Champagne Philipponnat - Clos des Goisses Extra-Brut 2015 avec étui

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

The Philipponnat family has 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. It is 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.

While the wine as a whole shows that the 2015 vintage was handled rather well, the oak overpowers the herbal notes; however, the palate lacks cohesion, with more limited notes of aromatic and tannic maturity. It remains a wine that divides opinion.

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 segment thanks to the renewed character of its Clos des Goisses. The brand’s rise is also a testament to the decisions made across the entire lineup by its president, Charles Philipponnat, who has been in office since 2000. He has introduced cooler temperatures to the winemaking process, reoriented 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.

This iconic single-vineyard champagne comes from a steep, south-facing hillside overlooking the Marne River. This new cuvée, still young but with magnificent potential, is rich in floral aromas and dense white fruit notes, with hints of minerality. Best enjoyed starting in 2026.

The Clos des Goisses Extra-Brut 2015 is a powerful and resonant wine, just like last year’s. In 2015, all the lots were aged in oak barrels, which gives them remarkable texture and balance. Pear, gingerbread, ginger, dried flowers, and a hint of oak are all beautifully highlighted. An underlying vegetal note, typical of the vintage, lurks in the background but is well integrated. The long finish is striking. The 2015 opens up beautifully with exposure to air, gaining in precision and tension. The dosage is 4.5 grams per liter. Disgorgement: March 2024.

It offers a complex nose of brioche, honey, baked pears, salted plums, nuts, and white chocolate. It is superbly refined and silky on the palate, with very soft bubbles and lively acidity that support notes of ripe fruit, honey, and salt. Dry and elegant, with a wonderful freshness derived from a warm vintage. 78% Pinot Noir and 22% Chardonnay. Disgorged in March 2024. Dosage of 4.5 g/L. Ready to drink or for aging.

Medium straw/golden in color, it is expressive in the glass with ripe, savory notes of black cherries, forest floor, delicately toasted spices, umami, and fresh sourdough bread. Full-bodied, it fills the palate with a very long, savory richness in the mid-palate, revealing pronounced notes of grapefruit on the finish. It has a long finish and a touch of warmth—which is typical for this vintage—while remaining very well-balanced and elegant. An exceptional 2015 wine—the Philipponnat team has really made a strong impression with these 2015s. This wine and their other 2015s will likely become great examples of how wines with the powerful, rich structures of hot vintages can age without relying solely on acidity to carry the load.