Pierre Paillard Champagne - Grand Cru Extra Brut Blanc De Blancs Lieu Dit "Les Mottelettes" Bouzy 2019 (12.5% abc)

rare release from this under-the-radar house, we brought in a few bottles for our 3 year anniversary party - an amazing gift or celebratory toast

• Certified organic
• 100% Chardonnay
• From Bouzy Grand Cru (lieu dit: “Les Mottelettes”)
  • Planted in 1961
• Yes malo
• Fermented and aged in 350L barrels
• Aged 48 months on the lees
• Dosage: 3g/L
• Unfined and unfiltered

95 pts J Suckling minerally, saline Champagne shows restrained power. Aromas of crushed stones, fresh croissants, grapefruit, honeysuckle and peach pits follow through to a medium-bodied, dry and focused palate with a creamy mousse and a long, saline finish.

92 pts W AdvocateDefined by its south-facing exposition and the warmth of the growing season, Paillard's old-vine Chardonnay, the 2019 Blanc de Blancs Bouzy Grand Cru Les Mottelettes, is a muscular, broad-shouldered and powerful expression of its place. Sourced from a parcel planted in 1960 with shallow topsoil of just 40 centimeters, it jumps from the glass with aromas of dried white flowers, succulent pear and warm bread. Full-bodied and enveloping, it possesses an expansive mid-palate and ripe yet vibrant acidity. Distinctly opulent, it is a wine of unmistakable identity, likely to stand out in a blind tasting among Côte des Blancs counterparts.

Les Mottelettes is a single vineyard champagne made from massal selection, old vine Chardonnay planted in 1961. It is a full-bodied, rich expression of Chardonnay with citrus and white fruit notes.

Les Mottelettes was aged in oak, bottled under cork for the second fermentation and spent four years on lees before disgorgement.

Dosage: 3 gr/l.

« Chardonnay can thrive in Bouzy too, making wines of great personality, although in general it prefers vintages without excessive heat. Old vines, such as those planted in 1961 in Les Mottelettes, can produce mouthfilling, vividly chalk-driven wines, while offering an entirely different expression than the chardonnays of the Côte des Blancs. » Peter Liem

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 Brothers Antoine and Quentin Paillard represent the eighth generation in their family and after gaining rich experiences in France and abroad they returned to their family estate with a clear vision on how to lead their family estate forward. Together, taking the reigns officially in 2016, these two have wasted no time, focusing their energies on best viticulture practices - lower yields, higher maturity and quality vine material from massale sélection to bring more diversity to their village of Bouzy and the Champagne region as a whole. The results of their efforts are in the bottle.

Despite these more recent innovations, the two are quick to point out that everything that is possible today at the estate was transmitted through work and experiences of the previous generations. And don’t sleep on their Coteaux Champenois - the two have kept their long family tradition of making red wine from their unique terroir but put their own fingerprint on it using the same principles they apply to making their champagnes. We’re excited to be along for the ride with these two.

“The wines are quintessentially representative of Bouzy terroir, combining rich ripeness with chalky finesse, and are some of the best champagnes being made in the village today.“ - Peter Liem

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