Cuvée "5 Sens" Brut Nature 2016 1500ml Magnum

A Champagne with no dosage that shows its structure openly: chalky, taut, with a distinctly mineral foundation. The magnum format lets the wine mature more slowly and keeps it fresh.

Les Riceys lies in the Côte des Bar and is the only village in Champagne permitted to produce three appellations. Beneath the vines lies Kimmeridgian chalk, which gives the wines their pronounced minerality. The Horiot family has grown vines here since the 17th century; Olivier Horiot took over the estate from his father Serge in 1999 and immediately converted it to organic farming. Since 2010 this roughly eight-hectare estate has been farmed biodynamically, the soils are ploughed with horses, and the cellar is run by his wife Marie.

The Cuvée 5 Sens brings together all seven grape varieties permitted in Champagne; among those named are Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc and Arbane, the latter having come close to extinction. Each parcel is picked and vinified separately, with fermentation occurring spontaneously with wild yeasts in used barrels. Neither filtered nor fined, minimal sulphur, and bottled as Brut Nature with no dosage whatsoever: zero grams of residual sugar at 12.0% vol.

On the nose, lemon zest, white blossom and dried herbs, with a hint of bread crust beneath. On the palate, bone dry, with taut acidity and a silky texture: grapefruit and apricot over chalky stone, the finish stays chalky for a long time.

Oysters and seafood, delicate fish dishes such as sole, cured char, medium-aged Comté or aged hard cheese, as well as roasted cauliflower with almonds.

Olivier Horiot vinifies all seven permitted Champagne grape varieties, including Arbane, Petit Meslier and Pinot Gris, and is a member of the Terres et Vins winegrowers' association. All of the estate's Champagnes are bottled without dosage.