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The Champagne Society February 2021 Selection: Champagne Francis Boulard & Fille

Champagne Francis Boulard & Fille “Rosé de Saignée” (2013, Rosé Extra Brut)
Price for The Champagne Society members: $76, SOLD OUT

Francis Boulard‘s career as a vigneron dates back to the early 70’s. He worked alongside his brother and sister running the now defunct family estate Raymond Boulard. But a fundamental disagreement would lead him to leave it all behind and start his own much smaller estate.

Disturbed by the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and fungicides being used in the vineyards, Francis dove into Rudolph Steiner’s biodynamic philosophies. Francis convinced his siblings to convert a couple of acres of vines to biodynamic viticulture, at first to see if it was possible to have healthy vines without using chemicals. Finding success in the vineyard, he then began experimenting with separate vinifications, eventually believing wine from the biodynamic grapes was more expressive.

Francis proposed converting the entire estate to his brother and sister and was summarily rejected. So he decided to claim seven acres (his portion of the family’s vines) and broke off to start his own estate in 2009 with his daughter Delphine, who had been working alongside him at Raymond Boulard for nine years.

Delphine Boulard is the seventh generation to work her family’s land and is now fully at the helm of the estate. There are three distinct terroirs: 4 acres are in the Massif Saint-Thierry, 1.2 acres in Mailly (both sectors of the Montagne de Reims) and the 3 acres of historic family parcels in the Vallée de la Marne. The estate is certified organic and also worked using biodynamic methods. Parcels are vinified separately in old oak casks of different sizes utilizing indigenous yeast.

There are two main methods of creating pink champagne. Blended pink champagne (Rosé d’assemblage) is by far the most widespread, as it allows the producer to obtain color and density that is identical from year to year. It consists of blending a still white wine (before its second fermentation in bottle) with 5-20% of Champagne red wine, vinified to be non-tannic. Macerated Pink champagne (Rosé de saignée) consists of allowing the grape must to remain in contact with the skins for a short while (just a few hours). Thus the natural pigments in the skins of the black grapes begin to color the juice and at the same time they enrich the juice with their aromatic components. After maceration, the juices are bled off – hence the name. “Bled” pink champagnes generally have a more intense pink robe and are usually richer in taste with a vinous character that makes them particularly suitable to be served with food.

“Rosé de Saignée” comes from the clay and limestone terroirs of Vallée de la Marne and Massif Saint-Thierry. It is composed of 50% Pinot Noir and 50% Pinot Meunier. The bleeding off is carried out when the scents of red fruits are adequately extracted, well integrated, and in balance with the must. Bright red fruit, mint, chalk and white flowers are all beautifully lifted in a finely cut, sculpted Champagne that dazzles with its energy and tension. Disgorged on January 7, 2020. Only 2 grams/liter dosage.

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Posted on 2021.01.18 in France, The Champagne Society, Champagne

 

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