Champagne Extra Brut
Clos de Goisses 2016

The Champagne Clos des Goisses by Philipponnat comes from one of the most extraordinary and iconic vineyards in Champagne: a walled clos of 5.83 hectares, with a slope reaching 45%, the oldest and steepest in the entire region. Fully south-facing, it stretches across the finest hillside of Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, where the chalk surfaces and gives the wine its characteristic mineral tension. The name "Goisses" derives from the Champenois dialect and refers to a very steep slope: a direct reference to the lay of the land. This clos was the first in Champagne to be vinified separately, as early as the 1930s, and to this day it remains one of the purest and most powerful expressions of the concept of terroir, thanks to the combination of exposure, chalky soil and extreme gradient.

For this edition, Millésime 2016, the blend is composed of 68% Pinot Noir and 32% Chardonnay, with vinification and maturation in wooden casks carried out without malolactic fermentation, so as to preserve the natural acidity and balance the strength of the terroir. After tirage comes an ageing of at least eight years on the lees, which gives the wine remarkable depth and great aromatic complexity, while the dosage of just 4.5 g/l, in Extra Brut style, underlines the precision and expressive purity of the Clos.

On tasting, Clos des Goisses 2016 shows a rich golden colour, while on the nose it reveals a fine, elegant bouquet opened by floral notes of elderflower, to which nuances of white fruit gradually join. With aeration it gains complexity and lets patisserie-like accents emerge, reminiscent of salted caramel, a touch of vanilla and delicate spicy notes of ginger. On the palate the attack is creamy and perfectly balanced, dominated at first by ripe yellow fruit such as pear and peach before turning towards a more marked expression of pear brandy, while the saline, delicately spicy finish reveals distinct notes of white pepper over a structure that is restrained rather than powerful, with fine volume and long aromatic persistence. The overall production totals 22,568 bottles, 1,454 Magnums and 101 Jéroboams.