The champagne
Name: Cuvee Prestige
Vineyard: Marquis de Gouwrol
Blend: 70% Pinot Noir 30% Chardonnay
Nose: Exotic Fruits, Biscuits, Fresh
Palate: Citrus, Grapefruit, Apricot, Chestnuts, Vegetal
Suitable for: Bank Holiday Weekends, Game Dishes, Red Meats, Cheese
We are delighted to officially launch the second of our spring champagnes – the great Cuvee Prestige from Marquis de Gouwrol. Taken primarily from the 2009 harvest, this champagne has much ageing potential. This wine is extremely well refined. A key difference with the champagnes we discover, compared to others on the market, is their distinctive character, which make them interesting, sometimes challenging common perceptions of what a champagne should taste like! But that is the beauty – why settle for ordinary when you can treat your taste buds to new experiences.
The Marquis’ Prestige begins with fresh, zesty aromas, candied citrus and biscuit notes on the palate and develops with time in the glass to create a wonderfully spicy, even peppery flavour. The important point here is to leave the wine to develop a little in the glass – let some of those bubbles burst as they carry the aromas and the flavour and with a bit of the good old o2, you can really see the different levels of a wine unfold. It is ok to swirl a champagne and it should never be served too cold otherwise you won’t appreciate the full extent of the flavour. So give it time.
One of the key themes of our spring selection was champagnes that use solely Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, the latter being particularly rare in the South of Champagne (the Aube), which is best suited to Pinot varieties. However, all of our producers managed to create incredibly well balanced champagnes with a delightful freshness. In the case of the Marquis, it has a great body and complexity.
Members of The Real Champagne Club thought this champagne would be perfect for a Bank Holiday weekend! Kicking back in the garden with a glass or two. They suggested food pairings of game, cheese and red meats. Even though it is a very fresh champagne, the complexity would stand up to the stronger flavours of darker meats.
They enjoyed the Marquis with a roasted vegetable tart, which we thought would pair well because of the slight acidity of the vegetables, the sweetness brought from roasting and the buttery notes from the pastry.
Despite many being divided on this champagne at first, they enjoyed it more and more as time went on. One of our customers, who wasn’t keen at our launch event, even claimed that the one bottle she took in her case afterwards was actually really lovely. Just goes to show you have to give some things a chance.
The Vineyard
Florent Rolet runs the vineyard today with his sister-in-law. Her family name is Gouwry and back in the early 90’s when they started to sell their own champagnes, they joined the two names together (Rolet and Gouwry) to form Gouwrol. Based in Baroville, just outside Bar-sur-Aube, they cultivate around 30 hectares of vines.
Florent started working alongside his parents in 1992 after completing his studies. The house is very young in comparison to some of our other producers, so it is very impressive that they have already been recognised by some of the industry’s top guides. The Cuvee Prestige, received a coveted star in the 2014 edition of the Guide Hachette, a very good wine!
You can try this champagne now here for just £35 per bottle. If you would like to join us on our journey of discovery, why not come to our next launch event, celebrating a Taste of Summer, on Friday 6th June at Adam Street Members’ Club, London. See more details here.
Soon we will launch the last of our spring champagnes, just in time before the end of the season. So don’t miss out!
Best wishes, Real Champagne 😉
The Real Champagne Company 