Clarevallis Extra Brut

A Champagne that puts minerality above fullness. With a dosage of 4 grams it stays dry and taut, its lively mousse carrying an aromatic profile of wet stone, smoke and sweet yeast. 12.0% ABV.

The vines grow in Urville on the Côte des Bar on upper Kimmeridgian limestone, which gives the wines their mineral edge. Pinot Noir covers 70 percent of the house's 62 hectares. The foundation was laid by Georges Collot, Michel Drappier's maternal grandfather, who in the 1930s was the first to replant Pinot Noir on the Côte des Bar, soon earning him the nickname "Père Pinot".

75 percent Pinot Noir, joined by Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier and the rare Blanc Vrai. Only first-press juice was used, extracted mechanically at low pressure; the must flowed into the tanks by gravity and clarified on its own. Fermentation in stainless steel tanks took around two weeks at low temperature, followed by a complete malolactic fermentation. Three years of ageing on the lees, without cold stabilisation, without filtration, with less than 20 mg/l of sulphur.

Juicy, silky, lively effervescence, with fine texture and substance. The acidity feels both ripe and lively, the minerality lending energy. Alongside this come herbal notes, fleshy fruit, a slight salinity and a touch of umami.

The name pays homage to Saint Bernard, who in 1115 founded the Abbey of Clairvaux around 13 kilometres from Urville and in 1152 had built the vaulted cellar that today belongs to Drappier. The exact disgorgement date is engraved on the bottle. In the biodynamically farmed plots, Antoine Drappier ploughs with a draft horse.