# Collection Vintage Blanc de Blancs Brut (2018)

- **Producer:** Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** sparkling
- **Grapes:** Chardonnay
- **Region:** Champagne, France
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 12.0%
- **Average price:** €45
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 7–12 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** lemon, grapefruit, apple, pear, blossom, brioche, bread, toast, butter, honey, almond, hazelnut

## About this wine

Established in 1976 by Henri Macquart and entrepreneur Nicolas Feuillatte, Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte operates as a unique super-cooperative, uniting over 5,000 growers across the Champagne region. This vast network provides Chief Winemaker Guillaume Roffiaen with an unparalleled selection of high-quality grapes. The Collection Vintage Blanc de Blancs is a curated expression of Chardonnay, drawing primarily from the chalky soils of Premier Cru villages in the Côte des Blancs, such as Cuis and Grauves, and balanced with fruit from the Vallée de la Marne and Montagne de Reims. This approach creates a harmonious and accessible vintage Champagne that captures the generous, sun-drenched character of the 2018 growing season.

## Interesting facts

- Nicolas Feuillatte is a super-cooperative representing a collective union of over 5,000 heritage growers across Champagne.
- The 2018 vintage was exceptionally warm, pushing the vine growth 10 days ahead of the ten-year average for an early harvest.
- This Blanc de Blancs is aged on its lees in deep limestone cellars for five to six years before disgorgement.

## Food pairing

The high acidity and fine effervescence of this Blanc de Blancs act as a palate cleanser, cutting through the richness of seafood and creamy textures. The wine's chalky minerality complements the natural salinity of raw shellfish and delicate white fish, while its subtle autolytic complexity pairs beautifully with aged cheeses and light, savory pasta dishes.

## Wine making process

The 2018 vintage was marked by an exceptionally warm, sunny summer, leading to an early and abundant harvest of pristine Chardonnay grapes. Hand-harvested fruit is vinified in temperature-controlled, small-capacity stainless steel tanks to preserve the purity and freshness of individual parcels. Malolactic fermentation is fully completed to soften the high natural acidity of the Chardonnay. Following the blending process, the wine undergoes secondary fermentation in the bottle and is aged on its lees in the estate's limestone cellars for a minimum of five to six years before disgorgement. The wine is finished with a classic Brut dosage of approximately 6 to 9 grams per liter.