Champagne André Heucq
Hommage Parcellaire La Sablonnière 2018

The Champagne La Sablonnière 2018 by André Heucq is part of the Hommage Parcellaire collection, a limited production series of parcel and vintage Champagnes.

The La Sablonnière 2018 edition is made from 100% Pinot Noir grapes harvested - on clay soil - from the same-name lieu-dit, located near the village of Olizy (Vallée de la Marne). First fermentation and maturation occur in fût de chêne, ageing takes place on its own yeasts for at least 36 months and no final dosage (0 g/l - making it a Brut Nature) for this original Champagne de Terroir. Limited production.

The Champagne La Sablonnière 2018 by André Heucq is pale gold in colour. The effervescence is slow, fine and abundant, delicate and regular. To the nose it is particularly surprising, because it is both rustic and exotic. Green apple or roots (celery) can be perceived on a fruity background, such as kiwi, passion fruit or watermelon. The palate is dynamic, full and rigorous. Sharp vivacity, rich and muscular texture, spicy and malicious effervescence and tight tannins make this Cuvée a little monster of structure. The combination creates a vigorous texture that is both bitter and savoury. The finish, long and dense, prolongs the memory of the mouth by revealing a salty minerality full of sap on a background of passion fruit.

Champagne André Heucq

It was in 1936 that André Heucq began making his own Champagne meant for the market. Today the family tradition continues with Alexandre and Fanny - the fourth generation - who, assisted by their father André, has adopted an increasingly careful and sustainable approach in the family vineyards and winery. The winery is located halfway between Reims and Château-Thierry and 6 kilometres north of the River Marne, more specifically in the small village of Cuisles, unique for its unspoilt green clay soil and low rainfall. The conversion path to biodynamic viticulture meets the objective of reactivating microbial life in the soil to enhance the expression of the terroir, and coincides with the construction of a new ecological winery with natural ventilation, rainwater harvesting and self-sufficiency in solar electricity. Meunier grapes are naturally the focus of attention in this wine-growing area, although Chardonnay and Pinot Noir play a significant role in most Cuvées. Winemaking is intuitive: each plot is fermented and aged separately in steel tanks or in oak barrels previously used for Meursault, while malolactic fermentation is encouraged or blocked selectively. The Cuvées are aged for a long time with very low final dosages and very few sulphites added, granting to their Champagnes a great expression of purity and finesse.