Champagne Drappier Carte d'Or Brut NV
A Pinot Noir-based champagne of style and finesse, Carte d’Or offers delicate aromas of white peach, quince and a touch of spice. The dry, elegant palate shows an impressive degree of concentration, along with fine bubbles and a long, crisp finish.
Over half of Drappier’s production comes from the family’s own vineyards near their base in Urville. Viticulture is close to organic, with horse-drawn ploughing, cover crops and natural fertiliser used.
Only the juice from the first pressing – the cuvée – was used, and was transferred to tank by gravity. After a natural settling, the alcoholic fermentation took place over two weeks at a low temperature, followed by complete, natural malolactic fermentation. Five percent of the blend was aged for a year in barrel to give extra depth. Minimal sulphur was used during the production.
For one of Champagne’s most forward-thinking producers, Drappier has no shortage of historic roots. An eighth-generation family business, the house was founded in 1808, and occupies magnificent twelfth-century cellars built by Cistercian monks. Having spearheaded the revival of Pinot Noir in the region, in the 1930s, Drappier continued to innovate. Rosé in a clear bottle was introduced in 1968; extremely low levels of sulphur are used, and there is even a no-added-sulphur cuvée made; the liqueur d’expédition is matured for over fifteen years in oak and demi-johns; and Drappier is the only house to ferment every format, from half-bottles up to the gigantic 30-litre Melchisédech, in the bottle in which it is sold.
