Every detail counts when it comes to creating sincere and authentic Champagnes. Champagne Boizel’s artisan approach goes hand and hand with its constant quest for excellence and progress. The Boizel House places the emphasis on high standards during every stage of the winemaking process, from the vineyards right through to the cellars. Compromise is simply never an option. Every day Florent and Lionel Roques-Boizel strive to create the highest quality wines possible and make the right decisions for the future of this family Champagne House which will soon be marking its 200th anniversary.
The vineyard The winegrower’s role is to listen to nature and guide it so that it may be reflected beautifully in every single one of the wines. Florent and Lionel Roques-Boizel believe in the importance of treating all of their grapes, crus and plots with the same attention and respect in order to preserve their natural characteristics. Over the generations, the Boizel family has acquired an in-depth understanding of the Champagne terroirs. The Boizel vineyards cover 7 hectares of land in the finest crus of Champagne, including Avize and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, the origins of the Boizel family. The House also receives grapes from its partner winegrowers: Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grown in the Grand and Premiers Crus of the Côte des Blancs and Montagne de Reims as well as Meunier grapes from the finest Vallée de la Marne vineyards. The savoir-faire accrued over the years is constantly being refined and perfected by the sixth generation of the family. They continue to explore Champagne’s finest terroirs to reveal its best expression through their wines.
Vinification Remaining true to nature and keeping interventions to a minimum: during the vinification the most natural techniques are chosen, those that best preserve the aromas. Each plot and cru is vinified separately in small vats to create a broad and precise palette of aromas for the composition of the future blends. Malolactic fermentation ensures a smoother texture which is later joined by notes of biscuit and brioche. Vinification is the ideal time for testing and experimenting new techniques, but without ever compromising the quality. Florent and Lionel Roques-Boizel have therefore chosen to complement their vinification in temperature-controlled stainless-steel vats with the addition of barrels and tuns to enable them to further hone the wines’ distinctive characters. It is thanks to this hand-crafted approach, combined with the desire to remain as faithful as possible to the personality of each cru and plot, that Boizel is able to produce wines with such remarkable precision and individuality whilst offering the most accurate picture of the identity of each terroir. The complex and multi-faceted nuances of the palette are then blended together to create authentic, sincere and generous Champagnes.
The notion of time has a very special meaning when a Champagne House can boast almost two hundred years of history. Not just time in terms of history, the seasons and the production process, but the time afforded to ageing the wines to allow them to develop in all their complexity. Time is fundamental in making each champagne unique as it is thanks to time that the wine is able to develop the wide array of aromas that will remain engrained in the memories of those who taste them.
It is in the heart of the house, in the freshness, calm and darkness of the cellars that Boizel Champagnes age. The duration of ageing varies from one champagne to the next depending on its profile. Whilst the minimum is 3 years, certain champagnes are left to rest for much longer including the Joyau de France which is aged for up to 15 years and the Trésor Collection aged for several decades. Allowing the wines to age in contact with their lees helps them to develop the true finesse, character and elegance of an outstanding champagne.
Being able to afford the wines the time they need to reveal their true character is a luxury and one that Florent and Lionel Roques-Boizel never compromise upon. It is also a family tradition as each generation has understood the importance of waiting for just the right moment before releasing the wines from the cellars, waiting for the precise moment in time when the wines are offering the complexity, depth and gorgeous texture sought by champagne lovers.
Unique in Champagne the Trésor Boizel is the witness of the history of the Boizel House and family. It holds together the greatest vintages of the 19th and 20th centuries, including the mythical 1834, the oldest. Nestled in the heart of the house cellars, the “Trésor” cellar has stood the test of time: each generation has strived to reserve the best bottles for each exceptional vintage, taking care to protect this real treasure from the vagaries of history. These precious “liquid archives” bear witness to the work of the family: they embody the memory of the house.
Tasting the Trésor Champagnes is a rare occurrence as the family has always wanted to preserve these precious wines so that they may be passed on to future generations. The Champagne House created the Trésor Collection with the intent of making available just a small number of bottles from recently disgorged vintages from the late 20th century to be shared with wine lovers and collectors of rare wines.
During these rare tastings of the Trésor Collection, the world’s most recognized wine critics have praised the distinctive personalities of these wines as well as their unrivalled complexity and subtle nuances, even referring to certain vintages as ‘timeless champagnes’. In addition to these qualities, it is the history of each growing year, the unique personality of each wine, and the embodiment of the past that make these wines so special.
Boizel Grand Vintage Brut is made from 50% Chardonnay, 50% Pinot Noir.
