Champagne Philipponnat - Clos des Goisses Extra-Brut 2014 avec étui

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

Philipponnat continues its family legacy in Champagne. Based in Mareuil-sur-Ay, the house is famous for its Clos des Goisses, the largest single vineyard in all of Champagne (5.5 hectares), which overlooks the Marne River and has been in the family’s ownership since 1935. Since 1997, it has continued to grow under the leadership of Charles Philipponnat. The vineyard is managed with a deep respect for the vines. In the cellar, the barrels and casks set the tone and define the complex, rich, and precise style of all the cuvées. One detail also sums up the attention paid here to the wines: the back label specifies the dates of bottling and disgorgement (which make it clear that aging far exceeds the norm), as well as the dosage and the origin of the blend. With packaging that reflects the elegant simplicity and character of all the cuvées, everything here converges toward perfection.

Decanter

About the wine:

Produced from a 5.83-hectare enclosed vineyard in a cooler, “classic” vintage for Champagne, which gives it a refined and charming character. The nose is marked by notes of pastry and lemon curd; it is inviting and gently floral—honeysuckle, jasmine, lemon, and lime zest with a hint of peach. Juicy and zesty from the start, brilliant, it’s mouth-watering, with a sparkling, even thrilling freshness and liveliness, featuring tiny, persistent bubbles that fizz instantly and fill the mouth. Lively and energetic, with lemon zest and juice, succulent green apples and strawberries, the bitterness of grapefruit and ginger, with hints of salinity and graphite on the finish. It immediately makes you want another glass, but it’s also structured, and its finish is so long.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the wine:

Thanks to its south-facing exposure, the grapes from the famous Clos ripen even in cool, mixed-weather years like 2014, allowing the winery to produce a vintage every year. For this 2014 vintage, nearly twice as many bottles were produced as for the previous vintage, with slightly less Pinot Noir, though it still dominates (74% to 29% Chardonnay). Partial aging in oak gives this champagne, with its intense and precise nose, toasty nuances that blend with the cherry-like fruit of the Pinot Noir. Balanced and long-lasting, enhanced by the extra-brut dosage, the palate is tinged with the invigorating bitterness of citrus fruits, with grapefruit at the forefront.

About the estate:

The Philipponnats have owned vineyards in Aÿ since the early 16th century; as wine merchants and winemakers, they have a coat of arms dating from the late 17th century and a château in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, acquired in 1910. The crown jewel of their 22-hectare estate (comprising 1er cru and grand cru vineyards) is the Clos des Goisses, purchased in 1935, which produces the house’s most famous vintage prestige cuvée. One of the few walled vineyards in Champagne and also the largest (5.5 hectares), situated on a steep hillside overlooking the Marne’s lateral canal and the river itself. The non-vintage cuvées derive their style from the addition of reserve wines aged in wood according to the solera principle, or perpetual reserve. Thierry Garnier has been the cellar master since 2005.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the wine:

The 2014 Extra-Brut Clos des Goisses, the latest release from this enclosed vineyard, reveals a fresh and energetic character with aromas of pear, peach, licorice, spices, white fruits, spring flowers, and menthol. Medium-bodied to full-bodied, consistent and finely crafted, it is a structured champagne, full of tension yet ethereal, with high acidity, a hallmark of a cool vintage. Although it is already very enjoyable, it should age well over the next 10 years.

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

About the wine:

Clos des Goisses is also sleek and lively, with a style that prioritizes elegance over body.

About the estate:

Having joined the Lanson-BCC group in 1997, this mid-sized house is self-sufficient in both its sourcing and winemaking. It has made a name for itself in the high-end Champagne market thanks to the renewed character of its Clos des Goisses. The brand’s rise is also a testament to the choices made across the entire range by its president, Charles Philipponnat, who has been in office since 2000. He introduced cooler temperatures to the winemaking process, shifted the blends toward a higher proportion of Pinot Noir, and increased the capacity for aging in oak on lees without stirring or malolactic fermentation. His goal? To infuse the spirit of vintage wines into non-vintage ones. The wines tasted confirm the excellence and precision observed recently, starting with the Brut Royale Réserve. A house at the top of its game.

Wine Enthusiast

Jancis Robinson

About the wine:

An exciting, youthful wine with a strong umami character. It needs a little more time to fully develop and reveal the full splendor of this single-vineyard wine.

Vinous

About the wine:

The Clos des Goisses Extra-Brut 2014 is aromatic, smooth, and unassuming. It is a particularly floral and delicate Goisses, with lovely floral notes on the nose and a decidedly medium-bodied structure. The 2014 remains remarkably fresh and vibrant, but I find it a bit light on the mid-palate.

James Suckling

About the wine:

This wine offers elegant and complex aromas of pie crust, cinnamon rolls, spiced apples, and hazelnuts. There are notes of mocha and berry crumble. The bubbles are very creamy on the palate, with soft, pastry-like elements paired with bright acidity. It has richness, yet remains elegant and fresh on the finish.