Vinifying each plot individually to allow the terroir to show through more clearly ...
The harvest is timed to give the highest possible natural sugar, without worrying about acidity, as long as the grapes remain healthy. Francis Boulard's father often repeated to him. “We make the best wines from grapes with the highest natural sugar, over 10% potential.”
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The grapes are pressed immediately after being harvested. Pressing is carried out in a membrane press holding 2 tonnes. This gives a fine and delicate pressing, and precise control over the juice extracted.
Francis Boulard is adept at comparative vinification of individual plots. The goal is to obtain the greatest possible complexity in his wines. That is the reason that the grapes from different plots, terroirs and varieties are kept separate right from the moment that they are pressed. The musts receive very low doses of sulphite, in order to preserve their fruit and allow fermentation to start quickly.
Vinification is as non interventionist as it is possible to be, which demands very regular and careful attention. Alcoholic fermentation starts spontaneously, thanks to the action of indigenous yeasts (those to be found naturally present on the grapes skin).
Alcoholic and malo-lactic fermentation takes place in 20 hectolitre (530 US gallon) wooden vats, in half hogsheads containing 5 or 6 hectolitres (130 to 160 US gallon) or in 300 litre oak barrels (228 litres for burgundian barrels and 205 litres for champagne casks). These are old barrels, with an average age of 12 years, which allow some moderate oxygenation to take place, in order that supple rounded wines can be obtained, while retaining good mineral framework. By allowing many combinations to be possible, these different size containers allow each variety and plot to be worked individually.
The wines are vinified on their fine lees, with batonnage every 10 to 12 days, to augment complexity and take advantage of all the potential richness of the must. This process (batonnage) of returning matter deposited on the bottom of the barrels into suspension takes place on “fruit days” and “flower days” of the lunar calendar. Its frequency depends upon the character of the vintage.
Bottling and disgorging take place at the estate. For several years now, Francis Boulard has been offering some of his wines in dosed and non dosed versions. The description “Brut Nature” (also called "zero dosage") means that no sugar was added. The terroir and minerality of wines from Champagne are better shown off in the absence of dosage and this only improves the possibilities of making a wider range of good matches with food.
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Photos and webdesign: Studio Amarante
Vineyards