Description & elaboration
The Les Hauts Clos 2020 cuvée from Georges Remy is a champagne drawn from a single lieu-dit in the village of Bouzy. It is a champagne with notes of fresh cherry — toasted brioche — light almond, reflecting a Blanc de Noirs of great aromatic precision. On the palate, the texture is broad and vinous, carried by a saline finish characteristic of the deep chalk soils.
The base wine benefits from ageing in oak barrels. The Organic Farming certification is renewed every year.
This parcel-selected Blanc de Pinots Noirs is produced in only 902 bottles. The rarity of this edition makes it a highly sought-after cuvée.
The Terroir
The old vines spread across the slopes of the Montagne de Reims. The village of Bouzy, classified Grand Cru, offers a full south-facing exposure that promotes complete ripeness of the black grapes. The subsoil reveals a clay-limestone profile characteristic of the area.
The outcropping Campanian chalk ensures continuous natural drainage. The lieu-dit Les Hauts Clos presents a very specific geological configuration. The plot, planted in 1960, is worked entirely by hand, and the roots plunge deep into this fractured chalky matrix.
These massale-selection vines limit annual yields, thus concentrating the aromatic profile of the berries. The estate holds the Organic Farming certification, renewed every year, banning all synthetic phytosanitary products from the vineyards.
Short Cordon de Royat pruning disciplines the vigour of the vine. Mechanical soil maintenance preserves microbial life and ensures the faithful expression of the terroir's identity.
Vinification
The base wine ages in 2nd and 3rd-fill barrels, which limits any contribution of drying new tannins. Maturation on fine lees continues until the following summer. Autolysis (the slow breakdown of dead yeasts, a source of brioche and creamy aromas) thus enriches the structure of the future cuvée.
The winemaker conducts full malolactic fermentation on this lot. This bacterial transformation naturally lowers the total acidity of the wine in barrel.
The final balance rests on the choice of a zero dosage at disgorgement.
The 2020 vintage
The 2020 growing season opens with a particularly early budburst. The mild spring temperatures accelerate shoot growth across the hillsides. The summer brings high thermal conditions and scarce rainfall across the appellation.
The deep roots of the old vines offset this summer rainfall deficit. The harvest is carried out during the coolest early morning hours to preserve the freshness of the berries.
The harvested grapes display a measured and stable acid-sugar balance. The healthy condition of the bunches, free of botrytis, facilitates sorting. Acidity levels prove slightly less pronounced than in the two previous vintages, lending a natural roundness to the base wine.
Tasting notes
Colour
The colour reveals a deep gold with intense copper highlights. The depth of colour reflects the ripeness of the pressed black grapes.
Nose
The opening immediately delivers aromas of red fruits and pastry. As the wine opens in the glass, it evokes melting morello cherry and toasted brioche. Oxygenation gradually releases notes of roasted almond.
Palate
On the palate, this champagne asserts a broad texture and a saline finish. The vinous substance coats the tongue with a dense, focused energy.
Pairing suggestions
- Gougères with aged Comté
- Aged Iberian ham
- Foie gras toasts
- Roasted squab with jus
- Veal fillet mignon
- Creamy porcini mushroom risotto
- Aged farmhouse Chaource
- Aged sheep's milk Tomme
- Fig tartlet
The Plus de Bulles expert's opinion
Why I love it
What moves me is the deep vinosity of this Bouzy terroir. I loved its fleshy texture, carried by aromas of ripe red fruits and a striking saline finish that lends a superb length.
My advice
Serve at 10–12 °C in a wine glass to unleash its power. Ideal with roasted poultry or grilled prawns to highlight its character.
Advice
How to store this champagne?
Plus de Bulles ships this bottle (75cl) in a reinforced shipping carton specially designed for champagne. We recommend storing the bottle on its side upon receipt, away from light. Ideally in a cellar; otherwise in a cool, not too dry place, at a stable temperature.
Ageing potential
The Les Hauts Clos 2020 from Georges Remy is designed to evolve gracefully over time. This vintage champagne can easily support fifteen additional years of maturation.
- Until 2030: the cuvée expresses its primary aromas of red fruits and original tension.
- From 2031: the wine develops tertiary notes of undergrowth and dried mushrooms, brought on by the years.
- Around 2040: the peak reveals frank accents of roasting, mocha and autumn truffle.
Serving advice
Serve at 10–12 °C to preserve the balance between acidity and vinous structure. A large tulip-shaped glass channels the volatile compounds towards the upper bowl. Allowing fifteen minutes of aeration in the glass softens the carbonic texture.
A note about this cuvée
The winemaker preserves the integrity of this vine heritage planted in 1960. The manual work on each fifty-year-old vine rooted on this south-facing slope reflects a profound attachment to this terroir. To discover a distinct blended alternative, we suggest exploring the vintage cuvée in organic farming.
This highly parcel-focused vinification echoes the methods used for the parcel-selected chardonnay from the Montagne de Reims. Both approaches highlight the slow fermentation under small oak barrels, pushing the boundaries of ripeness in Champagne.
