Champagne Drappier is one of the great, and greatly underrated historic Champagne houses. The wines have always been good, and there has always been a tendency towards natural farming, low dosage, and minimal sulphur, though these have only become widely accepted in Champagne very recently. This should come as no surprise, because back in the 1930’s George Collot, maternal grandfather of the current director, was the first to plant Pinot Noir in the region, and though he was laughed at then, and nicknamed “father Pinot”, now 75% of the local vineyard is planted to Pinot Noir.

The history of Drappier really begins in the 12th century AD, when Saint Bernard (really!) had an annex to the Abbey at D’Urville built, that building and the vineyard that surrounds it, is now the centerpiece of the Drappier property.

The winemaking is slow and natural. The wine is aged in large oak casks, and though they are neutral, they convey a richness. The result of the lack of sulphur is wines that have more color than average Champagnes. The result of the lack of dosage are wines that are more intense, more mineral, and often more structured than their counterparts. They should be served at a cool cellar temperature of about 52 F, NOT Fridge temp of 40 F.

Try this with mushroom saute, a prime rib, or Yukon River (very oily) salmon. Drink now – 2016