Veuve Fourny & Fils : Les Grands Terroirs Brut Premier Cru

Characteristics and tasting notes for the "Grands Terroirs" Brut Premier Cru by Veuve Fourny & Fils

Tasting

Appearance
This wine displays a bright, pale yellow colour with straw and lemon highlights. The mousse is remarkably fine and wonderfully consistent.

Nose
The aromatic bouquet has a striking mineral and fruity freshness. Citrus notes such as lemon and grapefruit mingle with aromas of green apple and pear, all delicately underscored by chalky nuances, a touch of hazelnut and a subtle hint of vanilla.

Palate
The attack is lively and vibrant, driven by crisp acidity and a delicate mousse. The texture then turns creamy and enveloping, revealing flavours of white fruit, citrus and wet stone. Perfectly balanced between roundness and tension, it ends on a long, mouth-watering finish with a delightful touch of citrus zest.

Food and wine pairings

Made for special occasions, this champagne shines as an aperitif. It pairs beautifully with a seafood platter, oysters or white fish. Its silky texture and subtle vanilla notes also make it a superb match for roast poultry, shellfish risotto or soft bloomy-rind cheeses.

Serving and cellaring

The non-vintage "Les Grands Terroirs" Brut Premier Cru is best served at around 8°C. Decanting is not recommended; simply let the wine open up naturally in the glass. Although it is ready to enjoy now, this champagne has the ageing potential to develop favourably in the cellar until around 2030 (five to eight years after disgorgement).

The elegance of a Premier Cru champagne from Veuve Fourny & Fils

The estate

The Fourny family's winemaking history began in Vertus in 1856, but the current brand was created in 1993 under the leadership of the fifth generation. Today, brothers Charles-Henry and Emmanuel Fourny run this Champagne House. The Veuve Fourny & Fils estate farms around ten hectares of its own vines, supplemented by carefully selected grape purchases, exclusively from the Vertus terroir. Renowned for its environmental commitment and plot-by-plot approach, the house crafts wines of great precision that faithfully reflect the identity of the Côte des Blancs.

The vineyard

The grapes come mainly from the Premier Cru-classified Vertus terroir in Champagne, as well as from other Premier and Grand Cru plots in the Côte des Blancs. Around 30 years old, the vines thrive on poor, free-draining soils made up of a thin layer of brown earth lying directly on chalk. The estate holds Level 3 High Environmental Value (HVE) certification, a commitment reflected in the preservation of biodiversity, the absence of insecticides and the exclusive use of organic fertilisers.

The blend

This cuvée is the result of a meticulous blend of three consecutive harvests. To add complexity and ensure a consistent signature style, the blend includes around 40% reserve wines from previous vintages.

Winemaking and ageing

Following an entirely manual harvest, the non-vintage "Les Grands Terroirs" Brut Premier Cru is vinified in both stainless steel tanks and old oak barrels, with partial malolactic fermentation. The young wines undergo regular bâtonnage and rest on their lees for seven months before bottling. The reserve wines, meanwhile, are kept in small oak barrels. Finally, the wine is aged sur lattes in the historic 19th-century cellars for at least two and a half years, at a low, constant temperature.

Grape varieties

This wine is made from 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir.