Cuvée "Soléra" Brut Nature

A Champagne with no dosage: precise, chalky, mineral. Ageing in the solera system gives it patina and complexity without the acidity losing its tension.

Les Riceys, in the southern Champagne region, is the only village permitted to produce three appellations: Champagne, still wine and Rosé des Riceys. Beneath the plots lies Kimmeridgian chalk, the source of the pronounced minerality. Olivier Horiot took over his father Serge's estate in 1999 and immediately converted it to organic farming; since 2010 he has worked biodynamically and has the soils ploughed with horses.

The cuvée combines Chardonnay, Petit Meslier and the near-extinct Arbane. Each plot is harvested, pressed and vinified separately, with spontaneous fermentation using wild yeasts in used barrels. The solera system, modeled on the Andalusian tradition, blends old and young vintages; the oldest barrel in it dates from 2007. No filtering, no fining, minimal sulfur.

On the nose, roasted hazelnut, brioche and candied lemon peel, underscored by honeycomb and dried apricot. Then ripe pear, quince and almond over a saline minerality, the texture creamy, the acidity lively. The finish stays long and nutty, with a hint of dried hay.

Pan-fried turbot, scallops with brown butter and langoustines. To match the oxidative note, morels in cream sauce and veal sweetbreads, as well as aged Comté.

Olivier Horiot vinifies all seven permitted Champagne grape varieties, and his wife Marie runs the cellar. All the estate's wines are bottled as Brut Nature with no dosage. Member of the winegrowers' association Terres et Vins. 12.0% ABV.