Search
Close

My Account

$0.00 Cart
Search
Close
$0.00 Cart
  • Champagne
    • Shop All
    • Shop by Brand (House)
    • Shop by Champagne Type
      • Blanc de Blancs (100% white grapes)
      • Blanc de Noirs (100% red grapes)
      • Blend
      • Champagne rosé
      • Vintage
      • Coteaux Champenois (still wine)
    • Shop by Region
    • Shop by Added Sugar (Dosage)
    • Shop by Season
  • Lehmann Glassware
    • Shop All
    • Champagne glasses
    • Red wine glasses
    • White and rosé wine glasses
    • Universal glasses
    • Cocktail & spirits glasses
    • Water & soft drinks glasses
    • Signature Collections
      • P. Jamesse
      • F. Sommier
      • A. Lallement
      • G. Basset
  • Gifts
    • Shop All
    • Father’s Day Gifts
    • Gifts & Hampers
    • Build Your Own Gift
    • Corporate & Special Occasion Gifting
    • Gift a Champagne Subscription
    • Gift Vouchers
    • Greeting Cards
  • Accessories & Maps
    • Accessories
    • Maps of the Champagne Region
  • Subscriptions
  • Le Journal
  • Events
    • About Les Expériences
    • Book an event
  • About
    • Sally Hillman
    • About Champagne
  • Contact
    • General Enquiries
    • Wholesale Enquiries
Menu
  • Champagne
    • Shop All
    • Shop by Brand (House)
    • Shop by Champagne Type
      • Blanc de Blancs (100% white grapes)
      • Blanc de Noirs (100% red grapes)
      • Blend
      • Champagne rosé
      • Vintage
      • Coteaux Champenois (still wine)
    • Shop by Region
    • Shop by Added Sugar (Dosage)
    • Shop by Season
  • Lehmann Glassware
    • Shop All
    • Champagne glasses
    • Red wine glasses
    • White and rosé wine glasses
    • Universal glasses
    • Cocktail & spirits glasses
    • Water & soft drinks glasses
    • Signature Collections
      • P. Jamesse
      • F. Sommier
      • A. Lallement
      • G. Basset
  • Gifts
    • Shop All
    • Father’s Day Gifts
    • Gifts & Hampers
    • Build Your Own Gift
    • Corporate & Special Occasion Gifting
    • Gift a Champagne Subscription
    • Gift Vouchers
    • Greeting Cards
  • Accessories & Maps
    • Accessories
    • Maps of the Champagne Region
  • Subscriptions
  • Le Journal
  • Events
    • About Les Expériences
    • Book an event
  • About
    • Sally Hillman
    • About Champagne
  • Contact
    • General Enquiries
    • Wholesale Enquiries

Journey to the Côte des Blancs (Part 3): THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED

  • March 25, 2021

There will always be a need for refreshing Blanc de Blancs champagne year-round. Whether a warm spell in autumn, a bout of sunshine after rain in winter, lingering sunlit days in spring, or relaxed, balmy nights in summer, this iconic champagne style is crisp and thirst-quenching, ideal as invigorating aperitif or matched with light starters, salads, fresh seafood or a sliver of aged Comté for the ultimate sundowner pairing.

In Part 1 and Part 2 of our ‘Summer Series’ on the Côte des Blancs, we explored the northern and southern reaches of the region’s chalky hillside, renowned as the prestigious source for Champagne’s finest Blanc de Blancs champagne of Chardonnay origin.

While the Blanc de Blancs in the north of the Côte des Blancs area (from Chouilly to Avize) tend to be richer, those in the south (from Oger to Bergères-les-Vertus) are typically tense and electric, with briny minerality. Unbeknown to many, there are four additional areas further afield in the Champagne appellation that also produce outstanding wines: Val du Petit Morin, Côte de Sézanne, Vitryat and Montgueux. Together with the celebrated Côte des Blancs area, they form the subregion of the Côte des Blancs as defined by the Union de Maisons de Champagne.

