Description & elaboration
The Millésime 2020 is the first vintage crafted by Clément Bertrand. This is a champagne with notes of roasted hazelnut — acacia blossoms — ripe yellow fruits, with a beautiful aromatic clarity. On the palate, the full yet incisive texture seduces with its creamy effervescence and persistent chalky finish. Produced in only 480 bottles, this exclusive cuvée is aimed at lovers of champagnes that are both precise and authentic.
The Terroir
The estate is located in Prouilly, in the Marne, at the crossroads of the Montagne de Reims and the Massif de Saint-Thierry. The vines rest on a Campanian chalky subsoil, covered at the surface with sands and clay loam. The south-east exposure protects the vines from cold northerly winds. This transitional terroir imprints a distinct mineral backbone onto the grapes.
The soils are mechanically ploughed with inter-row ploughs to limit weed growth. This management forces the root system to draw nutrients from depth, encouraging concentrated and expressive grapes.
The estate holds the Haute Valeur Environnementale (hVE) Level 3 certification and the Viticulture Durable en Champagne (VDC) label. These certifications guarantee the preservation of local biodiversity.
The vinification
The blend brings together 50% Chardonnay and 50% Pinot Noir. The Pinot Noir contributes a dense, vinous structure; the Chardonnay provides the acid tension essential to the balance. Only the cuvée juices, the most noble part of the pressing, make up this vintage.
Half of the musts ferment in 228-litre French oak barrels, whose natural micro-oxygenation rounds out the wine without imparting oaky aromas. The other half ferments in stainless steel tanks.
The base wines benefit from 8 months ageing on fine lees, which adds richness and roundness. The wine then continues to age for 36 months on laths before disgorgement. The dosage is Extra Brut, at 1 g/L.
The 2020 vintage
The year 2020 was marked by historic earliness. A mild winter triggered early budburst from March onwards. The dry spring eliminated the risk of late frosts, and the sunny summer, punctuated by several heatwave peaks, led to rapid ripening. The vines drew water from the deep chalk to withstand the drought.
Harvests began at the end of August under arid conditions, guaranteeing healthy bunches free of botrytis. The Chardonnay maintained a high total acidity, a precious counterbalance to the solar richness of the year.
This single-plot cuvée compiles the juices from an identified lieu-dit in the Vallée de la Vesle. It inaugurates the first harvest of Clément Bertrand under his own label.
Tasting notes
Colour
The colour of the Millésime 2020 cuvée reveals a golden hue with luminous highlights, animated by a regular stream of fine bubbles.
Nose
On the nose, one discovers notes of ripe yellow fruits and aromas of toasted almond.
Palate
On the palate, this champagne displays a full and incisive texture. The creamy effervescence envelops the tongue, while a chalky finish extends the aromatic persistence.
Food pairing suggestions
- Gougères with aged Comté
- Smoked trout toast
- Blinis with salmon
- Poultry with morel mushrooms
- Roasted fillet of sea bass
- Mushroom risotto
- Aged Chaource
- Thin apricot tart
- Comté aged 18 months
The Plus de Bulles expert's opinion
Why I love it?
I was won over by the balance of this cuvée, between the fruit's ripeness and a remarkable saline tension. Its notes of juicy pear and citrus zest linger on a chalky finish of great purity. A vibrant and precise champagne.
My recommendation
Serve it at 10–12 °C in a wine glass to let its full character express itself. It will pair elegantly with a scallop carpaccio or grilled white fish.
Advice
How to store this champagne?
Plus de Bulles ships this bottle (75 cl) in reinforced cartons specially designed for transporting champagne.
After receipt, we recommend storing the bottle horizontally, away from light. This position keeps the cork moist and preserves its seal.
Ideally in a cellar; alternatively, in a cool, not too dry place, at a stable temperature.
Ageing potential
The Millésime 2020 by Clément Bertrand is built for beautiful evolution in bottle, with a cellaring potential of around 10 to 15 years. Its tension ensures a slow and controlled progression over the years.
- Until 2029: the cuvée will offer notes of candied citrus and a saline tension.
- From 2031: the wine will develop tertiary aromas of undergrowth and beeswax.
- Around 2036: the Clément Bertrand champagne will enter its full autolytic maturity, marked by notes of mocha.
Serving suggestions
This bottle is best enjoyed at a temperature of 10–12 °C. Serve the wine in a wide-based tulip glass, whose volume concentrates the volatile aromas within the bowl.
An anecdote about this cuvée
This limited edition of 480 bottles marks a milestone for the estate: it is the very first cuvée entirely conceived and assembled by the winemaker under his own identity. Clément Bertrand commits to a bold and uncompromising approach from the very first release.
Lovers of long-ageing vintage white champagnes can discover another vintage white champagne with extended ageing on lees.
The estate also offers its wines in a larger format. You can enjoy a white magnum signed Clément Bertrand. The greater volume slows the wine's evolution, prolonging the freshness of the harvest.
