Champagne Etienne Sandrin, Mouille-Brant Extra Brut 2019
Champagne Etienne Sandrin is a relative newcomer in the village of Celles-sur-Ource in Southern Champagne. Etienne’s work ethic and knowhow are so detailed it rivals multi generational top growers. Each of his bottling are of utmost purity and laser like precision. Mouille Brant is a powerhouse with intense delicacy and lacey structure. This is due to the vines growing on pure Kimmeridgean limestone and sun-drenched slopes facing South. Always the first one to shine and open up in the range.
Champagne Etienne Sandrin is a relative newcomer in the village of Celles-sur-Ource in Southern Champagne. Etienne’s work ethic and knowhow are so detailed it rivals multi generational top growers. Each of his bottling are of utmost purity and laser like precision. Mouille Brant is a powerhouse with intense delicacy and lacey structure. This is due to the vines growing on pure Kimmeridgean limestone and sun-drenched slopes facing South. Always the first one to shine and open up in the range.
Champagne Etienne Sandrin is a relative newcomer in the village of Celles-sur-Ource in Southern Champagne. Etienne’s work ethic and knowhow are so detailed it rivals multi generational top growers. Each of his bottling are of utmost purity and laser like precision. Mouille Brant is a powerhouse with intense delicacy and lacey structure. This is due to the vines growing on pure Kimmeridgean limestone and sun-drenched slopes facing South. Always the first one to shine and open up in the range.
Etienne takes his precision from his previous life as a jurist while Anne was an agricultural engineer. They took over from Etienne’s father in 2006 when he retired. The work at the 10 hectares Domaine was already on the slower pace with horses and tractor but the treatments applied were far from natural. In 2014 they converted everything to organic followed by biodynamic in 2015. They aim to produce a total of 15,000 bottles a year, a quantity which you can quickly calculate as not resonating with 10 hectares of vines. It’s because they keep the heart of every plot and sell the rest to local growers – négociants who are also practising biodynamics. All the Sandrin wines are vinified in stainless steel. They want the terroir to be able to breathe/to be expressed, avoiding any oak patina.
Grape Varieties: 100% Pinot Noir Site Name(s): Mouille-Brant Terroir: Kimmeridgian limestone Surface Area: Less than half a hectare Exposure: Southern Exposure on the middle of the hillside Average Age of Vines: 50 years Altitude: 176 metres Vine Density: 8264/ha Vinification: Hand harvested grapes, direct pressing with minimal additions of sulphur. Natural malolactic fermentation takes place fully. No fining and no filtering. Ageing: Stainless steel vats for 8 months post fermentation. Aged for a further 36 months in bottle (minimum) before disgorgement. Disgorgement Date: 16/02/2023 Dosage: Zero Production (Btls): 990 Bottles