Sally Hillman’s signature map – Champagne A.O.C.

In Part 3—our final feature on the great Côte des Blancs—we delve into the southern and eastern corners of the Champagne appellation where a small but significant group of curious and passionate growers are lighting the way on roads less travelled, significantly contributing to the perpetuation of Champagne’s future and legacy.

Part 1 of our series on the Côte des Blancs: NORTH can be read here.

Part 2 of our series on the Côte des Blancs: SOUTH can be read here.

 

Sally Hillman’s signature map of Côte de Blancs, Coteaux du Morin & Côte de Sézanne

Val du Petit Morin [val doo puh•tee more•ahn]

Val du Petit Morin (also known as Coteaux du Morin) is a small growing region located 24 km south-west of Épernay and encompasses 18 villages. Scattered over a vineyard area of 903ha, vines sit on varied soils on the slopes of forested hills and on the open plain, with a varietal composition of 47% Meunier, 40% Chardonnay and 13% Pinot noir.

Named after the Petit Morin, a small river that passes through the area from east to west, Val du Petit Morin is the local designation; however, Olivier Collin of Champagne Ulysse Collin prefers the name Coteaux du Morin to signify the hills where vines are cultivated. While most growers traditionally sell grapes to the larger Houses, Olivier has become the region’s most significant grower-producer since 2004 and is one of Champagne’s few specialists in both single-varietal and single-vineyard champagnes, providing enthusiasts a rare glimpse into a unique—and previously unsung—terroir. In comparison to the ubiquitous chalk found in the neighbouring Côte des Blancs, Olivier’s vines sit in diverse soils of chalk, clay and flint across the Coteaux du Morin and Côte de Sézanne. It is this point of difference that drives him to passionately explore and express the unique terroir of these lesser known regions year after year.

Olivier Collin

The soils of the Coteaux du Morin differ from north to south and account for the varietal variance in the region. The chalkiest areas can be found in the northern sector around the townships of Congy, Vert-Toulon and Soulières, making them ideal for growing Chardonnay that produces intensely expressive Blanc de Blancs. In contrast, soils on the other side of the river, just south of Vert-Toulon, contain more clay, making them suitable for growing Meunier and Pinot noir. From the chalky, northern sector of the Coteaux du Morin, Olivier produces three Blanc de Blancs in very limited quantities (Les Pierrières, Les Enfers and Les Roises)—all from single vineyards with vine ages between 35 and 60 years.

Les Pierrières is one of the Estate’s most iconic cuvées, taking its name from the eponymous lieu-dit (single parcel of vines) located in Vert-Toulon, east of Congy. First produced in 2004, the cuvée is assembled from 35-year-old vines that face south-east in a single 1.2ha parcel. The soil here is unique to Champagne, with sparse topsoil giving way to a bedrock rich in soft, Campanian chalk and black silex (flint). Olivier estimates that 90% of the vine roots are embedded in this soil, imparting the pronounced minerality, rocky flintiness and hint of smoke that have become central to each release of Les Pierrières .

Les Enfers and Les Roises hail from neighbouring lieux-dits in Congy and contain similar soils of clay, chalk and flint. The 40-year-old vines of Les Enfers face east and sit in soils that are significantly less clay-heavy than the 60-year-old vines of Les Roises, which face south and plunge much deeper. This fascinating contrast in exposure and terroir becomes a tangible experience in a horizontal tasting: Les Enfers reveals a sleek and fruity expression of Congy, while Les Roises shows power and opulence with a richer, riper profile.

Champagne Ulysse Collin; Les Maillons, Les Pierrières & Les Maillons Rosé de Saignée

Côte de Sézanne [koht duh say•zahn] or Sézannais* [seh•za•nay]

Referred to as the Sézannais by the Union de Maisons de Champagne, and also known as the Coteaux du Sézannais, the Côte de Sézanne is a viticultural area with a long and prolific history of vine-growing dating back to the 12th century. Almost all of its vineyards were destroyed by phylloxera in the 20th century and, like those of Val du Petit Morin, were only replanted in the 1960s and 1970s, with the majority of growers continuing to sell grapes rather than make their own champagnes.

