Jérôme Blin La Varoce Extra Brut NV is a grower's Champagne primarily grown from Pinot Meunier, with a style leaning towards purity, minerality, and food pairing.
Region: Champagne, Marne Valley, France; winery located in Vincelles.
Grape Composition: Approximately 80% Pinot Meunier, 20% Chardonnay, showcasing the fruitiness of Meunier and the structure and minerality of Chardonnay.
Style: Extra Brut, residual sugar around 7 g/L (slight variations between batches), a crisp, dry, gourmet Champagne.
Winemaking and Terroir: The estate covers approximately 6 hectares, primarily grown from Meunier (approximately 70%), with smaller quantities of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. It employs organic and biodynamic farming methods, fully transitioning to biodynamic management in 2018, emphasizing soil and terroir expression. The vineyards are situated on south- or southwest-facing clay-silty limestone slopes in Vincelles, with vines averaging around 35 years old, contributing ripe fruit flavors and a good balance of acidity.
The winemaking process is minimally regulated, employing unclarified, unfiltered fermentation with native yeasts and long lees aging (approximately 30–33 months) to enhance texture and complexity.
Flavor:
Aromas: Ripe yellow apples, lemon, pear, and other yellow fruits, accompanied by honeysuckle, subtle floral notes, and hints of bread/brioche, with delicate nutty and mineral notes.
Palmistry: Medium-high body with crisp acidity. Ripe but not overpowering fruit flavors. The extra brut, low sugar content results in a very clean profile, with minerality and fine bubbles providing structure.
Finish: Salty minerality, citrus peel, and subtle toasty/nutty notes. A dry and crisp finish, suitable for pairing with food rather than simply a "sweet aperitif bubble."