BACKGROUND
In 1834 the Boizel House was established in Épernay, the heart of Champagne, by a family passionate about the wines of its region. Intimate knowledge of the Champagne region, passed on through the generations, and access to grapes from the finest cru sites, are the essential elements behind the Boizels’ elegant portfolio. Working with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir sourced only from Champagne’s most coveted Grands and Premiers Crus blended with the best crus of Pinot Meunier, Boizel’s intimate knowledge of each village and hillside coupled with longstanding grower relationships allows them the ability to select the finest quality grapes for their Champagnes.
TERROIR & VINTAGE NOTES
Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes for the production of the Grand Vintage wines are sourced from Grands and Premiers Cru vineyards within the villages of La Montagne de Reims (Pinot Noir) and the Côte des Blancs (Chardonnay). Pinot Meunier is sourced from the best sites within the Vallée de la Marne.
All wines are aged sur lie in Boizel’s historic chalk cellars beneath the Avenue de Champagne for a minimum of 3 years, climbing to 15 years and above for the best vintages.
WINEMAKING & AGEING
A unique expression of the vintage, the Grand Vintage is only produced in the best years. This cuvée is a blend of 50% Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs (Mesnil sur Oger, Oger, Avize, Vertus) and 50% Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims (Mailly, Bisseuil, Chigny les Roses).
The wine was aged 8 months in stainless steel vats. Post second fermentation, the wine was aged for 8 years on its lees.
TASTING NOTES
Due to the long lees aging, almond, frangipane, candied orange and brioche aromas are rich and balanced. The palate is complex and mature, with the silky perlage supplying acidity and lift. Elegant pastry notes rounds out the finish.
Review:
Disgorged in October 2014, this smooth, now mature, wine has flavors of yeasty toastiness and a tight, mineral structure. Sliced apple and lemon zest still give freshness. Behind the fruit, crisp texture and a steely edge await. It is beautifully balanced, rich while dry and ready to drink. ROGER VOSS
-Wine Enthusiast 94 Points
Trapiche Terroir Series Finca Orellana is made from 100 percent Malbec.
The history of Trapiche begins in 1883, in a small vineyard called El Trapiche, in the district of Godoy Cruz, Mendoza, where the grapes for the first fine wines were grown. With more than 130 years of experience, Trapiche has earned its place as a pioneering brand in the introduction of French vines, the production of varietal wines, the import of French oak barrels and the use of stainless steel tanks. True to its origins, today Trapiche is in a continuous quest for the latest best practices .Led by Daniel Pi, Director of Winemaking, Trapiche's winemaking team permanently strives to improve winemaking practices by exchanging experience and knowledge with winemakers from other wine producing countries such as France, the US, Australia and New Zealand.
With a deep garnet red color, this Malbec expresses aromas of red fruits such as cherries and currants, and intense balsamic notes with hints of fresh herbs. In the mouth, it is sweet and broad with a great concentration of fruit and soft, ripe tannins. It has a long, persistent and elegant finish.
Review:
El Peral may not be on the radar of many Argentine Malbec lovers. But if you take a look at Descorchados, you will realize that here we are fans of this area, a place of gentle hills, streams and trees. This vineyard was planted in 1946, and today it delivers deliciously liquefied fruit, with hints of cherries and cassis, but above all violets and blackberries in a long and deep body. Give it at least ten years in the bottle.
-Patricio Tapia - Descorchados 95 Points
-Tim Atkin 95 Points
Our Chardonnay is hand picked then gently whole-cluster pressed to avoid bitterness. The juice is fermented in large puncheons and a mix of neutral and new oak barrels. We age in barrel for a full 12 months with some stirring on the lees after malolactic fermentation. This is our classic take on Chardonnay, one of the original varietals we planted in 1974 and grew for over 20 years.
VINEYARD: Elk Cove Vineyards purchased Goodrich Vineyard in 2014. A 69 acre property planted with 21 acres of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, Goodrich sits just outside the town of Yamhill, Oregon in the heart of the Yamhill-Carlton AVA. Goodrich Vineyard was planted in 2007 with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in high-density a format. The property boasts the exact same marine sediment (Willakenzie) soil as our Mount Richmond property and lies just a few miles from our Estate Vineyard in Gaston. This young vineyard has great promise and we were so impressed by the quality of the fruit we decide
WINEMAKING: Our Chardonnay is hand picked then gently whole-cluster pressed to avoid bitterness. The juice is fermented in large puncheons and a mix of neutral and new oak barrels. We age in barrel for a full 12 months with some stirring on the lees after malolactic fermentation. This is our classic take on Chardonnay, one of the original varietals we planted in 1974 and grew for over 20 years. We’re happy to bring this varietal back to the Elk Cove family of wines.
Review:
“The 2019 Chardonnay Goodrich, from vines planted in the early 2000s, offers layered aromas of yellow apple, meringue, hazelnut, toast and honeysuckle. The medium-bodied palate is creamy and expansive, its breadth balanced by gently tangy acidity, and it boasts a long, flavorful finish. This is so pretty!” -Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate (May 2023) 94 Points