Immediately south of the Val du Petit Morin, the Côte de Sézanne is home to 12 villages and has a total vineyard area of 1479ha, with a varietal composition of 77% Chardonnay, 18% Pinot noir and 5% Meunier. Despite sitting on the same Campanian chalk seam as the Côte des Blancs, the terroir of the Côte de Sézanne has large amounts of marl and sand, and the region enjoys a warmer, southerly location. The higher percentage of clay in this subsoil, combined with climatic influence, produces a ripe and fruity style of Blanc de Blancs that is less saline than the traditional styles encountered further north.

Pinot noir is also particularly suited to this region, as shown by Champagne Ulysse Collin’s Blanc de Noirs and champagne rosé offerings. In the village of Barbonne-Fayel, Olivier cultivates almost half of a single 6ha parcel of vines, Les Maillons, where the soil—deep with iron-rich clay—and warmer weather help Pinot noir achieve optimal ripeness and maturity. The family first planted their portion via sélection massale (the traditional practice of vineyard propagation with exceptional old vines) in 1971, and vines are exposed to the east, resulting in wines that retain Pinot’s refreshing acidity despite the higher temperatures. Notably, Olivier is the only Grower currently working with the unique terroir of Les Maillons, from which he produces a self-titled, vibrant and full-bodied Blanc de Noirs and a companion champagne rosé, Rosé de Saignée, that is delightfully concentrated and shows great purity of Pinot’s red fruit personality.

* Sézannais is the official name used by the UMC, however Côte de Sézanne is also commonly used. It is important to note that in some non-UMC schemes, the Sézannais refers to both the Côte de Sézanne and the Val du Petit Morin. It is for this reason that we prefer to define this area as the Côte de Sézanne.

Sally Hillman’s signature map of Vitryat & Montgueux

Vitryat [vee•tree•ya]

Located 48 km south-east of Vertus and 64 km east of the Côte de Sézanne, Vitryat is a region with viticultural ties to the 15th century, when it was established as the second most densely planted vineyard area after Reims. Due to the blight of phylloxera, vines were pulled up—and the region overlooked—until interest was rekindled and grafted vines were replanted in the 1970s.

Vitryat is home to 15 villages and now has a small vineyard area of 459ha, with a varietal composition of 98% Chardonnay, 1% Pinot noir and 1% Meunier. In contrast to the Campanian chalk found in the Côte des Blancs and Côte de Sézanne, the chalk in Vitryat is from the earlier Turonian stage and mostly too porous and mixed in with calcareous marls to be appropriate for viticulture. Nevertheless, Vitryat holds a few pockets of purer Turonian chalk on slopes where vines can thrive and produce quality wines.

Presently, the majority of Chardonnay from Vitryat is sold to the larger Houses, where they contribute elegance, freshness and fruitiness to blends that are designed to be accessible.

Montgueux [mon•ger]

Named after the small hill where vineyards were first planted in the 1960s, the village of Montgueux is located south of the Côte de Sézanne and 5 km west of the city of Troyes (the ancient capital of Champagne) in the Aube département. A fascinating anomaly of the Aube, Montgueux’s relatively new terroir is an isolated outcropping of Turonian chalk that bears little resemblance to its nearest neighbour, the growing region of the Côte des Bar, where Pinot noir dominates in clay and limestone soil. This chalk is also 15 million years older than the Campanian chalk that is ­found throughout the Côte des Blancs, and yields exquisite Blanc de Blancs that are just as singular and renowned as those produced in the north.

The slope of Montgueux is fully exposed to the south and is planted to 90% Chardonnay and 10% Pinot noir. Champagne Jacques Lassaigne is a notable grower-producer of this region, and the House has been led since 1999 by Emmanuel, Jacques’s son. Driven by a desire to express Montgueux’s distinctive soil, Emmanuel’s focus shifted from growing and selling fruit, to estate-bottling, which has catapulted the House to stardom as a Blanc de Blancs specialist and pre-eminent pioneer, champion and custodian of this exciting viticultural landscape.

