Description & elaboration
The Les 2 Parcelles 2022 cuvée from Simon Rion is a champagne from the village of Courmas, in the Vallée de l'Ardre. It is a champagne with notes of ripe strawberry — golden brioche — soft spices, crafted in equal parts from Pinot Noir and Meunier. On the palate, its fleshy texture and saline finish make it an ideal cuvée for a gastronomic dinner. Produced in only 793 numbered bottles, it is a confidential cuvée signed by Simon Rion.
Full oak barrel ageing gives this Blanc de Noirs a rare complexity and depth. The absence of filtration preserves the aromatic integrity of the harvest.
The Terroir
This champagne draws its roots from two historic lieux-dits separated by just 70 metres. The Les Triquedoux plot was planted in 1978; the neighbouring vine Les Roses dates from 1992. Both benefit from a south-westerly exposure on the slopes of Courmas, catching the Champenois afternoon sun.
The soils combine silt on the surface and clay at depth: the silt ensures drainage of rainfall while the clay retains water in the deeper layers. This clay-limestone structure lends breadth and substance to the black grape varieties.
The village of Courmas belongs to the appellation's geological zone. The old vines send their roots deep into the chalk, bringing a mineral backbone to this Blanc de Noirs that is characteristic of the terroir.
The vinification
The winemaking begins with a co-vinification: the bunches from both lieux-dits are blended from the moment of harvest. The grapes are picked by hand, and slow pressing extracts only the finest musts. Simon Rion oversees every stage of the process.
The musts begin their alcoholic fermentation in oak barrels (the first transformation of sugars into alcohol). The wine undergoes its malolactic fermentation (the conversion of malic acid into lactic acid, which softens the texture) from start to finish, adding an extra roundness to the blend.
Regular lees stirring keeps the fine lees in suspension throughout ageing, enriching the texture and the wine's body. Weekly topping up compensates for natural evaporation. The micro-oxygenation provided by the wood gradually structures the cuvée without overwhelming its fruit. This is a method that delivers the distinctively fleshy, vinous character so recognisable on the palate.
The wine then undergoes its second fermentation in bottle, which creates the effervescence, followed by a long ageing on lees in the cellar, refining the overall sparkling structure.
Also worth discovering: Blanc de Pinots Noirs.
The 2022 vintage
In Courmas, the 2022 vintage was marked by exceptionally favourable weather. An early budburst in spring launched the growing cycle well ahead of schedule. Summer temperatures accelerated ripening, and harvest took place under clear, rain-free skies.
The vines enjoyed optimal sunshine right up to picking. The deep clay retained sufficient water, preventing any hydric stress. The health of the bunches was perfect, leading the berries to optimal phenolic maturity.
The Meunier expressed itself through an intense fruity generosity. The Pinot Noir built a firm structure in the face of the heat. The resulting wine combines nervous tension with ripe richness.
Tasting notes
Appearance
The colour presents a golden yellow hue with copper reflections.
Nose
The nose reveals intense notes of baked apple. Touches of soft spices emerge. These aromas are underpinned by the oak barrel ageing.
Palate
On the palate, this champagne offers a vinous texture. It unfolds a fleshy character. The tasting concludes with a frank minerality. The finish seduces with its saline length.
Food pairing suggestions
- Comté cheese gougères
- Aged Iberian ham
- Mushroom toasts
- Oven-roasted poultry
- Pan-fried veal sweetbreads
- Pork tenderloin
- Well-aged Chaource
- Mature aged Comté
- Mirabelle plum tart
The Plus de Bulles expert's opinion
Why I love it
I was won over by the aromatic generosity of this vintage, marked by notes of small red fruits and mirabelle plum. Its palate, both broad and straight, offers a saline persistence and a particularly refreshing tension.
My recommendation
Serve it at 8–10 °C in a wine glass to let the fruit fully express itself. It will be perfect alongside beef carpaccio or veal sweetbreads.
An anecdote about this cuvée
The technical originality lies in the immediate co-vinification under the press: the grapes from the lieux-dits Les Triquedoux and Les Roses are blended from the moment of harvest. This rare choice offers a singular reading of the marly terroir, distinct from the purity of the Originel white champagne.
The fourth generation of winegrowers manages this family Champagne estate. Simon Rion took over the domaine in 2007 and pursues a highly personal quest for aromatic richness. The oak barrel extends this winemaking philosophy, close to the opulence of the Réserve cuvée by Simon Rion.
Advice
How to store this champagne?
Plus de Bulles ships this bottle (75cl) in reinforced packaging specially designed for transporting champagne. Upon receipt, we recommend storing the bottle on its side, away from light — ideally in a cellar, or at the very least in a cool, not overly dry place with a relatively stable temperature.
Ageing potential
Les 2 Parcelles 2022 by Simon Rion will evolve favourably over time. Driven by its natural acidity and oak barrel ageing, this wine offers a cellaring potential of approximately 10 to 20 years.
- Until 2032: the bottle will display a vibrant freshness of red fruits, strawberry and crunchy cherry.
- From 2033: the wine will develop indulgent evolving notes — brioche, soft spices, candied fruits — with autolytic aromas already present.
- Around 2042: the blend will reach its full tertiary aromatic richness, between truffle, undergrowth and roasted dried fruits.
Serving suggestions
Serve this vintage cuvée at around 10 degrees Celsius. Using a wide-bowled glass encourages the wine to breathe and allows the oaky notes to fully express themselves after opening.
