Champagne Denis Chaput "Noir de Jade" Blanc de Noir Extra Brut NV
(Champagne, France) - [JG 92]

About the Winery:
Located in the Cote de Bar village of Arrenthieres, the first winegrower to bear the name Chaput moved to Arrentières in 1862. By 1878, he had his own wine press. Their first champagne, “Cuvee des Rochottes”, was produced in the early 1930s. Today this family-run grower (the Chaput brothers Nicolas and Xavier, along with their father Denis and mother Jacqueline) has 26 plots, each of which is different. The hillsides face South-East to West, with the steepness of the slopes ranging from 5 to 20%; the soil varies in its proportion of pebbles, its depth, and its richness in clay. 

Notes from the Winemaker:
“Jade” is the contraction of Xavier and Nicolas’ parents’ first names: Jaqueline and Denis; it’s also a precious stone.

This is 100% Pinot Noir grapes; Kimmeridgian clay-chalk soils; vines planted in 1990 on average; 85% from 2018 harvest, 15% reserve wines from 2015; fermented in small stainless steel vats; no malolactic fermentation; 12% alcohol; dosage 5 g/L; bottled July 2019.  

Tasting Notes:
Pale golden yellow color with silvery grey highlights, this cuvée presents fine, very persistent bubbles. The nose is dominated by aromas of smoked limestone, iodine sea spray, blackcurrant, grapefruit, liquorice, blackberry, pomegranate and elderberries. On the palate, the attack is clean and fresh, with a soft, creamy effervescence. Fruity, full-bodied and crisp, the mid-palate is enhanced by a grapefruity acidity and a marly minerality that gives this champagne breadth and salinity. The finish is fresh, stony and juicy.

Food Pairing:
Stir-fried lobster and baby spring vegetables deglazed with champagne; Pata Negra Bellota.

92 Points - John Gilman's View From the Cellar:
"Denis Chaput’s “Noir de Jade” Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut is composed entirely from pinot noir, with the vast majority of the vines having been planted in 1990. The vins clairs are fermented and aged in stainless steel and do not go through malolactic fermentation. The current release is from the base year of 2018 and includes fifteen percent reserve wines from the 2015 vintage. It was disgorged in July of 2022 after three years aging sur latte and finished with a dosage of five grams per liter. The bouquet is deep, bright and complex, wafting from the glass in a lovely blend of white peach, apple, pâtissière, a complex base of limestone minerality and a topnote of dried flowers. On the palate the wine is deep, complex and full bodied, with a lovely spine of acidity, a lovely core of fruit, fine mineral drive, excellent focus and grip, elegant mousse and a long, complex and very well balanced finish. This is first class Aube pinot noir! 2023 – 2040"