The 2017 Special Club cuvée from Vazart-Coquart champagne is a masterful interpretation of Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs. Produced exclusively from the Grand Cru terroir of Chouilly, this bottle embodies the high standards of the Club Trésors de Champagne charter, guaranteeing exceptional quality as validated by a panel of oenologists. Its profile, marked by a precise mineral tension and a creamy texture, makes it a gastronomic wine par excellence, designed to enhance the finest seafood dishes. It is a champagne that is particularly appreciated during a refined dinner, where its complexity and final salinity can be fully expressed.
The production of Vazart-Coquart's Special Club 2017 champagne
This prestigious cuvée represents the quintessence of the expertise of Maison Vazart-Coquart. The production of this Blanc de Blancs is based on a rigorous selection of the best plots on the estate, retaining only grapes that are in perfect condition and perfectly ripe. The blend is made up of 100% Chardonnay, the king of grape varieties in the Côte des Blancs, which finds its absolute purest expression here. Membership of the prestigious Club Trésors de Champagne imposes strict production rules, requiring winemakers to only produce vintages in exceptional years when the terroir's typical characteristics are transcended.
The Terroir
The grapes come exclusively from the village of Chouilly, classified as Grand Cru, located at the northern end of the famous Côte des Blancs. This terroir is distinguished by its soils composed of chalk with exposed belemnites, a unique geological substrate that acts as a thermal and water regulator for the vines. The chalk of Chouilly is renowned for giving the wines a particular aromatic richness, often more rounded and fleshy than in the south of the Côte, while retaining a chalky mineral structure. The roots of the old vines plunge deep into this limestone to draw essential nutrients, marking the wine with a characteristic saline and iodine imprint.
Vinification
The vinification process is carried out with the aim of preserving the integrity of the fruit and the freshness of the vintage. After gentle pressing and static settling, alcoholic and malolactic fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats. This technical choice allows the wine to retain its liveliness and tension, while adding a silky texture and welcome roundness on the palate. Aging on lees in the House's cellars extends over several years, promoting yeast autolysis, which enriches the wine with brioche aromas. The dosage is Extra Brut, a bold decision that reveals the mineral purity of the terroir and the precision of the 2017 vintage without artifice.
The 2017 vintage
The year 2017 posed many challenges for Champagne winegrowers, marked by contrasting weather conditions and significant health pressures at the end of the cycle. However, the Chardonnay grape variety from the Côte des Blancs came out on top, largely escaping the botrytis problems that affected the Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier varieties. Rigorous selection during the harvest was necessary to ensure that only healthy grapes were kept. In the Chouilly terroir, the 2017 vintage is strikingly fresh, producing straightforward, energetic wines with remarkable aging potential thanks to well-integrated acidity. It is a "winemaker's" vintage, where work in the vineyard was crucial in producing wines with good aging potential.
Tasting notes
Color
The color of the 2017 Special Club cuvée from Vazart-Coquart champagne is a light golden yellow, with greenish highlights that testify to its great freshness. The effervescence is very fine, forming a persistent and regular cordon of bubbles on the surface.
Nose
The nose reveals a complex and elegant aromatic palette. The initial notes evoke white flowers and fresh citrus fruits, quickly joined by aromas of crisp green apple. With aeration, the bouquet develops with hints of warm brioche, sweet almond, and honey, all underscored by a very distinct chalky stone impression.
Palate
On the palate, this champagne asserts its character with a tense and precise attack. The texture is creamy, enveloping a structure marked by crisp acidity and citrus juice flavors. The minerality of the terroir is fully expressed in a very dry, long and mouthwatering finish, punctuated by a salty note typical of Chouilly.
Serving suggestions
- Fine oysters
- Sea bream sashimi
- Shrimp tempura
- Scallop carpaccio
- Grilled blue lobster
- Turbot with hollandaise sauce
- 24-month aged Comté
- Parmesan shavings
- Mature dry goat cheese
Storage and serving advice
How should this champagne be stored?
To ensure your bottle of Special Club 2017 develops optimally, it must be stored horizontally in a completely dark environment. The ideal storage temperature is between 46°F and 50°F, with humidity around 70% to preserve the elasticity of the cork. Protected from light and vibrations, this wine will be able to rest peacefully and develop its tertiary complexity over the years.
Aging potential
The 2017 vintage, combined with the rigorous Special Club selection process, gives this champagne excellent aging potential. It is already delicious today in its dazzling youth. From 2028 onwards, it will evolve towards more candied, spicy and roasted notes, gaining in patina and depth. It can be stored beautifully until 2032 or even beyond if cellar conditions are respected.
Serving suggestions
To appreciate the full aromatic richness of this Grand Cru, we recommend a serving temperature of between 46°F and 48°F. A large white wine glass or tulip-shaped flute is preferable to a coupe, in order to concentrate the aromas and allow the wine to breathe slightly. Open the bottle a few minutes before serving to allow the wine to open up.
Anecdote about this cuvée
The words "Special Club" are not just a marketing ploy, but a guarantee of a rigorous selection process. Founded in 1971, the Club Trésors de Champagne is the oldest association of winegrowers in the region. For a cuvée to bear this label and be packaged in a unique bottle with a distinctive shape (inspired by an 18th-century model), it must pass two blind tastings conducted by a jury of oenologists and winegrowers: the first on clear wines before bottling, and the second after aging on slats. Only cuvées deemed flawless and representative of their vintage obtain this coveted label. Vazart-Coquart's 2017 Special Club cuvée passed these tests with flying colors, confirming its status as a great Champagne wine.
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