Champagne brut Cuvée Spéciale

A blend of the 2020 and 2019 vintages, Gass's newly disgorged NV Brut Cuvée Spéciale is especially good, offering up aromas of pear, orange zest, praline, toasted nuts and spices, followed by a medium to full-bodied, fleshy palate with a deep core of sweet fruit and a long, spicy, complex finish.

At his small winery in Damery, Fabrice Gass crafts superb wines under his family's Alexandre Filaine label. Situated on the right bank of the Marne and planted predominantly with Pinot Meunier, complemented by an important minority of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Damery was where the Champagne riots of 1910–1911 began, and the big négociants have never forgiven the village: it's seldom talked about and merited only a lowly 89% on the échelle des crus. But anyone touring Damery's steep and extensive slopes will credit it with potential; and in Gass's hands, farmed organically but without certification, it certainly delivers brilliant results.

After many years working chez Bollinger, it's no surprise that winemaking evokes the Bollinger method of yesteryear: Gass uses old barrels from Bollinger, some dating back to the 1920s (he laments only how difficult it is to find anyone who knows how to repair their unusually thick, no-longer-standard staves), and racks his wines three times, fining with isinglass; some 30% of each year is retained in wood to constitute reserve wines for the next year's tirage; all wines excreting the entry-level cuvée see tirage under cork; and liqueur d'expedition consists of cane sugar and old wine (in these warmer vintages, more for the patina they contribute, Gass explains, than to temper the wine's brisk but ripe acids). This is unreconstructed, artisanal winemaking, and the ensuing wines are immensely complex, intensely flavorful, replete with sapid nuance and delightfully old-fashioned in style. The only challenge is finding a few bottles, as quantities are tiny. But the good news is that, following the termination of a contract with Ayala, Gass's production will be expanding a little in the years to come.

Published: Dec 14, 2023 by William Kelley
* Bewertung eines abweichenden Jahrgangs.

The NV Champagne SP Brut is roughly equal parts from the 2021 and 2020 vintages, all from Damery, with everything being done by hand. In the winery, Alexandre presses everything together, 45% Pinot Noir, 25% Meunier, and the rest Chardonnay, reflecting the proportions of his vineyard. In the glass, the pours a straw color and reveals an expressive nose that’s ripe with aromas of savory and toasted baguette, marshmallow, ripe red cherries, and fresh flowers. Medium to full body, it has a wonderful note of ripe orange oil, savory saltiness, a long finish. Drink over the coming 15 years. 4,500-5,000 bottles are produced each year.

Date: 12/20/2024, Reviewed by: Audrey Frick