Arpent Rouge 2021 / 2022

Arpent Rouge 2021/2022 is the most profound expression of the Vandières hillside. At an altitude of 50 meters, on clay resting on sandstone, the Meunier and Chardonnay grapes shed the more ethereal expressions of the upper slope to gain density, breadth, and gravitas. The fruit here seems more rooted in the soil. The texture unfolds slowly, without ever losing the tension that runs through all of Flavien Nowack's wines. Aging in small barrels, conducted without topping up, pushes the cuvée towards a more complex and introspective expression. With no added sulfur, unfiltered, and unfined, the wine retains something raw, alive, but always held by great precision. The tirage with grape must and the discreet dosage extend this search for balance without erasing the character of the place. When tasted, Arpent Rouge unfolds in layers. The texture is ample, the nuances deeper, the bitterness more present. A subtle oxidative imprint accompanies the texture without ever weighing down the wine, while the finish regains the saline energy that connects all of the estate's cuvées. In the cartography of Vandières drawn by Flavien Nowack, Arpent Rouge is the wine of rootedness. A dense and patient cuvée, which does not seek immediate brilliance but gradually reveals all the depth of the lower hillside. Producer Flavien Nowack Winemaker Flavien Nowack Cuvée Arpent Rouge Vintage 2021/2022 Appellation Champagne Region Champagne Grape varieties 60% Meunier, 40% Chardonnay Terroir Lower Vandières hillside, at an altitude of 50 meters, on clay resting on sandstone. Vines planted in 1987. Cultivation Careful plot work aimed at preserving the expression of the place and the living balance of the soils. Aging 2021 and 2022 harvests blended. Fermentation on natural yeasts then aging in small oak barrels, without topping up. Unfiltered, unfined wine with no added sulfur. Tirage under cork with grape must on September 22, 2023. Dosage at 2.5 g/l. Style A deep and earthy champagne, driven by an ample texture, fine bitterness, and a slight oxidative imprint. The finish remains taut, saline, and persistent.