Domaine Collet Champagne, Extra Brut Empreinte de Terroir NV

Domaine Collet is a small family business that has its roots in Fontaine Denis in the heart of the Cote de Sézanne, where the Chardonnay grape is the undisputed star of the area. They have always been wine-growers, and in the 1970s they began making wine from their own grapes in a cooperative, and it was Renée Collet who finally gave life to the Maison. Today, the reins of the winery are in the hands of the three sons, who are committed to carrying it forward in the same spirit as their father. Vincent, Thomas and Florent have been in charge of the vineyards, winemaking and sales for 16 years now, with different roles based on their different skills, and have always paid particular attention to the territory.

The Collet brothers' philosophy is to make the most of the specific characteristics of each of the 15 vineyards through careful vinification. The 5 hectares of property, mostly of Chardonnay (60%), Pinot Noir (39%) and Pinot Meunier (1%), stand on calcareous and clayey-silt soils, with a chalky subsoil up to 500 metres thick. The rows of vines are planted with grass, the use of herbicides has been reduced by 70% in the last 10 years and pesticides have been banned, allowing insects that had disappeared for a long time to return to the vineyard. Once harvested, the grapes are pressed in the cellar and vinified separately in steel vats and wooden barrels, where they undergo part of the malolactic fermentation in order to transfer the intrinsic freshness of the grapes into the must. The heart of winemaking for Domaine Collet is ageing in new wooden barrels purchased from the best cooperage, where the wine rests until blending.