# Cuvée Ancestrale Brut (2002)

- **Producer:** Champagne JM Tissier
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** sparkling
- **Grapes:** Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier
- **Region:** Champagne, France
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 12.0%
- **Average price:** €60
- **Contains sulphites:** No
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 10–10 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** pear, candied pear, pastry, butter, biscuit, brioche, hazelnut, wax, dried fruits, blond tobacco, honey, caramel, almond

## About this wine

Champagne JM Tissier Cuvée Ancestrale Brut 2002 is a vintage Champagne produced by a family-run estate founded in 1931. Located in Chavot-Courcourt, near Épernay, the winery is now managed by the third generation, with the fourth generation also involved. The estate cultivates 5.95 hectares of vines, focusing on Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier, and Pinot Noir, and adheres to sustainable viticulture practices. This particular wine is a Brut Millésime, a dry Champagne from the exceptional 2002 vintage, a year noted for its high quality and the wine's mature character after extended aging. The blend comprises 50% Chardonnay and 50% Pinot Meunier.

## Interesting facts

- The 2002 vintage is considered a 'cathedral' by wine critics.
- This wine has aged for over 20 years, showcasing its 'serene evolution'.
- The estate is managed by the third and fourth generations of the Tissier family.
- JM Tissier practices sustainable viticulture and holds HVE certification.

## Food pairing

The wine's richness and complexity, along with its acidity, complement fatty and protein-rich dishes. Notes of honey and dried fruit in the wine can echo or contrast with certain food elements, creating a harmonious or intriguing pairing.

## Wine making process

Champagne JM Tissier Cuvée Ancestrale Brut 2002 is produced using the traditional method, involving primary fermentation followed by secondary fermentation in the bottle to create effervescence. The wine is aged on its lees for an extended period, a process that develops complexity and contributes to its texture and aromatic profile. The 2002 vintage benefited from favorable harvest conditions, yielding grapes suitable for long-term aging. The estate employs sustainable viticulture and High Environmental Value (HVE) practices in its vineyard management.