Guillaume Selosse makes this Chardonnay Champagne from a lieu-dit in Cramant called Au-dessus du Gros Mont, literally 'above the Gros Mont'. It is a very small bottling, here in its 2019 release.
About This Champagne
The Gros Mont slopes run east of Cramant village towards Oiry. Here the chalk forms east-west ridges, broken up over time by freeze and thaw, so the upper vines root into shattered chalk rather than a solid shelf. The Selosse parcel sits above Le Gros Mont on high ground with both south- and north-facing rows. Grapes come from old Chardonnay vines with low yields, and the wine is bottled with very little dosage after several years on lees.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: White peach, lemon zest and fresh almond, with acacia, oyster shell and a gentle oxidative hint.
- Palate: Tight, chalky and focused, with green apple, citrus pith and a fine, lively bead.
- Finish: Saline and persistent, with a subtle hazelnut and anise note at the very end.
Serving & Food
Serve cool rather than icy, about 10 to 12°C, in a wide tulip. Open it an hour ahead, or decant gently, since young Selosse wines can start closed. Good with sashimi of kinmedai, steamed razor clams in garlic or a hard sheep's cheese.
How to Enjoy
Grower Champagne drinkers who like tension and chalk more than richness, and anyone curious about the next Selosse generation.
Product Details
Producer: Guillaume Selosse
Cuvée: Au Dessus du Gros Mont
Region: Champagne, France
Village: Cramant (Grand Cru)
Grape: 100% Chardonnay
Style: Extra Brut
Release year: 2019
Size: 750mL
About the Maison
Guillaume grew up in the cellar at Avize and spent years working beside his father Anselme before taking over the family estate in 2018. Anselme remains close by, still experimenting in the vineyards and cellar, while Guillaume shapes both the Jacques Selosse wines and his own short list of cuvées.
His personal label is an outlet for parcels that are his rather than the domaine's. As well as this Blanc de Blancs he makes Largillier, a Pinot Noir-based wine from the Aube produced with grower Jérôme Coessens. The approach reflects what he learned at home: close attention to each plot, wild-yeast fermentation in wood and long ageing before release.