Champagne, at last. For years our readers asked us to find a grower Champagne, and for years our search fell short. But in June we struck gold at last, based on a recommendation from Burgundian winemaker Michel Gros. We’re excited to have filled this hole in our portfolio, and particularly to have done so with such a singular source.
Pascal Bardoux is a small-scale, fifth generation vigneron outside Reims. Many appointments in Champagne include glitzy tasting rooms and glossy handouts, a stark departure from the garage or kitchen table tastings we’re often afforded in Burgundy. But Pascal welcomed us into his cozy unkempt office, where we spent nearly 2 hours tasting and discussing just 4 of his cuvées.
The feel was nearly Burgundian, and we could see why Bardoux and the always humble Michel Gros are such good friends. Gros and Bardoux visit each other every year, exchanging a trunkful of wine and sharing a dinner. Both men are thoughtful and reserved in manner, but make extraordinary wines that perfectly reflect their origins.
Classic. We’re releasing the first of two Bardoux wines today — a Champagne NV Brut called “Traditionnel.” Bardoux’s Champagnes are truly wines, with complexity and intricacy to match the finest bottles of Burgundy or Bordeaux. Traditionnel is an excellent entree to the Bardoux style — a blend of 60 Pinot Meunier, 30 Chardonnay and 10% Pinot Noir, it shows citrus, apple, and plum. And in a region where many domaine’s lineups start around $70 a bottle, Bardoux is a welcome relief from overpriced bubbles.
We would happily serve this at any important celebration, but would encourage readers to consider enjoying it more casually as well. Champagne is extraordinarily versatile food pairing wine, combining liveliness from the acidity and bubbles, with a soft richness in the mouth. With Thanksgiving, the ultimate food pairing challenge, just two weeks from tomorrow, we can’t recommend this enough.
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BARDOUX Champagne Brut Traditionnel
Ansonia Retail: $46
case, half-case: $39/bot
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AVAILABLE IN 6- AND 12- BOTTLE LOTS
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