As Montgueux’s warmer microclimate ripens Chardonnay with ease, Emmanuel crafts refreshing and vinous Blanc de Blancs with vivid minerality and notes of ripe, tropical fruit, with a sumptuous mouthfeel that always maintains a seam of racy acidity. There is no doubt that these cuvées are remarkable tributes to a promising and prodigious village, and are a delightful contrast to the pure and laser-focused examples from the Côte des Blancs.

Champagne Jacques Lassaigne: Le Cotet, La Colline Inspirée & Les Vignes de Montgueux

Les Vignes de Montgueux is a non-vintage Blanc de Blancs that is blended across three successive vintages from seven to nine parcels, conveying pure varietal character and providing a precise cross-section of Montgueux’s terroir—like a delicious Chablis with effervescence.

Named after a poem written by a local poet about Montgueux, La Colline Inspirée translates to ‘the inspired hill’ and is blended from successive vintages of old vines to produce a rich cuvée with ripe flavours and tropical fruit notes, with the chalky terroir imparting refreshing minerality and salinity—an inspiring cuvée akin to an aged white Burgundy.

Le Cotet is a non-vintage Blanc de Blancs blended from successive vintages of Chardonnay vines planted in 1964 on a single, steep and chalky vineyard of the same name. Racy and refreshing, the citrus-forward and mineral-dominant personality of Le Cotet is an elegant and more restrained expression of Montgueux, containing zero dosage to unmask the exhilarating essence of this region’s terroir.

Emmanuel also vinifies Chardonnay from the most historical and favoured vineyard of Montgueux, Clos Sainte-Sophie. A self-titled Blanc de Blancs, vinification of this cuvée occurs in barrels previously used for Burgundy, Jura Savagnin and Cognac, lending the wine a magnified complexity and intense depth of flavour.

We hope you have thoroughly enjoyed travelling through the Côte des Blancs subregion with us, and we warmly invite you to explore these enthralling terroir expressions as we expand our offering with more producers and cuvées further afield. The power of knowledge, shared with the magic of Champagne, is simply irrésistible.

Santé!

Start your journey in Le Shop.

PrevPreviousJourney to the Côte des Blancs (Part 2): SOUTH
NextSTOP PRESS: Lehmann Glass Ultralight RangeNext

Champagne Domaine Vincey: delivering cuvées of rip-roaring drinkability and delight!

August 7, 2022

In 2010, Quentin Vincey, 8th generation vigneron, took up the family mantle and, with the help of his partner Marine Zabarino, quickly set out to

READ ENTRY

All About Arnaud (Lallement)!

July 8, 2022

Earlier this week, three-starred chef Arnaud Lallement received the Ordre national du Mérite (a French order of merit) at his restaurant, L’Assiette Champenoise, in Tinqueux,

READ ENTRY
Grower-producer v's Grande Marque: What's the diff Grower-producer v's Grande Marque: What's the difference?

At Sally Hillman we consider there are two broad categories of champagne; one is produced on a large scale by the well-known Grandes Marques, the other category consists of the grower champagnes, also known as récoltant manipulant champagnes.

Grandes Marques (‘Great Brands’), largely drive Australia’s champagne market. As the most prominent Houses, the Grandes Marques have a long history of wine production in Champagne, achieving fame and fortune through the creation of non-vintage champagne blends that remain consistent in style each year. Their success lies in delivering a reliable experience for the consumer and in promoting aspirational ideals of luxury, celebrity and celebration that have been heavily marketed for the past two centuries.

Grower champagnes are produced by the growers themselves (also called grower-producers), who pride themselves on creating champagnes from vines that are exclusively their own. These Houses are family-owned and operated, and estate holdings are generally no more than a few hectares, passed down from generation to generation. Their aim is to craft wines from low yields and sustainable farming practices, vinified using natural, low-intervention winemaking processes that hone in on site-specific expressions of fruit, terroir and vintage.

