The London Lounge

I know there are connoisseurs of champers among the members, so I pose this query:

There is a local source here for Diebolt-Vallois in two NV bruts: a blanc de blancs, sourced entirely from Grand Cru plots above Cramant (the label bears an 'à Cramant' designation) and a Cuvee Tradition made of Chardonnay from Premier Cru plots in Cuis and both Pinots from plots northeast of Epernay. I believe the blanc de blancs is better known. I do like both types, but haven't tried this house yet. The price is quite competitive.

The vendor notes that Jacques Diebolt releases about 7,500 cases per year, and that the B de B estate is a tiny 25 acres. They claim: "Jacques Diebolt is passionately committed to the idea that Champagne is first and foremost a wine, and that good winemaking starts in the vineyard. Painstakingly accurate cellar work includes fermentation of the still wine in oak barrels, and bottling without collage or filtration 'in order to make Champagne the way my grandfather did.' Almost all of Diebolt's small production is sold to three-star restaurants in France."

So what say you about this producer, and about the relative merits of the B de B and the traditional blend? Thanks in advance for your views.

(I apologize if earlier discussions have included this house, but some browsing and searching did not turn it up.)

Dear Couch

I know Jacques Diebolt Vallois pretty well after all these years and his wines are excellent. It occurs to me that his distributor is in PA, or at least one of them is there.

I happen to like champagnes from Cramant for their rich, fruity and straightforward taste. The north facing plots take a real pounding from the cold and wind in winter and the resulting wines can be more thin and acidic. That is solved by blending with wine from more protected areas and a good dose of jam like Pinot Noir for the traditional Brut.

The entry level Brut and Blanc de Blancs are fine but the real treat is the “Fleur de Passion” aged in oak barrels a la Anselme Selosse.

A few years ago I was visiting Anselme Selosse in Avize and asked him advice about wines to try in the area. He mentioned Diebolt’s premium wines and it pleased me to hear a good note from the master since I had always found it pretty good as well. Later that day, I stopped by Cramant to buy as many magnums of Fleur de Passion as I could fit into my car and I remember buying the very last big bottles of the supreme 95 and 96 vintages.

While I was chatting with Jacques, I asked him what he thought about Selosse and he said, “the man is perfectly mad.” With some mischievous pleasure I told him that Selosse had recommended his “Fleur de Passion” to me. It was like a lightening bolt, Diebolt sprang from his chair dashed for the stairs of his house crying to his wife, “dearest did you hear, listen to this, Anselme Selosse likes my wine! Selosse likes my wine!” As he was upstairs high-fiving his wife, I decided to take my leave discretely and leave the couple to their celebration.

Another great Cramant champagne is Lilbert, it is a small production and probably does not get out of France often, but it is wonderful to drink. These are simple wines, happy fruity wines you simply cannot get enough of, what we call “vins de soif.”

Talk to the distributor and see if you can get a few bottles of Fleur de Passion, it will be worth your trouble

Cheers

Many thanks, Michael. Fleur de Passion is available in nearby Wilmington and I will make a note to try it for an occasion. I may also be able to get the Prestige BdB in NJ. For vin de soif, however, I've found a source for the NV BdB for about 1/4 the price of Fleur de Passion, which means I can make it a more frequent pleasure. As you may know, Pennsylvania has puritanical alcohol laws and a retail monopoly which make the logistics of civilized life quite inconvenient.

Your comments as always are much appreciated.