GROWER
ESPRIT DE VRIGNY Brut Nature Champagne Roger Coulon NV, Lea & Sandeman

ESPRIT DE VRIGNY

Brut Nature Champagne Roger Coulon NV

IN STOCK
Grapes Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier
Colour White
Origin France, Champagne
Other Certified Organic
Village Vrigny
ABV 12%

Organically farmed. A blend of Meunier, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Old vines from Vrigny. Spontaneous fermentation in a mix of vessels including old oak. Disgorged July 2022. Zero dosage. 2,300 bottles produced.
A wine that demands your attention and your time. It's structure, first and foremost, a study in geometry, a matrix of planes crossing and taking your mind in different directions to flavours and folds and puzzles. A snap of salt and lemon, a slow languid lick of caramel. Coffee chew, mushroom earthiness and masses of membrillo sweetness before the finish goes soaring into the aether. Drinking range: 2024 - 2034 Rating: 18 Tamlyn Currin - www.JancisRobinson.com (May 2024)

*Case price discount: Mix any 12 bottles of wine (or 9 litre equivalent) or 6 bottles of Champagne, Spirits, Sweet Wine or Fortified (4.5 litres) to get the discounted 'case price' for each bottle.

The three main Champagne varieties combined in the cuvée to represent the terroir of Vrigny - one third Pinot Meunier on sand, one third each of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir on clay. 2017 base. No dosage. A softly foamy start, super-dry, but richly flavoured with complex balanced citrus and berry notes - they are not looking for fruit flavours but for the spirit of the place to come through. Amazing saline finish. A palate-whetting apéritif, or this would be brilliant with seafood. Aged six years before release. Drinking range: 2022 - 2027L&S (Oct 2022)

Meunier, pinot noir and chardonnay from old vines in Vrigny; 2300 bottles; disgorged December 2021; zero dosage – all on back label; 33% chardonnay from chalk, 33% pinot noir from clay and 33% meunier from sand; ‘plus 1% de mystery from premier cru villages on the Montagne de Reims’; thanecian sand soils; no chaptalisation; wild fermented in vats and little oak barrels; natural malolactic fermentation; aged 10 months on lees in little oak barrels; a small proportion of reserve wines aged in oak; unfined and unfiltered; aged 6 years in the underground cellars of the domaine; cork.

The gentle and soft mood of both the village and the house are exaggerated through wild fermentation and maturation in small oak barrels, but lack the concentration, energy and persistence to handle such daring treatment.

A savoury, charcuterie demeanour and creamy mouthfeel fall away abruptly. Zero dosage is right for the style. Tasted in 2022 Rating: 88 Tyson Stelzer - The Champagne Guide (Jul 2024)

The NV (2017) Brut Nature Esprit de Vrigny is a blend meant to capture the essence of Vrigny. Soft and caressing, the Esprit is very easy to enjoy, even in the early going. Dried pear, crushed flowers, spice, tangerine oil and gently spiced notes are nicely pushed forward. Soft and supple, with no hard edges, the Esprit is pretty engaging today. Disgorged: July, 2022. Drinking range: 2022 - 2030 Rating: 93 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (May 2023)

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'.

This wine isn't currently part of a mixed case, but you can always browse our full selection of mixed cases here.
  • For full delivery details see our Delivery page.
  • We offer free nationwide* delivery for all orders over £150 with our own vans. We also offer an express delivery service for an additional charge.
  • Order & Collect from any of our 5 London shops. Order by Midnight for collection the next working day from 11am.
  • Private wine storage: we offer a full In Bond and Duty Paid private wine storage service - find out more here.

RELATED PRODUCTS

ORDER     COLLECT

ORDER ONLINE AND COLLECT FROM ONE OF OUR SHOPS