The colour is medium straw, with very fine, long-lasting bubbles. On the nose grapefruits and pears, accompanied by buttery notes. In the mouth fresh and tasty. The aftertaste is medium long.
The Cuvée Fleur de Craie is a champagne made by Bolieu with 100% Chardonnay grapes from vineyards planted in 1972 and 1973, the year I was born. The vineyards are located in Bassuet at the edge of the Côte des Blancs. The cuvée is made only from the juice of the first pressing (tête de cuvée), 10% of which is raised in oak barrels. This champagne has been elevated on the lees for 77 months, from June 2015 till November 2021. The dosage is 6.5 g/l.
Bassuer is located in the Côteaux Vitryats. Like the Côte de Sezanne this is an area which is placed in the Côte de Blancs, but not highly regarded. Like the Côte de Sezanne and the Côte de Bar, the big producers are pleased to blend its wines into their Cuvées and have done this for a long time, but do not consider the area to be truly a Champagne region. Although in general the quality of Champagnes from lesser known producers in this subregion is mostly mediocre, Bolieu is one of the few that stands out.
I bought this bottle at Les Caves du Forum in Reims for 29.90 EUR. On the internet it’s easily “offered” for double the price.
Country: France
Region: Champagne
Grapes: Chardonnay
Type: Sparkling
Vintage: N/A
Producer: Bolieu
Price range: Medium (15-30 US$)
Pascal’s Enjoyment Index: 4/5