Christophe Dechannes 'Tradition' Blanc de Noirs Brut, Les Riceys, Champagne, France NV
The Dechannes family has farmed in Les Riceys since 1956, when Roland Dechannes established the estate. Roland began producing Champagne under his own label in 1973, and today the house is led by his son Christophe, alongside wife Christine and their children Romain and Laura — the third generation. Les Riceys is the largest Champagne village by vineyard area and the only commune in France holding three distinct AOC designations: Champagne, Coteaux Champenois, and Rosé des Riceys. Located in the southernmost reaches of Champagne in the Aube, the village shares its soil profile and latitude with its Burgundian neighbors. Christophe Dechannes is a récoltant-manipulant, controlling his small production from vineyard to bottle, with winemaking rooted in inherited methods and committed to typicity of place. WINEMAKER: Christophe Dechannes FARMING: Sustainable VARIETY: 100% Pinot Noir (Blanc de Noirs) TERROIR: Estate farms approximately 8.5–9 hectares in Les Riceys, predominantly Pinot Noir with a small parcel of Chardonnay (approximately 0.5 ha). Member of Terroir des Riceys. Les Riceys sits in the Barséquanais, the southernmost sub-region of the Côte des Bar, Champagne's Aube district. Soils are Kimmeridgian limestone and clay marl — the same geological formation found across the nearby Chablis appellation and northern Burgundy — lending wines a distinctive mineral character and generous Pinot Noir expression. Over 92% of Les Riceys plantings are Pinot Noir. Les Riceys is classified as "autre cru" (80%) within the Champagne classification system. VINIFICATION: Fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. AGING: 1.5–2 years on the lees in bottle. The blend incorporates 60% reserve wines maintained via a solera process begun in 2011, providing complexity and continuity across releases. Dosage: 10 g/L (Brut). TASTING NOTES: A vinous, fruit-forward Blanc de Noirs with aromas of ripe red berries — strawberry, raspberry, cherry — and subtle brioche. The palate is fleshy and rounded, with well-integrated acidity and a mineral freshness characteristic of the Kimmeridgian soils of Les Riceys. Accessible and harmonious with a clean finish. FOOD PAIRINGS: Poultry in cream sauce, cured country ham, washed-rind cheeses such as Chaource, charcuterie.