Description
Eric Rodez, Grand Cru “Empreinte Noire”
Tonight marks your sole opportunity to acquire one of the most enthralling, endlessly textured, and profoundly vinous Blanc de Noirs on the planet. Still, I imagine only the keenest champagne minds will explode at the sight of this astoundingly rare treat because few have ever had the opportunity to uncork a bottle of “Empreinte Noire.” You’d actually have an easier time finding a bottle of Krug Clos d’Ambonnay or Bollinger VVF!
Previously the cellarmaster at legendary Krug, Eric Rodez has since gone on to bottle some of Champagne’s most contemplative collectibles, and his rare 2009 prestige cuvée deserves a prominent placement in the cellar of serious collectors. This isn’t groundbreaking news to those who’ve followed the exploding grower Champagne movement. Through natural farming, biodiversity, and a powerfully terroir-expressive style, Rodez reigns supreme in this realm, and “Empreinte Noire” is his pièce de résistance. It’s a blend of his best Grand Cru Pinot Noir parcels that’s (1) vinified in small oak barrels, (2), aged for 12 years on lees, and (3) released in pitifully small quantities. In short, this was infuriatingly hard to track down, but I’ve finally managed to pry away 45 bottles, less one, since I simply couldn’t go without tasting. The experience will last a lifetime, the chance to obtain a bottle will not.
The self-proclaimed “Auteur de Champagne” is precisely that, an auteur. Like a Scorcese of the vines, Eric and his son Mickael are involved in every aspect of growing and in the production of their fine Champagnes. They come by this passion honestly, patiently, and organically: records reflect that the Rodez family has been producing wine from this land since 1757. Eric didn’t just slide into the family business. As previously mentioned, he worked as an oenologist at Krug where he gained a vast appreciation for the art of blending. He also spent time in Alsace in the mid-1980s where he garnered knowledge of natural viticulture from biodynamic legend Jean-Michel Deiss. In a Decanter article, Rodez reflects on his invaluable experience with Deiss: “He does not make wines—he makes cathedrals. It was he who helped me to realise that the soil is everything.”
Eric brought these invaluable lessons back to the family business: He first started farming organically, then pushed the envelope even further with biodynamics and biodiversity. In fact, Eric was awarded the HEV (high environmental value) certificate, making Rodez Champagne the first agricultural company to be recognized for its respect not just for organic and biodynamic farming, but for efforts towards biodiversity as well.
Eric says “the role of the winemaker is limited to try and do everything possible to respect and preserve the integrity of the level of expression of the vintage. Winemaking in small oak barrels, no malolactic fermentation, no cold stabilization, no filtering but a lot of passion…” And while his entire range is a snapshot of perfection, “Empreinte Noire” is the pinnacle of expression. Today’s limited 2009 release is a blend of his finest Pinot Noir parcels in Grand Cru Ambonnay. It was vinified slowly and coolly in barrels, then transferred into bottle where it spent nearly 12 years on lees. Following disgorgement at the end of 2021, a light two-gram dosage was added.
I struggle with the word “value” in Champagne. After all, the baseline for a high-quality bottle starts around $45-$50, and spending more doesn’t always translate to better wine—I can’t count how many times I’ve been thoroughly underwhelmed by $100-$200 bottles. So, no matter the tax bracket you fall under, I understand there may be some hesitation to drop $199 on Eric Rodez’s 2009 “Empreinte Noire.” I’m telling you right now: This is worth every penny, especially if you’ve ever savored an older vintage bottling of Krug or Egly that’s “on.” This erupts in an all-purpose stem with deep, intoxicating aromas of black cherry, red plum, bruised red apple, redcurrant, marzipan, toasted hazelnut, sous bois, damp mushroom, charred rose petal, crushed rock, and vanilla bean. It’s a full-bodied, fantastically vinous Champagne that recalls its Grand Cru Pinot Noir origins with each sip. This finish lasts forever on your palate, ensuring that you won’t be forgetting this profound wine anytime soon.
