Champagne Clandestin - Boreal - Brut Nature
In the Côte des Bar, Champagne Clandestin was born from Benoît Doussot's desire to reveal terroirs long left aside from the most well-known expressions of Champagne. Trained in Burgundy, notably in Meursault, and then having worked at Vouette & Sorbée with Bertrand Gautherot, he develops a very parcel-focused approach centered on grapes from organic or converting vineyards. Boreal belongs to the "Les Semblables" series, designed around a particularly interesting idea: to observe the influence of exposure on the same grape variety and comparable terroirs. This cuvée is exclusively made from parcels oriented to the north, while its counterpart Austral comes from slopes exposed to the south. The vines rest on the clay-limestone soils of the Kimmeridgian characteristic of this part of the Côte des Bar, geological formations also found in the Chablis vineyard. This cooler orientation slows the ripening of Pinot Noir and favors a particularly tense and precise expression. Boreal thus appears as the most vertical and chiselled face of the duo formed with Austral.
Boreal is a Blanc de Noirs made exclusively from Pinot Noir coming from several lieux-dits sharing this same northern exposure. Each edition comes from a single harvest, without the incorporation of reserve wines, to preserve a direct reading of the year and its terroir. Fermentations are carried out with indigenous yeasts and vinification takes place in large capacity barrels. The wine then continues its aging on lees for about ten months, a maturation that brings texture while preserving its natural energy. After bottling and the prise de mousse, it ages on laths before disgorgement. No dosage is added: Boreal is therefore presented as Brut Nature, at 0 g/l, a choice that further highlights the freshness and precision of its profile. This deliberately low-intervention vinification puts Pinot Noir, the northern exposure, and the limestone signature of the terroir at the forefront.
Boreal stands out with a fresher and more incisive expression than Austral, with a bouquet where pear, crunchy apple, and citrus meet delicate floral and mineral nuances. Notes of small red fruits, orange zest, and blackcurrant may gradually appear upon aeration, recalling the presence of Pinot Noir behind the finesse of the Blanc de Noirs. On the palate, the body has enough flesh to balance a particularly clear tension, supported by fine effervescence and energetic acidity. The absence of dosage accentuates this sensation of purity without making the wine austere, thanks to the maturity of the fruit and the texture acquired during aging on lees. The finish is long, saline, and chalky, extended by fine citrus bitters that bring even more relief. Boreal can be appreciated now for its brightness, but a few years in the cellar will allow its fruity notes to evolve towards more complex nuances of dried fruits, toasted bread, and spices. Its tension makes it an excellent companion for oysters, scallop carpaccio, grilled langoustines, or raw fish, while its depth also allows pairing with roasted poultry.
Grape variety: 100% Pinot Noir
