Nicolas Maillart's Les Coupés 2019 is a rare and unique cuvée in more ways than one. Along with Bollinger's Les Vieilles Vignes Françaises, it is one of only two cuvées in Champagne made from vines planted using the "francs de pied" method, i.e. without the American rootstock that has been de rigueur throughout Champagne since the phylloxera epidemic ravaged French vineyards in the early 20th century.
The "Les Coupés" parcel from which the Pinots Noirs for this single-varietal, single-cell cuvée come is located at the foot of the slope, at the entrance to the village of Ecueil. This terroir benefits from very fine soil, with little clay, on which the grapes express all their finesse.
The 2019 vintage in Champagne was demanding, but the end of ripening took place in very good conditions, with cool nights allowing slow ripening and the preservation of good acidity. All in excellent sanitary conditions.
This cuvée is vinified in oak barrels and then aged for around 8 months. Malolactic fermentation is not sought to preserve the wine's freshness. In order to let the potential of this terroir and the naturalness of the grape variety express themselves, this cuvée has no added sugar. It is a monument of concentration, finesse, expressiveness and elegance.
The color of this champagne is elegant, with coppery highlights and fine bubbles that form a light disk.
On the nose, the wine is powerful and dominant, with notes of ripe, stewed fruit, milky flavors and butterscotch. Woody and smoky notes complete the richness of the nose.
In the mouth, the wine is intense and rich, combining power and freshness. Olfactory notes of ripe fruit and caramel are enriched by the wine's minerality. The finish is long, pure and clean.
Production of this Les Coupés 2019 cuvée is limited to less than 4,000 units.
