2022 ChevernyDomaine du Salvard
France | Loire
$22
Producers
Lassalle’s Champagnes tell a family story that can be traced back to founder Jules Lassalle, grandfather of current winemaker Angéline Templier. The common thread through the generations is the elegance and finesse that characterize each bottling—a result of meticulous work in the vines and cellar. The Spécial Club represents an elite association of growers who abide by such strict standards of quality, and the pedigree is evident with this 2012 release. It is a cellar selection of the estate’s best Chardonnay and Pinot Noir—a lively, gloriously textured Champagne exuding the class and refinement consistent with generations of family tradition.
—Anthony Lynch
Wine Type: | sparkling |
Vintage: | 2012 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | 60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay |
Appellation: | Chigny-Les-Roses |
Country: | France |
Region: | Champagne |
Producer: | J. Lassalle |
Winemaker: | Chantal Decelle-Lassalle and Angéline Templier |
Vineyard: | 50 years average |
Soil: | Clay, Limestone |
Farming: | Lutte Raisonnée |
Alcohol: | 12.5% |
J. Lassalle France | Champagne | Chigny-Les-Roses
J. Lassalle France | Champagne | Chigny-Les-Roses
J. Lassalle France | Champagne | Chigny-Les-Roses
J. Lassalle France | Champagne | Chigny-Les-Roses
J. Lassalle France | Champagne | Chigny-Les-Roses
J. Lassalle France | Champagne | Chigny-Les-Roses
True Champagne must not only sparkle, but also must come from grapes grown in the Champagne region of France and be made using méthode champenoise—a process that involves prolonged aging of the wine as well as a bottle fermentation used to add the sparkle to the finished product. Though wine has been made in this region since at least the 5th century, Champagne as we now know is a relatively new creation. It wasn’t until the 19th century that sparkling wine production took hold on a large scale in much part due to improvements in the strength of glass for bottles and the embrace of French nobility of the sparkling wines of the region.
Only three grape varieties may be used to make Champagne: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier. The chalk-heavy soils not only provide complexity and texture to the finished wine, but also act as a natural humidifier thus keeping the vine’s roots warm during colder months of the year. There are grand cru and premier cru designated vineyard areas but unlike Burgundy, there are few lieu-dit vineyards (though in recent years there has been a greater interest in producing vineyard specific Champagnes).
Kermit’s first foray into the region came in 1981 when he began importing the wines of J. Lassalle and Paul Bara—two producers whose wines we still import. In the mid 2000s, Kermit began importing the wines of Veuve Fourny et Fils.
Of Champagne, Kermit says, “You might be surprised to learn that I don’t like a goût de terroir to dominate the taste of Champagnes. If it dominates, you lose finesse. I want some, obviously—but only enough to keep things interesting.”
Veuve Fourny & Fils France | Champagne | Vertus
Veuve Fourny & Fils France | Champagne | Vertus
J. Lassalle France | Champagne | Chigny-Les-Roses
Paul Bara France | Champagne | Bouzy
Veuve Fourny & Fils France | Champagne | Vertus
J. Lassalle France | Champagne | Chigny-Les-Roses
Veuve Fourny & Fils France | Champagne | Vertus
Paul Bara France | Champagne | Bouzy
Veuve Fourny & Fils France | Champagne | Vertus
Paul Bara France | Champagne | Bouzy
Paul Bara France | Champagne | Bouzy
J. Lassalle France | Champagne | Chigny-Les-Roses
Every three or four months I would send my clients a cheaply made list of my inventory, but it began to dawn on me that business did not pick up afterwards. It occurred to me that my clientele might not know what Château Grillet is, either. One month in 1974 I had an especially esoteric collection of wines arriving, so I decided to put a short explanation about each wine into my price list, to try and let my clients know what to expect when they uncorked a bottle. The day after I mailed that brochure, people showed up at the shop, and that is how these little propaganda pieces for fine wine were born.—Kermit Lynch
Drinking distilled spirits, beer, coolers, wine and other alcoholic beverages may increase cancer risk, and, during pregnancy, can cause birth defects. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/alcohol
Many food and beverage cans have linings containing bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical known to cause harm to the female reproductive system. Jar lids and bottle caps may also contain BPA. You can be exposed to BPA when you consume foods or beverages packaged in these containers. For more information, go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/bpa