premier and Grand Cru sites in Vrigny, Gueux and Coulommes-la-Montagne on the Montagne de Reims, and Chouilly on the Côte des Blancs. The vineyards are farmed organically under the principles of agroforestry. They are justly proud of the history of the vineyard, which goes back to the cultivation of vines here in the 6th century, and also of their own long family history, with Edgar and Louise being the ninth generation.
The vines are in around 100 parcels, so although they aim to press by parcel, some do end up going together. Around one third is vinified in tank, the rest in barrel. Both Edgar and Louise have trained in wine-making elsewhere, Louise at Domaine Ott, and Edgar with Philippe Pacalet and Fredéric Cossard in Burgundy, but also in England and Australia.
The family aim to pick at decent maturity, to give the wines a natural balance and feel, and the maximum dosage used is 3g/l. The second fermentation is at around 4.5-4.8 bar, a little lower than the classical 5 bar, giving what Eric describes as 'measured effervescence'. 'I make wine of Champagne not Champagne', he adds, 'Everything at Roger Coulon needs to be harmonious, that's what counts the most for me'.
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