Champagne Philipponnat to release 2000 vintage
Champagne Philipponnat has sparked some excitement by announcing the release of the 2000 vintage of Close de Goisses prestige cuvee.
The producer's location makes it something of a rarity in Champagne, with a climate on average 1.5 degrees C warmer than the rest of the region meaning generally greater yields.
In fact, it is one of the few that is able to create a vintage nearly every year rather than every three or four years, as is more common among Champagne producers.
The 2000 vintage is a blend of pinot noir and chardonnay, while oak was partially used in the fermentation process for the first time at Philipponnat to add a layer of complexity.
"We have always believed in long ageing before release and prefer to keep our Clos de Goisses cuvee for eight to ten years to allow the wine to develop complexity without losing any freshness," commented Charles Philipponnat.
Breaking with tradition in 1935, Champagne Philipponnat was among the first to create a single-vineyard wine in the region.