Discovering an exceptional Champagne house: Drappier
A few days ago, I was invited by the Drappier champagne house to a press lunch to discover different vintages. The venue was sublime: the Shang Palace, the restaurant of the Shangri La, which boasts 1 star in the Guide Rouge.
The Drappier fathers, sons and granddaughters are present. André, the patriarch, is all smiles and enthusiasm. This meal is an opportunity to delve into the history of a great champagne name.The meal begins and I learn that Drappier was General De Gaulle’s favorite brand. He loved this traditional family champagne. His grandson still visits Drappier.During the meal, we reviewed the house’s must-have cuvées. Here are our favorites:
Le Brut Nature Zéro dosage
100% première presse, 100% pinot noir, 100% zero dosage, with one third
reserve wines, this champagne is for connoisseurs. Extremely pure, its aromas of red berries, vine peach and quince follow slowly through to a clean, fine, taut palate.
Le Quattuor
Quattuor with 2 T. No, this is not a mistake, but the Latin translation of the number
“four”, which gave rise to “quattro” in Italian. Michel Drappier has chosen to illustrate his label with the Latin numeral IV in reference to the village of Urville, founded by the Gallo-Romans who brought vines to the region 2000 years ago, and probably, although there is no proof of this, the arbutus. Champagne blanc de blancs are usually made from the single grape variety chardonnay. Cuvée Quattuor is a unique blend of four equal parts of arbane, blanc vrai (pinot blanc), petit meslier and chardonnay, the only white grape varieties authorized in Champagne. A nose of fresh citrus fruit, white flowers and green tea precedes a mineral, spicy, full-bodied palate, tinged with exoticism. The wine is conducted without brutality, but with purity and freshness to offer a soft, particularly harmonious finish.
Grande Sendrée rosé
Gentle pressing, extracting only the heart of the cuvée. Made exclusively from rosé de saignée. The elegance of finely macerated Pinot Noir and the freshness of Chardonnay give this cuvée finesse and balance. Citrus fruits and red berries mingle with spicy notes. The whole is both crisp and vinous, taut and subtly greedy.
Carte d’or brut
This is the House’s best-known champagne.
80% pinot noir, 15% chardonnay, 5% pinot meunier, it expresses all the aromas of the famous black grape with white juice. It’s sought-after not only for its structure, but also for its fine, characteristic red fruit and spicy notes.
Cuvée Collection Charles de Gaulle
A blend of 80% pinot noir and 20% chardonnay, this champagne expresses itself with notes of red berries, characteristic of pinot, on a smooth, persistent palate.
Michel Drappier wants to put as little sulfur as possible in his bottles to avoid, among other things, stomach and headaches for consumers. Drappier’s cellar master is allergic to sulphur, “so much the better! Michel Drappier uses it only in homeopathic doses, the lowest in Champagne. As a result, the wines are more often than not naturally colored, with richer, even coppery golds and fuller aromas. In addition to respecting the consumer, this practice allows for particularly slow, low-temperature foaming, which generates a fine, subtle effervescence.In terms of communication, Michel Drappier has reservations about using social networks. Twitter and Facebook in particular. The company is keen to maintain a certain tradition, and doesn’t want to give in to fashions and the zeitgeist, and that’s for the best.
In short, a wonderful tasting and, above all, a wonderful meeting with the Drappier family!
Julien Tissot
[email protected]
Alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health. Drink in moderation.
Cette publication est également disponible en : Français (French)
