Brocard Pierre, Tradition Brut D'Assemblage

The Champagne Brut Tradition is an assemblage of 75% pinot noir, 20% pinot blanc, and 5% chardonnay grapes hand-harvested from 11 estate vineyards planted on Kimmeridgian and Portlandian limestone soils. The harvest base is 2019 (70%), with 30% of the wine from a multi-vintages vin de réserve solera, which was started by Thibaud’s father, Pierre, in 1991. 30% of the new vintage is added and withdrawn each year. Thibaud works non-oxidatively and notably utilizes nitrogen in the winery to protect his tanks and solera, which helps him keep the use of sulfur dioxide in the winery to the absolute minimum while preserving fruit and vineyard expression. Cuvée Tradition spends three years on the lees in bottle before release, giving it one of the best quality-to-value ratios in the world of Champagne.

Vigneron Thibaud Brocard is the fifth generation of Champagne Brocard Pierre to work his family vineyards near the village of Celles-sur-Ource in the Seine river valley, known as theBarsequanaisarea of the Côte des Bar, the southernmost sub region of Champagne. Vineyards are entirely estate-owned and farmed organically with both northern and southern exposures.

Brocard Pierre is part of the revolution taking place in Champagne, where the balance of power if shifting away from the huge producers back to small growers who make wine with the same terroir-focus as you find in Burgundy. The estate is run by young winemaker Thibaud Brocard, whose commitment to biodynamic farming principles results in Champagnes which are among the purest expressions of the land. Only around 2% of Champagne-producing vines are certified organic, so Thibaud’s having gone that extra mile to establish biodynamic practices is really extraordinary. This is hand-harvested, Pinot Noir-led Champagne made with as little intervention as possible. The tension and vinosity in his wines, from the flagship Tradition NV to the vintage bottlings, really set them apart.