Discover elegant gifts, grower champagne and Australia’s most diverse range of Lehmann glassware at SallyHillman.com.au 🔗in bio

We deliver Australia wide.

#SallyHillman #CelebratingChampagne #champagne #growerchampagne
#champagnegifts #luxuryglassware #champagneglasses #champagneglassware
#wineglass #wine #winelover #winetime #winetasting #winelovers #redwine #whitewine #champagnelover #champagnetasting #instachampagne #champagnemoments
Champagne and cheese is the perfect marriage in ga Champagne and cheese is the perfect marriage in gastronomy and will always dazzle and delight, no matter the occasion, season or even time of day! 

Whether you prefer to indulge in a moment of late winter sun, drift into afternoon aperitifs or pamper yourself with weekends full of comfort cuisine and party-pleasing platters, ‘brie-lieve’ us when we say there is a delicious duo of champagne and cheese that exists for every feast from breakfast through to dessert. 

Read on, we promise it doesn’t get much ‘cheddar’ than this!

Our Le Journal article ‘Sweet Dreams are Made of Cheese … and Champagne!’ Can be found at the 🔗 in our bio.

SallyHillman.com.au

#SallyHillman #CelebratingChampagne 
#champagne #growerchampagne
#champagnegifts #luxuryglassware #champagneglasses #champagneglassware
#wineglass #wine #winelover #winetime #winetasting #winelovers #redwine #whitewine #champagnelover #champagnetasting #instachampagne #champagnemoments
Making plans to entertain friends this weekend? Making plans to entertain friends this weekend? 

The invigorating character and effervescence of champagne makes it an ideal aperitif or food companion for many appetisers, cuisines and even for sweet treats.

We warmly invite you to pop a bottle in the fridge and preheat the oven as we explore the best food partners for different types of champagne in our Le Journal article, ‘Champagne, Chips and Culinary Combinations’.

Read via the link 🔗in our bio.

SallyHillman.com.au

#SallyHillman #CelebratingChampagne 
#champagne #growerchampagne
#champagnegifts #luxuryglassware #champagneglasses #champagneglassware
#wineglass #wine #winelover #winetime #winetasting #winelovers #redwine #whitewine #champagnelover #champagnetasting #instachampagne #champagnemoments
Bon week-end! Celebrating the finish of yet anoth Bon week-end!

Celebrating the finish of yet another busy week! 🥂🍾

Discover elegant gifts, grower champagne and Australia’s most diverse range of Lehmann glassware at SallyHillman.com.au 🔗in bio

We deliver Australia wide

#SallyHillman #CelebratingChampagne #champagne #growerchampagne
#champagnegifts #luxuryglassware #champagneglasses #champagneglassware
#wineglass #wine #winelover #winetime #winetasting #winelovers #redwine #whitewine #champagnelover #champagnetasting #instachampagne #champagnemoments
Domaine Vincey 'Interlude' NV Lemon gold in colou Domaine Vincey 'Interlude' NV

Lemon gold in colour, Interlude NV pours forth with an intriguing fragrance of stone fruit, garden blossom, lanolin and dried honey. 

On the palate, the cuvée is immensely textural and rich, peeling back to reveal fleshy layers of papaya and ripe orange with waxy highlights—natural, like the coating of orchard apples, and delicate, like honeycomb, chewy with beeswax. 

There’s a distinctive, uplifting note of creamy lemon-lime on the mid to late palate, reminiscent of lemon myrtle, as a clear line of minerality builds into the orchestrally long finish. 

A most successful maiden voyage for Interlude NV. 

Interlude NV was manually disgorged in December 2021 and finished with zero dosage. 

Only 1238 bottles were produced.

🥂 Best enjoyed from the Lehmann F. Sommier, Dionysos 66 Ultralight machine-made glass.

🍽 🧀 Enjoy with creamy and savoury cheeses, such as an ashed goat’s cheese or a mild and meaty washed-rind cow’s milk cheese.

