# Coteaux Champenois Blanc "Chardonnay de Macération" (2020)

- **Producer:** Bastien Pointillart
- **Colour:** orange
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Chardonnay
- **Region:** Champagne, France
- **Style:** Natural
- **Alcohol:** 12.5%
- **Average price:** €61
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** No
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 10–12 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** peach, apricot, orange, apple, ginger, fennel, toast, butter, biscuit, dried apricot, honey, almond, hazelnut

## About this wine

Bastien Pointillart is part of a revolutionary, against-the-grain generation of young winemakers in Champagne. While the region is globally synonymous with sparkling wine, Pointillart has made the bold choice to put Coteaux Champenois AOC (still wines) at the absolute center of his artisanal production. Operating on a microscopic scale of just 1.4 hectares, he vinifies in his grandparents' garage in Chamery. Bastien has a unique life philosophy: he purposely limits his wine production because he refuses to let the vineyard consume his entire life. His ultimate goal is to become a 'peasant-baker' (paysan boulanger), dividing his time between tending his vines and growing ancient local grains to bake wood-fired bread. He sells a large portion of his grape crop to finance this dream, making his own commercialized bottlings exceptionally rare and highly sought after by natural wine collectors globally.

## Interesting facts

- Bastien vinifies his microscopic production in his grandparents' garage in Chamery using a traditional manual ratchet press.
- He limits his wine production to pursue a dual dream of becoming a 'peasant-baker,' growing ancient grains to bake wood-fired bread.
- Making a still, skin-contact orange wine under the Coteaux Champenois AOC is an exceptionally rare and daring choice in Champagne.

## Food pairing

The wine's unique skin-contact structure, vibrant high acidity, and subtle phenolic grip allow it to cut through rich, savory meats like guinea fowl or pork, while beautifully complementing the earthy complexity of mushrooms and the nutty depth of aged hard cheeses.

## Wine making process

This rare skin-contact white wine is crafted from 100% Chardonnay sourced from the high-altitude lieu-dit 'Les Chaillets' in the Premier Cru village of Chamery. The grapes are harvested manually as late as possible to secure optimal structural maturity. In the cellar, the grapes undergo spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts. The Chardonnay is macerated on its skins for 5 to 6 days prior to being pressed by hand in a traditional manual ratchet press in Bastien's garage. The wine is aged in neutral oak barrels and bottled just before the subsequent harvest. It is vinified entirely without added sulfur (sans soufre), and bottled without fining or filtration, preserving its raw energy and natural complexity.