Description
Brice, Champagne Extra Brut Grand Cru Bouzy
We love Bouzy at SommSelect; there’s just no better Grand Cru village for powerful, piercing, elegantly framed, Pinot Noir-based Champagne. It’s a bit of an obsession for us, which is why we were thrilled to discover the tiny grower domaine of Brice. A few weeks ago, we showcased their excellent multi-vintage standard-bearer, but today we have a very special Friday night bonus treat: a 10-year-old, single vintage Grand Cru that is a true encapsulation of the awesome power and majestic grace of Bouzy. There’s no reason to settle for big-brand, off-the-liquor-store-shelf bubbles this season, not when you can have a tiny production, Grand Cru, vintage Champagne for about the same price. Yup, the 2013 Brice clocks in at less than $80. It’s a true steal, and one that only we have for you to discover. But we don’t have much, so now is the time to stock up!
The Brice family isn’t new to wine production in Bouzy, they’re just relatively new to sparkling wine. Interestingly, this family was focused almost exclusively on still reds made from Pinot Noir, a.k.a. Bouzy Rouge, for many generations before making a slow transition to Champagne following WWII. In 1994, Jean-Paul Brice officially founded the family’s grower Champagne label after solidifying ownership of 12 hectares of vines, eight of which are in their home village of Bouzy. Jean-Paul’s sons, Jean-René and Remi, took the helm in 2004 and they are now joined by consulting winemaker Christophe Constant, who was formerly at Champagne Paul Bara, another iconic Bouzy domaine.
Vineyard work is the focal point at Brice. Everything is farmed organically, and the fruit is hand harvested at the optimal time to preserve the ideal balance between ripeness and structure. Champagne is famous for micro, micro-plots of vines where every other row belongs to a different grower, but Brice have the luxury of much-larger plots, which allows them greater control over the entire farming process. Once harvested, the pristine fruit goes into a combination of steel tanks and mostly used 228-liter oak barrels, for fermentation and aging. For their limited-production vintage bottling, Brice uses a small percentage of Chardonnay to add extra verve and minerality to the Pinot Noir. 2013 was a classic vintage in Champagne, with a perfect balance of ripeness and acidity, and this herculean effort from Brice is a spot-on reflection of the harvest.
The long lees aging, and the additional years of bottle age under cork, have brought this Grand Cru beauty into an optimal drinking window. Bottled Extra Brut, the ripe fruit and creamy texture easily obscure any sense of austerity, and in fact the lack of sugar makes each glass even better. Serve cool, not ice cold, at around 48 to 50 degrees in an all-purpose or Burgundy stem, and you’ll immediately notice the aromatic intensity leaping from your glass: Tart cherry, raspberry liqueur, spiced apple, dried rose, orange blossom, lemon zest, hazelnut, and hints of wild mushroom all mingle above the gorgeous, straw-gold hue. The rich, mouth-filling texture of Bouzy is framed by a powerful structure that plays perfectly with an elegant, delicate mousse and a core of saline minerals. Though you can serve as an excellent apéritif at any holiday event, this wine really shines with food, whether that is passed canapés or a substantial meal of lobster or crab risotto. Celebrate the holidays in style with vintage, grower Champagne, but don’t hesitate because we don’t have much!
