From: Vallée de la Marne, Champagne, France
Blend: Chardonnay (Blanc de Blancs)
Taste & Critical Acclaim: Champagne with golden highlights reflections and fine light foam. On the nose, exotic fruits (pineapple, lychee, grapefruit) blend with a delicate minerality to bring a real purity. A refined and silky mouth reveals a remarkable skeleton, punctuated by delicate aromas of brioche or even fresh butter.
“Disgorged in January 2022 with a mere one gram per liter dosage, the 2015 Brut Blanc de Blancs Volupté offers up aromas of white flowers, hazelnuts, citrus zest and fresh pastry. Medium to full-bodied, pillowy and chiseled, with racy acids and a chalky, mordant finish, it didn't see malolactic fermentation.” —Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, 93 points
“Plenty of subtle ginseng, dried lemon, and apple aromas follow through to a full body with creamy and vibrant bubbles that provide life and energy. Drink or hold.” —James Suckling, 93 points
“Entirely Chardonnay, the 2015 Champagne Volupte Brut has some rounded aromas of toasted brioche, caramel apple, and tangerine. It is round and lifts cleanly off the palate with ease, making you want to come back for more. This offers a lot of pleasure and will continue to mature nicely over the next two decades.” —Jeb Dunnuck, 93 points
“The 2015 Brut Cuvée Volupté once again showcases the personality of Cumières, but here with Chardonnay. Bright, steely and nuanced, the 2015 bristles with energy. Lemon peel, white flowers, sage, mint and crushed rocks build as this intensely mineral, taut Blanc de Blancs shows off its considerable personality. In a word: superb. Dosage is 1 gram per liter. Disgorged: March, 2022.” —Vinous, 94 points
Pairing: When thinking of pairings for this seriously chiseled, refined bottle of Champagne, when and doubt go savory and classic. We recently enjoyed a bottle at Le Coin, and it went perfectly with their roasted bone marrow dish with garlic gremolata and grilled bread, not to mention their sweetbreads! Other great pairings include beef tartare, roasted ham, and fried chicken. If you’re doing seafood, go with something richer like Coquilles Saint Jacques (see recipe below).
Ina Garten’s Make-Ahead Coquilles St.-Jacques
Recipe from Ina Garten, adapted for the NYT by Sam Sifton
About:
The roots of the Geoffroy family date back to the 17th century. Cumières, a village in the heart of the Vallée de la Marne is where this line of winemakers is rooted. The few acres of vineyards that our ancestors cultivated and handed down from generation to generation provide the link to our Champagnes.
At the beginning of the 1950s Roger Geoffroy and his wife Julienne decided to take the plunge into winemaking and produced their first bottles: the Roger Geoffroy brand was born. René Geoffroy, their son, who loved the land, soon succeeded his father, who died suddenly and too young. An owner-grower to his soul, he acquired new vines, and with the help of his wife Bernadette, they developed and promoted their brand.
At the end of the 1980s, Jean-Baptiste joined the family estate. After completing his education at viticultural school, he perfected his craft working side by side with his father and his father’s cousin Pierrot. In 2008, Jean-Baptiste and his wife Karine decided to relocate both the winemaking and commercial operations of Champagne Geoffroy business to Ay, to a property built in the late 19thcentury.
Continuing the long family tradition, the next chapter in the family’s work will be written by their five daughters, Margaux, Sacha, Rosalie, Colombine and Azalée, the successors of the third generation. This new generation of winemakers is growing up inspired by new prospects, new ideas and precious experience.
