Champagne De Sousa - Grand Cru Cuvée des Caudalies 2010
94/100
Robert Parker
15,5/20
Bettane & Desseauve
“The 2010 Grand Cru Extra Brut Cuvée des Caudalies has a very clean, complex, expressive, and highly mineral nose that dominates the ripe, concentrated, yet very delicate fruit, giving this cuvée its unique character. Intense, round, and fruity on the palate, this is a very refined and elegant Caudalies cuvée, already persistent and mineral, revealing great purity, finesse, and freshness on the finish. [...] It is a charming and seductive grand blanc de blanc.”(Wine Advocate 2018 – Stephan Reinhardt) To celebrate 20 years of commitment to biodynamics, the 2010 vintage comes in a gift box with a free grapevine sapling to plant! Delivered in a single-bottle gift box for any order of 1 bottle of this wine (excluding “Point Relais” delivery method)
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Nose
Ripe yellow fruit, such as mirabelle plums, pineapple, and mangoes. Hints of honey and ginger.
Palate
Refined, with a very broad and deep aromatic profile. Great minerality.
Serve
At 10–12°C
Drink before
2025
Food and Wine Pairings
Pairs well with shellfish, fish, white meats, and cheeses aged 24 or 36 months, or on its own as an aperitif
Bettane & Desseauve
Wine rated (2020 guide) 15,5/20 (Very good wine)
Rated estate (2026 guide): 4*Stars (Producers of the very highest quality, the pride of French viticulture)
About the wine:
A bouquet of pastries, with notes of praline. Full-bodied and flavorful on the palate, with hints of forest floor. A vinous and supple finish, followed by an unexpected freshness. A 2010 full of charm.
About the estate:
Érick de Sousa is a highly talented winemaker who has been based at the family estate since 1986, where he cultivates ten hectares in the Côte des Blancs using biodynamic methods for over twenty years. Uncompromising and meticulous, he crafts a range of sparkling wines with pure and nuanced expressions, drawing on the terroirs of Avize, Cramant, Oger, and Le Mesnil—all planted with Chardonnay—as well as some Pinot Noir in Aÿ and Ambonnay, and a small amount of Meunier. The result is a very broad range of champagnes that differ in approach but share a common thread in their smooth texture and aromatic originality, enhanced by beautifully executed aging in oak. From this perspective, the 3A cuvée strikes us as representative of this irresistible allure, as does the remarkable Mycorhize cuvée, not to mention the Caudalie cuvée, which over the years has become inseparable from the house and serves as its flagship. As for vintages, the 2008 holds its own, while the 2010 surprises with its fresh balance in a year known for its suppleness. While the noses may sometimes be unexpected, it is on the palate that one discovers the stylistic charm of this well-established house.
Robert Parker - Wine Advocate
Wine rated (2018 guide) 94/100 (Outstanding wine)
Estate rated "Recommended" (Wine producer recommended by Robert Parker—The Wine Advocate)
About the wine:
The 2010 Grand Cru Extra Brut Cuvée des Caudalies features a very clean, complex, expressive, and highly mineral (or chalky) nose that overpowers the ripe, concentrated, yet very delicate fruit (100% old-vine Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs), giving this cuvée its unique character. Intense, round, and fruity on the palate, this is a very refined and elegant Caudalies cuvée, already persistent and mineral, revealing great purity, finesse, and freshness on the finish. It is not powerful at all, but rather delicate, fresh, refined, and charming, with a stimulating impression of salty purity and taut minerality on the palate. It is a superb, very charming, and seductive blanc de blancs, bottled in July 2011, disgorged in January 2017, and dosed at four grams per liter.
About the estate:
RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France
Rated estate (2026 guide): 2*Stars (These exceptional estates, often boasting fabulous terroirs, are must-haves that, thanks to the consistency and excellence of their wines, deserve a place in the cellars of discerning wine lovers)
About the estate:
The estate, now led by the new generation, brilliantly carries on the work of the late Eric de Sousa. Charlotte handles the business side, Julie manages the vineyards and the horses, and Valentin works in the cellar. The estate comprises 14 hectares of vineyards, primarily Chardonnay located in the Avize Grand Cru, as well as Pinot Noir from the Aÿ and Ambonnay Grand Crus. Certified organic in 2010 and biodynamic in 2013, the estate also benefits from its old-growth vines. Careful management of the aging process in oak highlights magnificent wines brimming with energy.
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