Champagnes of Benoit Dehu and Jean-Francois Clouet
The Dehu family has been producing wine in Champagne since 1787. After honing his skills at Bollinger for four years, Benoit Dehu returned to his family’s domaine with a clear direction in mind, quickly implementing his interest in organic and biodynamic practices.
In addition to managing the family winery, Benoit has created his own label, Champagne Benoit Dehu. He set aside a small 1.7 ha plot of his favorite vineyard to produce a single vintage, single varietal (Pinot Meunier), single vineyard, zero dosage cuvee, known as Cuvee La Rue des Noyers. This wine was first released in the vintage of 2011 and has become increasingly popular in recent years, as it showcases the truth of place like Burgundy wines. Cuvee La Rue des Noyers is aged in oak barrels, many of which are sourced from the family’s own land, adding nuanced undertones and an elegant mouthfeel to the floral, earthy, and berry-driven Pinot Meunier.
Benoit’s wines have been generating excitement since their release, with a limited production of only 200 cases per year. Despite hearing about them for several years, the writer acquired a small allocation this spring based solely on reputation, and was pleased with their quality after tasting over 1500 Champagnes, including Benoit’s, in France.
I have two of Benoit’s, wines. Cuvee La Rue des Noyers 2014 in 750’s and very rare Magnums of Cuvee La Rue des Noyers 2011, his first vintage. These Magnums are the only examples outside of his cellar. With regrets we must limit orders to 6 of the 2014’s and 1 of the 2011 Magnums per customer. The allocations are very small and I want to spread the joy.
The Wines of André Clouet: A Surprise Addition!
Many of you are familiar with the highly acclaimed wines of André Clouet. His basic wines, made from 100% Grande Cru grapes from the village of Bouzy, are known for their exceptional quality and attention to detail. One of his smaller production wines, the magical Cuvee 1911, particularly caught my attention. This wine is made in honor of the Champagne riots, with each release consisting of 1,911 bottles. The riots were a significant moment in the history of Champagne, as growers fought for the right to make their own wine rather than sell their grapes to large houses.
André Clouet has now taken his winemaking to new heights with his latest release. He has started bottling the wines of his small Grande Cru clos in Bouzy separately, behind the family house. Clos are a highly respected symbol of quality in both Champagne and Burgundy, and were originally created by monks to protect and separate the best vineyards after years of careful study and documentation.
Jean-François Clouet has taken this rare wine to the next level by bottling it in magnum format only. The magnum bottle is considered the best way for a wine to reach its full potential. This 100% Pinot Noir Champagne is aged for 8 years sur latte and is limited to just 1500 magnums per year. I am grateful for the opportunity to offer this rare and special wine, and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I do.
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