Champagne Waris Hubert, Sans Sulfites Ajoutés, Les Hauts Boquets, Blanc de Blancs, 1er Cru, Extra Brut
About this WINE
Champagne Waris Hubert
An independent family business, Champagne Waris Hubert is run by Olivier Waris, his wife Stephanie, and their three children. The family have a long history of farming in the area, but only started making Champagne in 1998. Now, they hold 18 hectares that are all in organic conversion and will achieve certification in 2023.
With Olivier, there is no recipe or status quo. Individual parcels and lieux-dits are vinified differently depending on the vintage, creating a broad spectrum of wines. The heart of their estate lies in the legendary Avize terroir, but they also farm Grand Cru vineyards across Oger and Cramant, alongside some Premier Cru sites in neighbouring regions.
As a relative newcomer in this historic region, Waris Hubert has not been bound by the constraints of market expectations or legacy. Instead, the domaine has been able to instigate change and leapfrog the quality of many famous names, in a relatively short period of time. Olivier combines slow cold fermentations, low sulphur use and extended lees ageing to create an artisan range of Champagnes that are richly textured and expressive, combining the very best of modernity and tradition.
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is often seen as the king of white wine grapes and one of the most widely planted in the world It is suited to a wide variety of soils, though it excels in soils with a high limestone content as found in Champagne, Chablis, and the Côte D`Or.
Burgundy is Chardonnay's spiritual home and the best White Burgundies are dry, rich, honeyed wines with marvellous poise, elegance and balance. They are unquestionably the finest dry white wines in the world. Chardonnay plays a crucial role in the Champagne blend, providing structure and finesse, and is the sole grape in Blanc de Blancs.
It is quantitatively important in California and Australia, is widely planted in Chile and South Africa, and is the second most widely planted grape in New Zealand. In warm climates Chardonnay has a tendency to develop very high sugar levels during the final stages of ripening and this can occur at the expense of acidity. Late picking is a common problem and can result in blowsy and flabby wines that lack structure and definition.
Recently in the New World, we have seen a move towards more elegant, better- balanced and less oak-driven Chardonnays, and this is to be welcomed.
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Description
Sourced from a single plot of Chardonnay in a Premier Cru vineyard first planted in 1965. The parcel is called ‘Les Hauts Bosquets’ (literally ‘the high groves’) and was chosen for having the best exposure to deal with the changing climate.
Based on the 2019 vintage, this has a slightly more oxidative feel and is absolutely delicious – filled with flavours of apricot croissant, baked pears and fresh pastry, with a softer texture but fresh acidity balanced by 4g dosage.
Moreish and complex, it takes great skill to achieve something so pure with such a low-maintenance approach.
Drink now to 2028
Davy Żyw, Senior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd (September 2023)
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