# Roland Champion Spécial Club Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru (2018)

- **Producer:** Champagne Roland Champion
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** sparkling
- **Grapes:** Chardonnay
- **Region:** Champagne, France
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 12.5%
- **Average price:** €85
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 8–12 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** pear, apple, lemon, peach, ginger, bread, toast, brioche, butter, almond, hazelnut, honey

## About this wine

Champagne Roland Champion is an elite grower-producer (Récoltant Manipulant) located in the Grand Cru village of Chouilly in the Côte des Blancs. The family's history in Chouilly dates back over 300 years, with the commercial house founded in 1929 by André Champion. Today, the estate is run by third-generation winemaker François Champion alongside his daughters Carole and Clémence. The 'Spécial Club' is the highest distinction awarded by the Club Trésors de Champagne, an elite group of grower-producers established in 1971. To bear the 'Special Club' label, the wine must be estate-grown, produced entirely on-site, and pass two rigorous blind tastings by a panel of oenologists. The 2018 vintage was exceptional in Champagne, characterized by abundant sunshine and optimal maturation, resulting in one of the finest vintages of the decade.

## Interesting facts

- Roland Champion took over the winery in 1942 at just 16 years old, mastering enology under the guidance of a major Champagne house cellar master.
- The Club Trésors de Champagne requires candidate wines to pass two separate blind tastings before they can be bottled as a 'Special Club'.
- This highly exclusive cuvée is bottled in a uniquely shaped, heavy-set bottle reserved only for members of the Club Trésors.

## Food pairing

The high acidity and fine effervescence of this Blanc de Blancs act as a palate cleanser, cutting through rich, creamy textures like butter-poached lobster or Brie cheese. Its distinct saline minerality and yeast-derived complexity beautifully complement the delicate, sweet flavors of premium shellfish like scallops and oysters, while the wine's medium-plus body stands up to roasted poultry in cream-based sauces.

## Wine making process

Sourced from 45-year-old estate vineyards ('vieilles vignes') in Chouilly Grand Cru, planted on deep Campanian chalk soils. The grapes are manually harvested and undergo rigorous parcel selection. Primary fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, followed by malolactic fermentation. The wine is aged on its fine lees for 10 months in stainless steel before bottling in July 2019. Secondary fermentation and maturation occur 'sur lattes' in the estate's historic chalk cellars at a constant 12°C for a minimum of 4 to 5 years. After disgorgement, the wine is dosed at 4 g/L (Extra Brut style) and aged for an additional 6 months to recover from bottle shock before release.