Champagne De Sousa - Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Caudalies

Bettane & Desseauve

About wine:

Straightforward, salty, deep with fine bubbles and a creamy yet taut palate against a backdrop of aromatics blending brioche and fresh pineapple. Great purity!

About the estate:

Érick de Sousa is a highly talented winemaker who has been working on the family estate since 1986, ten hectares in the Côte des Blancs that have been farmed biodynamically 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, planted with Chardonnay, as well as Aÿ and Ambonnay, planted with Pinot Noir and a little Meunier. The result is a very wide range of champagnes that are different in their approaches but share a family resemblance in their smooth texture and aromatic originality, enhanced by beautifully crafted wood aging. From this point of view, the 3A cuvée seems to us to be representative of this irresistible smoothness, as does the remarkable Mycorhize cuvée, not to mention the Caudalie cuvée, which over the years has become inseparable from the house and its flagship. In terms of vintages, the 2008 holds its own, while the 2010 surprises with its fresh balance in a year renowned for its suppleness. While the noses may sometimes surprise, it is on the palate that one discovers the stylistic charm of this established house.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About wine:

The Cuvée des Caudalies Grand Cru Extra Brut, with its intense citrus color, is made from 100% Chardonnay grapes from old vines in Avize. [...] The wine opens with an intense, concentrated bouquet, still yeasty and toasty with lots of brioche and refined "reserve" aromas. Pure and linear on the palate, yet rich and intense, with a charming roundness (dosage of five grams per liter), this Cuvée des Caudalies is still very young but well-structured and expressive, with a finish revealing remarkable saline purity, complexity, and mineral tension.

About the estate:

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About wine:

Perpetual reserve stored in barrels from vintages ranging from 2011 to 1995: this cuvée is more milky but offers a subtle effervescence and vinosity.

About the estate:

The estate, now run by the new generation, brilliantly continues the work carried out by the late Eric de Sousa. Charlotte is in charge of sales, Julie takes care of the vines and horse riding, and Valentin works in the cellar. The estate comprises 14 hectares of vines, mainly Chardonnays located on the Grand Cru Avize, as well as Pinot Noir, which comes from the Grands Crus Aÿ and Ambonnay. Certified organic in 2010 and biodynamic in 2013, the estate also benefits from old vines. The controlled management of the oak aging process brings out magnificent, energetic flavors.

James Suckling

About wine:

Old Chardonnay vines from Avize, fermented in oak barrels and blended with a solera reserve wine. Highly concentrated and subtle, it has a complex personality with deep, rich notes of peach, lemon, and grapefruit. It delivers a long, salty mineral finish. Very concentrated and distinctive. Drink now or lay down.