Champagne Philipponnat "Clos des Goisses" Extra Brut 2013
(Champagne, France) - [WE 99] [VM 98] [WA 98] [JD 97] [JS 97] [TWI 97] [DM 97]

About the Domaine:
For almost five hundred years, the Philipponnat family has left its mark on the soil of the Champagne region. Generations have cultivated the land at Ay, the family's home since the time of Apvril le Philipponnat who owned vines at Le Léon, between Ay and Dizy, in 1522. In the 16th century, the family’s ancestors were winegrowers and merchants, suppliers to the court of Louis XIV, magistrates and Royal Mayors of Ay - a town which was directly dependent on the Crown since the era of the Counts of Champagne.

Philipponnat was the first Champagne House to indicate the main year used in its non-vintage blends, the dosage and the date of disgorgement on back labels, informing consumers and wine experts of the characteristics of each cuvée.

About this Champagne:
In 1935 'Clos des Goisses' was the first single vineyard Champagne produced and it would take over 50 years for other Houses to start producing serious Champagne just from a single Clos. It is produced using grapes grown on a unique, pure chalk hillside with a 45 degree slope facing due south, in Mareuil-sur-Ay. Its name certainly reveals its true nature; in the old Champagne dialect, Gois or Goisse means a very steep slope. This is always a vintage wine with a very low dosage. Vinified mainly in wooden casks with no malolactic fermentation, it is distinctively full-bodied with an exceptionally long finish.

Made from 85% Pinot Noir and 15% Chardonnay with 4.25g/l dosage, this is elegant and floral with notes of elderflower leading into intense aromas of redcurrant and red fruit, and ending with pleasant, toasted notes. The palate is at once rich and mineral, presenting notes of blackberry and small red fruit. The long, fresh, and elegant finish is typical of the vintage.

A very great wine as well as being a very great Champagne, Clos des Goisses is specifically intended as an accompaniment to haute cuisine. Mineral and intense, it makes an unforgettable match for dishes with strong flavours: game, truffles, c aviar and cheese.

Ratings & Reviews

99 Points - Wine Enthusiast:
"The new release of this Champagne is impressively stylish. It comes from a vertiginous vineyard facing north across the Marne river, the soil producing a wine with intense minerality and texture that demands time to soften. So, the blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay is set for further aging. Ideally, wait for this magnificent wine until 2025." – Roger Voss (12/31/2022)

98 Points - Vinous Media:
"The 2013 Extra-Brut Clos des Goisses is fabulous. Readers will have to be patient, as the 2013 is in no mood to show all its cards. The late harvest produced a bristling, intensely saline Clos des Goisses that will required years to be at its best. Even so, its depth, textural resonance and finish are so evocative as to what the future holds. The 2013 is a positively stunning Champagne and one of the best Goisses in recent memory. I can't wait to see how it develops. Dosage is 4.5 grams per liter." - Antonio Galloni (May 2022)

98 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate:
"Surpassing even the 2012 and 2008, Philipponnat's 2013 Extra-Brut Clos des Goisses looks to be the finest vintage of this cuvée in several decades, at least on first acquaintance. Deriving from only the six core parcels out of the 13 that make up the Clos des Goisses, it's a striking wine, evoking aromas of crisp yellow orchard fruit, Anjou pear, clear honey, bee pollen, stone fruit and iodine. Full-bodied, layered and vinous, its textural attack segues into a deep, concentrated and tightly wound mid-palate that's girdled by racy acids and chalky structure, before concluding with a long, saline finish. Why is it quite so good? It would appear that 2013 was the perfect storm: an early-ripening terroir in a cool, late vintage; moderately yielding Burgundian selections of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that attained full maturity; and a willingness to make a strict selection have all come together to deliver a profound Clos des Goisses." – William Kelley (Aug 2022)

97 Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
"The 2013 Champagne Clos de Goisses is still primary at this stage, with currant, smoky perfume, and fresh citrus, and this carries to the palate with refined texture and a precise mousse. There is more nerve and mineral tension with this vintage, and a persistent and supple, chalky finish. This will need time to unwind, although is certainly worth waiting for. Drink 2024-2044. Disgorged March 2022." (11/7/2022)

97 Points - James Suckling:
"This is elegant and sophisticated with aromas of red apples, honey, pears, hazelnuts, praline, croissants and hints of white chocolate. Very fine, tight bubbles. Framed and structured. Focused from start to finish, with so much life ahead. 85% pinot noir and 15% chardonnay. Disgorged March 2022. Drink or hold." (Dec 2022)

97 Points - The Wine Independent:
"A blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, the 2013 Clos des Goisses needs a little patience to allow ripe apple, candied ginger, and mandarin peel scents to emerge, followed by a toasty undercurrent and nuances of oyster shell and jasmine. The palate has exquisitely fine bubbles and electric, spine-tingling tension, with bags of subtle savory, toasty and citrusy flavors, finishing long and chalky." – LPB (Aug 2022)

97 Points - Decanter Magazine:
"Charles Philipponnat made a stunning Clos des Goisses in 2013, perhaps one of the finest in several vintages. With a delicate and sumptuous bouquet evoking Mirabelle plum, honey, spring flowers, spices and chalky/iodine notes, this Champagne has a full-bodied, vinous and elegant structure. It has a crystalline texture, with a chalky tension leading the way to a mouthwatering finish. This magnificent Champagne should be cellared for at least five to 10 years. Dosage of 4.24g/L." – Yohan Castaing (Jun 2022)