The summer of 2003 was particularly scorching. To preserve the acidity of the fruit, grapes were harvested at the crack of dawn, hence the name of this wine: La Matinale (= early). It has the freshness of the early morning. Non-dosed.
Harvest: August 2003
Grapes: 28% Chardonnay, 45% Pinot Noir, 27% Pinot Meunier
Terroir: Marne Valley, chalk and limestone soil. Average age of vines: 45 years.
Vinification: Spontaneous (no yeast added) first fermentation in oak barrels. No malolactic fermentation.
Bottling: May 2004
Disgorging: Manual, from 2015 (see rear label for exact date).
Dosage: 0 g/L - Brut Nature
Appearance: Golden colour and very fine bubbles.
Nose: Deep and intense, La Matinale develops dried flowers and white fruits in syrup aromas.
Mouth: Straight and dynamic. 2003 was a wonderful complex year and the grapes were harvested after an incredible heatwave but on the morning. Yet, the finale surprises us by its freshness and sharpness.
Food & wine: Mature and precise champagne that will perfectly match japanese dishes such as a "Sea bream and salmon shirashi".
Références
:
Revue du Vin de France Guide
: 15,5 /20
"It has everything we like in Brut Nature..."