Domaine Comte Abbatucci : Empire

Characteristics and Tasting Tips for "Empire" by Comte Abbatucci

Tasting notes

Appearance
The colour is a pale golden yellow, enhanced by delicate green highlights.

Nose
Highly complex, the bouquet opens with aromas of yellow fruit, citrus and stone fruit, complemented by touches of dried fruit. Indulgent pastry and brioche notes mingle with subtle mineral and peaty nuances.

Palate
The palate offers a texture that is both creamy and airy, carried by an exceptionally fine effervescence. Refreshing acidity perfectly balances the fruity, yeasty and mineral flavours, stretching into a persistent, elegant finish.

Food and wine pairing
With its remarkable salinity, this sparkling wine pairs perfectly with oysters or a seafood platter. It is also wonderful with light appetisers such as tuna tartare, melon with ham, or grilled fish.

Serving and cellaring
Ideal to enjoy at any point during a meal, "Empire" reveals its full complexity both as an aperitif and alongside delicate dishes.

Other characteristics
This sparkling wine is an Extra Brut, with a very low dosage of 4 grams per litre, preserving the full purity of its aromatic profile.

The Mineral Elegance of a Sparkling Vin de France

The estate
Founded in 1950, Comte Abbatucci is a true institution, renowned for its dedication to safeguarding the local winegrowing heritage. The estate extends over around one hundred hectares, 18 of which are planted with vines. Today, Jean-Charles Abbatucci runs the domaine with passion, supported by his daughter Faustine. A pioneer of biodynamics, he cultivates rare indigenous grape varieties, rescued from oblivion in the 1960s, to craft cuvées that are distinctive and deeply rooted in their terroir.

The vineyard
Nestled in the heart of the Taravo Valley at an altitude of 150 metres, the vineyard enjoys a Mediterranean climate tempered by sea breezes. The vines grow on hillsides of granitic sand, poor soils that give the grapes a fine mineral energy. Farmed biodynamically within a preserved ecosystem combining mixed farming and livestock, this exceptional terroir gives rise to this unique Vin de France. Innovative practices, such as spraying seawater and playing polyphonic music, are also being trialled there to stimulate the plants.

The blend
This cuvée comes from a careful selection of grapes from a historic plot planted in the early 1960s, a true ampelographic collection of the domaine.

Vinification and maturation
Hand harvesting in small crates is followed by a gentle whole-bunch pressing. The juice is immediately separated from the skins to preserve a white colour. After static settling, alcoholic fermentation begins with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel tanks. The base wine of "Empire" is then aged on fine lees for around four months. The second fermentation takes place in the bottle using the traditional method, followed by ageing on lees for 24 to 36 months. After disgorgement, the wine rests for at least a further six months in the cellar before release.

Grape variety
100% Barbarossa