Hélène Charbaut Champagne 1er Cru Blanc de Noirs "Les Pinailleuses" 2022
Producer: Hélène Charbaut represents the fourth generation of her family's winegrowing estate in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, having assumed responsibility for the domaine in 2020 after studying viticulture and gaining experience with Leclerc Briant and Péhu-Simonet. The family has farmed vineyards in the Grande Vallée de la Marne for generations, but Hélène's arrival marked the beginning of an independent range of terroir-focused Champagnes under her own name. The estate farms Premier Cru vineyards in Bisseuil, Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, and Avenay-Val-d'Or, emphasizing sustainable and biodynamic-inspired viticulture, biodiversity, cover crops, and minimal intervention in both vineyard and cellar. Fermentations occur naturally with indigenous yeasts, sulfur additions are kept to a minimum, and each parcel is vinified separately before bottling. Her philosophy centers on producing small-production, site-specific Champagnes that express both the identity of each vineyard and the character of the vintage rather than relying on extensive blending. Vineyard: Les Pinailleuses is produced from five Premier Cru parcels located across Bisseuil, Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, and Avenay-Val-d'Or in the Grande Vallée de la Marne. The vines average approximately 47 years of age and are planted on classic clay-limestone soils over Champagne chalk, combining the water-retaining qualities of clay with the drainage and mineral influence of the underlying limestone. Although sourced from multiple parcels, the cuvée represents a single varietal and single vintage expression of Pinot Noir. The name Les Pinailleuses is a play on Hélène's own personality, referencing her meticulous attention to detail ("pinailleuse" in French), while the label's prominent letter "P" also nods to Pinot Noir, the sole grape variety used in the wine. Rather than selecting fruit from an individual vineyard, Hélène chooses her favorite Pinot Noir parcels each vintage, allowing the final blend to express both the terroirs of the Grande Vallée and the growing season. Winemaking: Produced from 100% Pinot Noir, only the cuvée juice (the first and finest pressing) is retained for vinification. Alcoholic fermentation takes place entirely in 228-liter French oak barrels using indigenous yeasts, followed by approximately 10 months of élevage on the fine lees. The wine is bottled without filtration, preserving texture and aromatic complexity before further maturation on the lees in bottle. The 2022 is finished with a restrained dosage of 2.5 g/L, keeping the wine notably dry while allowing the mineral character and vinous structure of Pinot Noir to remain at the forefront. Production is extremely limited, with just 2,551 bottles made. Food Pairing: The combination of Pinot Noir structure, extended barrel élevage, and low dosage makes Les Pinailleuses particularly well suited to richer cuisine. It pairs naturally with duck breast, roast squab, pork loin, veal, mushroom risotto, wild mushroom dishes, roast chicken with morels, and aged Comté. The wine's vinous character also complements grilled tuna, roasted game birds, and hard alpine cheeses, while its mineral finish allows it to perform equally well alongside refined seafood preparations.