Champagne Castlenau Blanc de blanc 2007 launch
Champagne Castlenau is a growers collective with vineyards scattered around Reims in the Champagne region. The collective was founded in 1916 and the name originates from a famous WWI hero, General de Curieres de Castelnau. That may explain its popularity amongst the diplomatic and military corps from the 1920’s onwards.
Champagne Castlenau today
Today Castlenau is available in independent wine shops and some of the UK’s top restaurants and bars. Which is how I found myself at Kanisha in Mayfair for the launch of the Champagne Castlenau 2007 last night. The evening started with an aperitif of Castelnau Reserve in magnum. I love magnums, the wine seems to taste just that little bit better. The Reserve was very fruit forward, 20% pinot noir, 40% pinot meunier and 40% chardonnay with 16% reserve wine used in the blend. The wine is also aged for 6 years instead of the standard 3 years.
At dinner, we were served the Castlenau Rose, the Millesime 2006, the Castlenau Blanc de blanc 2007 and the Castlenau Demi-Sec. All of the wines were expertly paired with the Indian cuisine of Kanishka. As the evening was to celebrate the launch of the Blanc de blanc 2007, I am going to focus on that particular wine.
2007 Blanc de Blanc
2007 was a very good year for Chardonnay and so Castlenau decided to produce a cuvee of 100% chardonnay. The wine benefitted from long lees aging and the use of the healthiest grapes produced by Casltenau’s growers. The Chef de Cave of Castlenau is Elisabeth Sarcelet and she is credited with the success of this signature wine. Elisabeth and her long time protegee, Carine Bailleul received a joint nomination this year for Sparkling Winemaker of the Year at the International Wine Challenge.
The 2007 Blanc de blanc is very aromatic with a creamy mousse and hints of honey and brioche notes. It’s a complex wine with a fine structure and a balanced finish. Indian cuisine works well with champagne and the 2007 blanc de blanc was paired with Tikka tofu dish. A delicious match, the spiciness of the tikka was cleared away by the fruit and acidity of the 2007.
The blanc de blanc is holding up very well and still has many years to go. It’s still fresh and balanced with loads of tiny bubbles to tickle your nose. If you’re looking for a Christmas tipple, you won’t go wrong with it. Available from The Wine Society, Laithwaites and other online retailers.
As a special treat, we were treated to the Champagne Castlenau Vintage 1998 Oenotheque Collection Magnum. I love magnums and they say that champagne in magnum is the best way to age and drink champagne. Who am I to disagree? The 1998 was very fresh and vibrant and a delight to drink. I definitely recommend magnums if they are available.
A big thank you to Champagne Castlenau for inviting me to a fantastic dinner!