During my interview you will discover what makes Rosé des Riceys so special and unique.
I was invited to participate at Champagne Day 2014, In the southern-most part of the Champagne region, the Côte des Bar in the Aube department, there is the town of Les Riceys, close to Burgundy. Rosé des Riceys made from Pinot Noir grapes.
The idea was to plant Pinot Noir on these chalky slopes, do a long maceration, often using whole bunches, and then age it a few years (at least 3) before release. This unique and legendary still rosé wine. It’s little known even in France itself.
“Louis XIV who was apparently not only a fan of the wine but used the local stone to build Versailles”.
My Interview with Olivier Horiot
I visited Champagne Olivier Horiot and also interviewed Monsieur Olivier Horiot who took over the estate of his father Serge in 1999 said by Olivier Horiot.
A. We started using organic and some biodynamic practices and reoriented the winemaking to being more terroir-focused. In order to make the Rosé des Riceys, (Appellation AOC since 1947). Olivier follows a very strict selection of grapes from two separate sites- en Valingrain and en Armont and vinifies them separately.
The wines start with about 10% of the grapes that are foot-trodden at the bottom ofthe cuve, then whole bunches are added. Macerations usually last 5-6 days with pumping over twice a day. After the wine is racked into older barrels, it remains there for a few years before being bottled without any fining or filtration.
A. ’During my time in US, vinifying in the state of Washington. Where I worked, Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Riesling were all planted together in the same vineyard!’
‘It struck in my mind as odd that they thought they could produce quality wine this way, but I later realized that they were simply trying to figure out what grape was best suited for this terroir. When I came home, I had that utterance. My family’s land already had established grapes grown on established terroir. I also realized that with just one grape (Pinot Noir), you could produce many different styles of wine still have them to be profound of a place.
‘ Everyone makes Champagne, but we are only 15 who continue to make Rosé des Riceys. Our first sparkling was produced in 2004.’
A. Here at Les Riceys we produces 4 Champagnes: a Blanc de Noir from the En Barmont vineyard named Sève, two blends of multiple parcels, 5 Sens and Métisse, as well as a quirky, unexpected Champagne produced with the Arbane grape, aptly named Arbane.
They all have very low dosages, never above 2 g. Most regions of France don’t have this versatility. The magic of Les Riceys is that with Pinot Noir, you can make quality rosé, red, white, white Champagne and rosé Champagne. This makes it a truly unique place, says Olivier.
A. The region of Champagne used to be extremely densely planted; vines were 40 centimeters from each other. There was no way to get a horse in there, and all the work had to be done by hand. These were reputed amongst the best red wines of France in medieval times.
The Riceys AOC was created in 1945. But prior to this, an insatiable group of growers had always produced rosé because it was THE local wine.
A. Today, we are between 15 and 20 producers for a total production of 70,000 bottles a year. And in years like 2001 or 2007, no one made any because the quality wasn’t there. So instead, everyone made bubbles.
Please note: Due to very limited production, champagne houses are not open to public visits. But we can arrange a visit & tastings with our contacts. If you are planning a visit to champagne and would like to visit this “exceptional champagne house” please don’t hesitate to contact us.
CREDITS@WineSutra
