Thibault Tassin

Soirée d'Hiver en Pays Aubois | Bottle 75cl

Description

Description & elaboration

The Soirée d'Hiver en Pays Aubois 2022 cuvée by Thibault Tassin is an organically grown champagne. It is a champagne with notes of yellow fruits — golden pastries — with a vinous, full-bodied texture on the palate. This generous profile pairs naturally with a dinner centred around roasted meats.

The Terroir

The vineyard stretches across the southern end of the Champagne appellation, over the communes of Celles-sur-Ource and Essoyes. The plots rest on Kimmeridgian clay-limestone soils, a stratum of marls and marine fossils that lends the Pinot Noir a characteristic minerality.

The hillside exposure ensures consistent ripening of the grapes. The continental climate of the Aube shapes the vegetative cycle, while the local topography shields the vines from cold winds. The soils retain moisture in summer, allowing the roots to draw from depth without suffering from drought.

Winemaking

This is a Blanc de Pinots Noirs crafted exclusively from Pinot Noir. The process begins with spontaneous fermentations conducted by indigenous yeasts (yeasts naturally present on the grapes and in the cellar), without any external additions. Malolactic fermentation (the conversion of malic acid into lactic acid, a source of roundness) follows on the still wines.

The musts are aged for one year in oak barrels. This method adds aromatic depth and a vinous texture to the base wine. Corking under natural cork precedes the second fermentation in bottle, followed by a maturation on laths for a minimum of 36 months.

The final dosage is Brut Nature (0 g/L), with no addition of expedition liqueur. Production amounts to a volume of 6,195 bottles. Each bottle undergoes riddling on traditional wooden pupitres before disgorgement of the yeast deposit.

The 2022 vintage

The year 2022 stands out as a generous and particularly sunny vintage in the Aube. A dry spring limited vine diseases. Summer recorded several heat peaks without compromising the health of the bunches through to harvest.

On the Kimmeridgian soils of the Côte des Bar, the Pinot Noir reached a high sugar concentration. This solar ripeness translates on the palate into a fleshy texture and pronounced roundness, kept in balance by the wine's underlying acidity.

Harvest began at the end of August in this southerly sector. Manual sorting removed any undesirable bunches, and yields remained within the limits set by the appellation's specifications. The absence of late frost secured the volumes of this harvest.

Tasting Notes

• Appearance

  The wine displays a deep gold hue with golden highlights, reflecting the extended time spent in barrel and the depth brought by ageing.

• Nose

  The first nose opens on aromas of ripe yellow fruits and baked apple. With aeration, nuances of brioche and blonde tobacco emerge — hallmarks of the long time spent on the lees.

• Palate

  The attack reveals a vinous and full-bodied texture, supported by a straight acidic backbone. The substance coats the palate at length, with a slight astringency, before a finish with persistent saline notes.

Pairing Suggestions

Aperitif bites

• Comté gougères
• Pata negra toast
• Stuffed mushrooms

Main courses

• Veal tenderloin
• Roast poultry with thyme
• Porcini risotto

Cheese and Desserts

• Aged Chaource
• 18-month Comté
• Mirabelle plum tart

The Plus de Bulles Expert's Opinion

Advice

How to store this champagne?

Plus de Bulles ships this bottle (75 cl) in reinforced transport boxes specially designed for champagne. After receipt, store it horizontally, away from light.

Ideally in a cellar; failing that, in a cool, not too dry place at a stable temperature.

Ageing potential

The Soirée d'Hiver en Pays Aubois 2022 by Thibault Tassin will evolve remarkably over time, carried by its acidic backbone and dense substance. Its ageing potential is estimated at between 15 and 20 years.

• Until 2032: the wine displays fruity aromas and a vinous structure.
• From 2033: evolution brings complex toasted bread notes.
• Around 2042: the 2022 vintage shifts toward tertiary aromatic nuances.

Serving suggestions

This sparkling wine is best served at 10–12 °C. Favour a wide, flared tulip-shaped glass, which increases the surface area in contact with air. A five-minute decanting is enough to open up the aromatic nose.

A note about this cuvée

The name evokes the winter season in the southern Aube region — the period during which the wine completes its ageing cycle in the cellar. A simple paper band replaces the usual metal capsule, reducing the overall weight of the packaging.

This understated, pared-back presentation reflects the ecological vision of Alizée and Thibaut Tassin: every detail, from the vineyard to the label, expresses a rare consistency of approach in Champagne.