When Michel Drappier’s grandfather decided to plant Pinot Noir on his estate in 1930, his idea was greeted by derision in the neighbourhood. Today, the Pinot Noir grape accounts for 70% of the planted area and it lends most of the cuvees from Drappier their characteristic crispness. After getting an involuntary shower of insecticide in 1989, Michael Drappier decided to switch to biological cultivation techniques. Moreover, an allergy affecting the head of the house and the cellar manager has led to a continual reduction in the use of sulphur. MaisonDrappier is already known for superlatives: it specialises in large formats and is the only champagne producer which still carries out traditional bottle fermentation inmonster sized bottles, such as the Primat which holds 27 litres!
CARTE d´OR BLANCHE |
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| Tasting: | Rich and intensive; notes of pear, red fruits, spices, vanilla and complex changing aromas. This champagne has a long flowery finish with hints of hazelnut.
Alcohol: 12 % vol Varietals: Pinot Noir 75%, Pinot Meunier 15%, Chardonnay 10% |
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CARTE d'OR |
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| Tasting: | Golden with copper coloured reflexes. Fine and delicate scent with aromas of red fruits and vineyard peaches. Powerful wine with notes of ripe, dried fruits, a hint of spices and a fresh finish, surrounded by a well-integrated liqueur matured in small oak barrels.
Alcohol: 12 % vol |
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ROSÉ BRUT - Val des Demoiselles |
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| Tasting: | Colour ranges between delicate salmon pink and a more intense rosé, depending on prevailing conditions in vintage year. Impressions of red berries and violets develop in the nose. The flavour is intense: this is really one hundred per cent Pinot. Through a second fermentation at lower temperatures, the extremely fine lacy effervescence awakes notes of tropical fruits and pepper.
Alcohol: 12 % vol |
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MILLESIME EXCEPTION |
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| Description: | Harvest 2005: matured 5 years on the lees. No filtration. One third has matured in "foudres" (oak barrels containing 5000 liters). Dosage: 7 g/l - Date of disgorgement appears on each label. |
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| Tasting: | Colour : Pale gold and grey pearl, with a touch of straw. Nose : Very floral, hints of white fruits and fresh almond. Delicate notes of pear. Fruity palate, coince and mirabelle, white pepper and vanilla. Complex Champagne quite open, very well balanced with a long finish. It will developpe more complexity in the next 5 years. |
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QUATTUOR IV - Blanc de quatre blanc |
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| Description: | As all DRAPPIER champagne, this cuvée is only extracted from first pressing, with almost no sulphur. Total acidity 5.3 H2SO4, dosage 8 g/l. with a liquor matured 25 years in oak barrels. From pressing to bottling, most operations are made by gravity without pumping to avoid oxidation and enable the wines to keep their natural f lavour. |
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| Tasting: | Colour :Pale gold with green glints. Nose : Citrus fruit with aroma of white f lowers and green tea. Body : Mineral and spicy, both classic and exotic. |
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GRANDE SENDRÉE |
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| Description: | Only Cuvées are used (1st pressing) on a membrane press (low pressure). From the press to the tanks without pumping (gravity). Natural decantation. Temperature controlled : 18° C 14 days of fermentation. Racking and malolactic fermentation straight away at a temperature of 18°C. Fining at a low temperature in the winter (5° to 8°). Blending. Frost treatment and filtering. Five years on the lies at cellar temperature (11° C). |
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| Tasting: | Rich and intense, with hints of white peach, coince and spicy bread. Complex and elegant. |
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BRUT NATURE - Zéro Dosage |
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| Description: | For lovers of pure enjoyment we have a cuvee which is 100% Pinot Noir and 100% first pressing (as always at Drappier), but created without any dosage: in other words, no liqueur de dosage is added to the wine. Only the natural unfermented sugar remains, which is less than 2g per bottle.
Since only very little sulphur is used, the wine has freedom to develop fully. |
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| Tasting: | Red-gold colour with a copper shimmer, not very rich, but with vivacious foam. A scent of freshly pressed black grapes. Aromas of tropical fruits and red berries. A rounded taste of vineyard peaches and herbs.
Svelte and lively, without being tart, the spicy finish is light and sustained. An original champagne; natural enjoyment. |
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