Frerejean Frères, Premier Cru Brut
This Champagne house in the Grand Cru village of Avize, in the Côte des Blancs, was founded by three brothers, Guillaume, Richard, and Rodolphe Frerejean-Tattinger, who had grown up in the region, riding their bikes through the vines.
Their lineage can be traced to two families: Frerejean, a long line of cannon-makers who supplied the French army during the Napoleonic Wars, and the iconic large house of Taittinger. The brothers began their project in 2005, the same year that Taittinger family sold its brand. As a result, the Frerejean brothers were able to acquire some beautiful vines in the Côte des Blancs. They brought on Didier Pierson, a fifth-generation Champagne producer who was born and raised in Avize, as their winemaker, and they now have vineyards in Avize, Grauves, Chouilly, Cramant, and Oger, all Premier and Grand Cru, which they farm as naturally as possible. Their goal from the beginning has been to maintain respect for traditional craftsmanship, but leave room for innovation.
They work with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and their aim is for balance between maturity and freshness, roundness and tension, and vivacity and complexity. All of their wines go through malolactic fermentation and include a fair amount of reserve wine, and they keep their dosage relatively low for balance, but age them six to eight years on the lees, adding richness and depth. Their Premier Cru Brut is their signature wine, a blend of about half each Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The addition of about 30% reserve wine adds elegance to this soft, creamy Champagne, with its notes of orchard fruit, nuts, and fresh pastry. With beautiful minerality from the signature chalky soil and a clean, fresh finish, it is a complex and elegant expression of the Frerejean Frères style.