Les Passagers "Haut de Val Barmont" Brut Nature 2023

A Champagne without dosage that draws its tension from citrus fruit and a clear structure. Despite its youth, it feels dense, complex and precise.

The grapes come from the Haut de Val Barmont site in the Côte des Bar, in the southern Champagne region. The vineyards Clandestin sources from rest on Kimmeridgian marl and Portlandian limestone from the Jura, rich in fossilised marine shells. Benoît Doussot runs Clandestin as a micro-négociant: he buys exclusively organically grown grapes from eleven partner winegrowers and supports them in converting to organic farming. His winery in Landreville, completed in 2023, works by gravity across two levels, without pumps.

Pure Chardonnay, hand-harvested. Spontaneously fermented, then aged 15 months in oak barrels; Doussot favours barrels of 500 to 600 litres, as they keep the wines leaner and require less sulphur. After fermentation in bottle, the Champagne was disgorged without dosage in September 2025: Brut Nature, meaning without any added sweetness.

The nose is fragrant and expressive: white flowers, fresh herbs, hints of pale tea, followed by citrus zest and a subtle kernel note. On the palate, delicate oak nuances meet a spicy note of cumin, before lemon zest and lemon curd take over, combining freshness with fine creaminess. Without dosage, the structure lies open; the finish remains long, linear and taut.

"Les Passagers" denotes Champagnes from vineyards whose grapes are not held under a permanent contract and may change from year to year. Production of this Blanc de Blancs is extremely small and possibly a one-off.