Clos Cazals is a legendary Champagne cuvée. It was one of the very first champagne clos to be vinified separately. It's a cuvée that combines the finesse of Oger's Chardonnay with the aromatic richness of grapes from a clos.
Clos Cazals is one of 21 officially recognized clos in Champagne. Champagnes made from vines planted within a "clos" are highly sought-after, as the "clos" offers the grapes exceptional ripening, thanks to the reverberation of the walls, which reflect the warmth of the sun.
Clos Cazals covers 3.7 hectares, but only the part planted in 1957 is used to make this cuvée.
Oger's terroir is particularly chalky, producing lively grapes and wines that often need a few years' ageing to soften their ardour and bring out their best.
Oger is classified as a Grand Cru, the highest level of the Champagne appellation. Only 17 villages are classified Grand Cru.
Clos Cazals 2013 was mainly vinified in stainless steel tanks to preserve freshness and liveliness. A small portion of the wine (10%) was barrel-aged to give the cuvée as a whole an extra touch of complexity.
This is a champagne that has spent ten years in the house cellars in Oger to round out its aromas and develop its complexity. This is a low dosage cuvée, just balancing out all the tension and vivacity of the 2013 vintage. The 2013 vintage is rather unusual in Champagne, as it bears no resemblance to recent vintages, but rather to the vintages of the late 20th century, with harvests starting at the end of September. The 2013 vintage produced grapes that were both fresh and aromatic. All in all, a classic balance.
Clos Cazals 2013 has a golden color with silver highlights, studded with fine bubbles.
The nose opens with floral notes, then evolves towards more gourmand and pastry notes. There's also a hint of candied lemon.
On the palate, Le Clos Cazals 2013 opens with a clean, lively attack, then reveals a chiselled texture. On the mid-palate, the minerality of the Oger terroir clearly asserts itself. The citrus fruits discovered on the nose are repeated, along with a light milky touch.
The finish is long, invigorating and iodized, characteristic of great Blancs de Blancs.
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