Champagne Frédéric Savart Premier Cru "L'Ouverture"
Champagne & Sparkling
$120.00
The name says it all. L'Ouverture, or "The Opening," is Frédéric Savart's introduction to his small but celebrated domaine in Écueil, a Premier Cru village nestled in the Val de Reims roughly ten kilometers west of the city. It is the entry point into a range built on what Savart himself calls "a laboratory of terroirs," and it sets the tone with remarkable clarity and purpose. Crafted entirely from Pinot Noir, the wine draws on Savart's four hectares planted across Écueil and the neighboring village of Villiers-aux-Noeuds, where sandy soils over chalk lend the wine its signature combination of aromatic lift and structural precision. The blend marries three separate harvests, building complexity and consistency across disgorgements without relying on a single year to carry the wine. In the cellar, half the wine ferments in neutral oak barrels to lend subtle texture and body, while the other half is raised in stainless steel to preserve the Pinot Noir's fresh, perfumed character. Fermentation is spontaneous, using only native yeasts, and the wine rests on its lees for a minimum of 24 months before disgorgement. Dosage is kept low, typically around 3.5 g/L, allowing the fruit and terroir to speak without interference. The result is a blanc de noirs of genuine elegance and precision. The nose is expressive and inviting, with crunchy red apple, fragrant wild cherry, raspberry, and ripe pear, lifted by a subtle undercurrent of warm brioche and toasted pastry. On the palate the wine is medium-bodied with a fine, creamy mousse, bright and well-integrated acidity, and a clean chalky minerality that builds through the finish. Juicy, serious, and effortlessly drinkable, it rewards both immediate pleasure and a few years of patience. A perfect aperitif wine, equally at home alongside shellfish, light fish preparations, or soft-ripened cheese.
Available for pickup, local delivery, or shipping from 1128 W Armitage Ave, Chicago.