Champagne Philipponnat Clos des Goisses 2015 (Disg. Mar 2024)

78% Pinot Noir, 22% Chardonnay. The majestic Clos des Goisses vineyard rises steeply from the edge of the Marne River and is planted to 3.5 hectares of Pinot Noir and two hectares of Chardonnay. This historically revered, south-facing slope was the region’s first to be bottled as a single-vineyard wine. With a focus on precise viticulture, old mass-selection vines, moderate yields and ripe fruit at harvest, the wine has never been better.

The slope on this, the so-called Mont de Mareuil, is relatively steep, at between 30 and 45 degrees. The vineyard's altitude climbs from 85 to 130 metres, facing the midday sun and basking in the reflected glory of the River Marne at its foot. The Clos des Goisses' extremely chalky soils, aspect and atypical warmth—the average growing season temperature here is 1.5°C higher than most of Champagne—result in one of Champagne’s most powerful and intense wines.

Be sure to serve these wines in a proper wine glass, ideally not too cold, and don’t be scared to decant them. In short, treat it like a fine white wine—for that’s what it is! It’s also a serious food wine and can stand up to a wide range of dishes, including roast chicken or pork, game birds, sausages, hard cheeses, pâtés, terrines, etc.