Description & elaboration
The Blancs de Noirs 2021 cuvée from Georges Remy is a grower champagne from the Grand Cru terroir of Bouzy, on the slopes of the Montagne de Reims. It is a champagne with notes of small red fruits — golden mirabelle plum — warm pastry, carried by a velvety texture and sustained aromatic intensity. On the palate, the wine reveals itself as structured and long, equally at home as an aperitif or at the table. Georges Remy produces this cuvée in deliberately limited volumes.
The Terroir
The grapes come from the village of Bouzy, classified Grand Cru, on the south-facing slope of the Montagne de Reims. The constant sun exposure encourages full ripeness of the bunches. The subsoil combines white chalk with a thin layer of clay-limestone. The roots reach deep into the earth to draw up water. The blend brings together four distinct plots from the communal land register.
The lieu-dit Les Vaudayants is home to vines planted in 1975. These old vines yield bunches concentrated in aroma precursors. The Hannepés (1997) and Huriauts (2006) plots produce lively juices. The lieu-dit Les Muizottes contains vines dating back to 1960. The advanced age of these plants limits the grape yield. The soil absorbs daytime heat and releases it at night.
The winemaking
This champagne belongs to the Blanc de Pinots Noirs category. The harvest is carried out by hand, in accordance with the individual calendar of each lieu-dit: Les Vaudayants was harvested on 22 September 2021, Hannepés, Huriauts and Les Muizottes on 25 September.
Pressing releases juices that are run directly into oak vessels. Georges Remy works with new oak barrels and casks of two to four wines. Alcoholic fermentation is initiated by indigenous yeasts (yeasts naturally present on the grape skin). The barrels ensure a slow and continuous aeration of the clear wines. The ageing continues on fine lees for nearly a year.
Malolactic fermentation begins spontaneously. The estate carries out a single racking in summer. Bottling took place on 27 July 2022, pushing the release date to July 2025. The addition of sulphites is kept to a minimum at the time of disgorgement.
The 2021 vintage
The 2021 growing year showed a challenging climate in Champagne. Spring saw devastating frost episodes during April, which destroyed a proportion of the buds. Summer brought significant rainfall over several weeks, creating strong disease pressure in the vineyards. Working under organic certification from the Agence Bio made disease management more demanding: the teams multiplied manual passes to protect the foliage.
Dry weather settled in at the start of September. In Bouzy, the Pinot Noir took advantage of this window to complete its ripening. The harvested grapes displayed a low pH and high natural acidity, while the potential alcohol level remained moderate. These characteristics define the profile of a fresh and taut vintage. Yields per hectare were low, and the acidic balance of the berries guarantees an extended ageing potential.
Tasting notes
Appearance
The Blancs de Noirs 2021 Georges Remy cuvée presents a golden hue with copper highlights. The effervescence is fine, regular and persistent in the glass.
Nose
On the nose, one perceives notes of fresh red fruits, mingled with hints of gentle spices. The oak ageing then reveals delicate pastry aromas.
Palate
On the palate, this champagne develops a structured and vinous attack. The finish stretches at length, underpinned by a mouthwatering chalky backbone.
Food pairing suggestions
- Gougères with aged Comté
- Cured Iberian ham
- Dried duck breast toast
- Pan-fried veal sweetbreads
- Fillet of pork with morel mushrooms
- Roasted free-range chicken
- A wedge of aged Comté
- Farmhouse Chaource
- Mirabelle plum tart
The Plus de Bulles expert's opinion
Why I love it?
What moves me about this 2021 is its vibrant energy combined with the depth of Bouzy. I loved its bouquet of red fruits and gentle spices, carried by a vinous palate that stretches out to a saline and persistent finish.
My recommendation
Serve it at 10–12 °C in a wine glass. Its structure will pair beautifully with beef carpaccio or duck à l'orange. A champagne built for ageing.
Advice
How to store this champagne?
Plus de Bulles ships this bottle (75 cl) in reinforced packaging specially designed for champagne transport. After receipt, we recommend storing the bottle horizontally, away from light. Ideally in a cellar; alternatively, in a cool, not too dry place, at a stable temperature.
Ageing potential
The natural acidity of the 2021 vintage allows for extended ageing. The Blancs de Noirs 2021 cuvée from Georges Remy will support a decade of maturation in the cellar.
- Until 2031: the cuvée will offer its primary fruity notes, accompanied by the nervous tension typical of its vintage.
- From 2032: the champagne will evolve towards secondary notes of toasted brioche, stewed yellow fruits and light honey.
- Around 2036: the 2021 vintage of the Blancs de Noirs cuvée will enter its aromatic maturity with tertiary aromas of undergrowth and spices.
Serving suggestions
Serve this cuvée at a temperature of 10–12 °C. Ten minutes of aeration encourages the opening of the ageing aromas. Pour the wine into a flared tulip glass or a Zalto glass: these vessels maximise the surface area in contact with the air and allow the aromatic profile to fully unfold.
An anecdote about this cuvée
Georges Remy draws direct inspiration from Burgundian winemaking methods and applies them to the grapes from the Bouzy plots. You can perceive this consistent stylistic approach by tasting the previous vintage of this organic blanc de noirs.
The elaboration of still clear wines forms the other side of the estate. This expertise is particularly illustrated by the vintage Pinot Noir vinified as a red wine. This Coteaux Champenois shares the same geological identity, and the winemaker demonstrates through it the capacity of chalky soils to produce great reds.
