Description
Champagne J-M Sélèque, “Solessence” Extra-Brut
Whether it’s John Gilman calling Jean-Marc Sélèque “one of the brightest young stars in Champagne,” Antonio Galloni effusing about the skyrocketing quality, or Peter Liem saluting the impressive “role of terroir in [his] top-quality Champagne blends,” there’s no denying that these outstanding wines have become must-taste attractions. But when it comes to “Solessence,” Sélèque’s revelatory flagship cuvée, critics speak with even more reverence, labeling its purity of flavor “remarkable”; the palate “seamless” and “charming”; and the overall experience “first-class juice.” Meteoric rise and frenzied buzz notwithstanding, Sélèque’s Champagnes are humble to their very core. They epitomize natural farming in the vineyard, minimalist intervention in the cellar, and profound soil essence in the glass.
Today’s Extra-Brut masterfully combines Champagne’s three noble grapes across seven prestigious villages, half from the 2017 vintage, half from a perpetual barrel-aged reserve. This results in a wonderfully textured, pure, and deeply thought-provoking Champagne that can be had for just $49. When people talk about the new age of Champagne, that is, a laser-sharp focus on terroir and an elegant hand in the cellar, “Solessence” should be used as a premier example. It’s only a matter of time before these wines are discovered by the broader wine community—and when word gets out, I’m confident prices will tick upward and inventories will plummet. The wines are just too good, so now’s the time to get in under the wire!
Champagne is loaded with talent across the board, but when it comes to Jean-Marc Sélèque’s home village of Pierry, in the Champagne subzone of Coteaux Sud d’Épernay, a strong case could be made that he’s the greatest. Upon taking over from his father Richard in 2008, Jean-Marc was bestowed with nine hectares of vines divided between seven villages and 45 unique parcels. This sheer amount of vine diversity alone requires great attention to detail and serious windshield time (from Vallée de la Marne to Coteaux Sud d’Épernay to the southern tip of the Côte des Blancs), and yet, Jean-Marc takes it two steps further by farming organically with biodynamic practices. He’s even added draft horses for plowing and Ouessant sheep for grazing, practically eliminating all mechanical work in the vineyard.
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Today’s “Solessence” Extra-Brut draws on all of his parcels across seven crus and is a blend of Chardonnay (50%) and Meunier (40%) with Pinot Noir rounding it out. Notably, Jean-Marc’s average vine age is 40 years—an impressive number for Champagne—and the introduction of natural farming further enhances the profundity and quality of fruit. Although the base vintage for this cuvée is 2017, only 50% of that makes it into the final bottling. The other half comes from a perpetual reserve of older vintages that have been blended together and matured in massive oak foudres. The base vintage ferments spontaneously in both stainless steel and oak before being infused with the reserves and bottled without any fining or filtration. Following, the wine aged on its lees for two years before being disgorged in February of 2020 with a light 2.5-gram dosage.
Simply put, there’s a lot to unpackage with this new release of “Solessence.” It reveals a bright straw yellow in the glass and, around 50-55 degrees in flared tulips, it begins offering up lively aromas of crisp yellow apple, white pear, honeysuckle, fresh white flowers, Mirabelle plum, citrus blossoms, blanched almonds, pastry, lees, crushed chalk, and seashells. The large percentage of reserve wine blended into this cuvée really announces itself on the palate: This is impressively nuanced for its young state, showcasing rich citrus and orchard fruits skipping along a fine mineral backbone that culminates with pronounced earthiness. Soil essence, indeed. While delicious today, more complexities will begin evolving as this tacks on another 1-3 years of bottle age—which is why you should buy no less than six bottles!
