Description
André Clouet is a small yet exceptional grower-producer and a master of Pinot Noir, sourcing fruit exclusively from 20 acres of coveted mid-slope vineyards in the Grand Cru villages of Bouzy and Ambonnay. The Clouet family has been in the village of Bouzy since 1492. Centuries later, they became the official printmakers for the court of King Louis XV of France, and the classically pretty labels that grace their Champagne bottles today pay homage to that important aesthetic history. André Clouet officially founded the Champagne house in 1741 and his descendant, Jean-Francois, who makes the wines today, believes it is this long history of farming the same vines for centuries that is the secret to the Clouet terroir. In addition to sourcing fruit from only top-notch vineyards grown on mineral-rich chalk soils, the wines of André Clouet offer remarkable complexity with notably creamy textures due to Jean-François’ tradition of extended aging on the lees.
The Clouet portfolio includes 10 uniquely crafted wines. André Clouet’s latest "№ 3" Brut Rosé is 100% Pinot Noir and the ‘3’ represents the style of the wine, measured on a scale from 1-10 with 1 being the lightest and 10 being the richest. This wine is the furthest thing from a lean Champagne. Instead, its rich, yeasty texture thrives and takes center stage. It shows a pale salmon core with a clear rim. Its bead (or bubble) is tiny, compact, and travels upwards with vigor before fanning out to the edge of the glass. It erupts with seductive notes of wild strawberry, raspberry, pomegranate, cherry blossoms, fresh red and pink flowers, crushed chalk, and orange zest. The near full-bodied, dry palate coats your mouth with supple fruit that trends toward the side of creamy: you can expect strawberry coulis, white peach, ripe Rainier cherries, and a persisting mineral-driven presence. Delightful in its youth, this wine’s fruit will take on savory components over the next 3-5 years, so be sure to stow a few bottles!