Discover elegant gifts, grower champagne and Australia’s most diverse range of Lehmann glassware at SallyHillman.com.au 🔗in bio

We deliver Australia wide

#SallyHillman #CelebratingChampagne 
#champagne #growerchampagne
#champagnegifts #luxuryglassware #champagneglasses #champagneglassware
#wineglass #wine #winelover #winetime #winetasting #winelovers #redwine #whitewine #champagnelover #champagnetasting #instachampagne #champagnemoments @vicpug @domainevincey
🍷Lehmann F. Sommier Ariane 72cl Perfect for li 🍷Lehmann F. Sommier Ariane 72cl

Perfect for light-bodied red wines with floral notes, such as Burgundy, Pinot noir, Gamay and Nebbiolo.

These wines are delicate with ethereal aromas, which means the glass must have a relatively fuller and wider bowl than both ‘Bordeaux’ and ‘standard’ red wine glasses. 

A wider bowl enhances aeration to develop the lighter aromas, allowing them to collect at the gently inward sloping rim. 

The body of the glass should also be relatively shorter than both the ‘Bordeaux’ and ‘standard’ red wine glasses to allow for the detection of more subtle, fragrant aromas due to the nose’s proximity to the wine.

Discover elegant gifts, grower champagne and Australia’s most diverse range of Lehmann glassware at SallyHillman.com.au 🔗in bio

We deliver Australia wide

#SallyHillman #CelebratingChampagne 
#champagne #growerchampagne
#champagnegifts #luxuryglassware #champagneglasses #champagneglassware
#wineglass #wine #winelover #winetime #winetasting #winelovers #redwine #whitewine #champagnelover #champagnetasting #instachampagne #champagnemoments 
#redwineglass #redwinelover #redwine🍷 @lehmannreimsfrance
  sally_hillman

Receive our newsletter, CELEBRATING CHAMPAGNE
and be the first to know of our finds, new collections and upcoming expériences.

  • Home
  • Le Shop
  • Champagne
  • Le Journal
  • Les Experiences
  • Sally Hillman
  • Contact Us
Menu
  • Home
  • Le Shop
  • Champagne
  • Le Journal
  • Les Experiences
  • Sally Hillman
  • Contact Us
Instagram Linkedin-in Facebook-f Vimeo Youtube
Terms of Service Privacy Policy Delivery & Returns My Account
Liquor Licenses No. 36149959 (expériences) & 36152033 (purchase).
Sally Hillman supports the Responsible Service of Alcohol. Minors under the age of 18 will not be supplied.

COPYRIGHT © 2022 SALLY HILLMAN PTY LTD, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

My Account

Menu
  • Champagne
    • Shop All
    • Shop by Brand (House)
    • Shop by Champagne Type
      • Blanc de Blancs (100% white grapes)
      • Blanc de Noirs (100% red grapes)
      • Blend
      • Champagne rosé
      • Vintage
      • Coteaux Champenois (still wine)
    • Shop by Region
    • Shop by Added Sugar (Dosage)
    • Shop by Season
  • Lehmann Glassware
    • Shop All
    • Champagne glasses
    • Red wine glasses
    • White and rosé wine glasses
    • Universal glasses
    • Cocktail & spirits glasses
    • Water & soft drinks glasses
    • Signature Collections
      • P. Jamesse
      • F. Sommier
      • A. Lallement
      • G. Basset
  • Gifts
    • Shop All
    • Father’s Day Gifts
    • Gifts & Hampers
    • Build Your Own Gift
    • Corporate & Special Occasion Gifting
    • Gift a Champagne Subscription
    • Gift Vouchers
    • Greeting Cards
  • Accessories & Maps
    • Accessories
    • Maps of the Champagne Region
  • Subscriptions
  • Le Journal
  • Events
    • About Les Expériences
    • Book an event
  • About
    • Sally Hillman
    • About Champagne
  • Contact
    • General Enquiries
    • Wholesale Enquiries