De Sousa

De Sousa 3A (Aÿ, Ambonnay & Avize)|Extra Brut|NV

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Winemaking

Winemaking

Barrel-fermented Biodynamic

Earth

Earth

Mineral

Stone Fruit

Stone Fruit

Black Cherry Plum

Tropical Fruit

Tropical Fruit

Yellow Fruit

Red Fruits

Red Fruits

Strawberry

Herbs & Spices

Herbs & Spices

Spice

Avize

Avize

What to expect

We are proud to have this wine in our midst. What does it mean to co-ferment? Don't champagne producers do that anyway? Well, the answer is no. Most producers keep every parcel separate and here we see Erick De Sousa, showing his character and fermenting both chardonnay and pinot noir (50:50) to create something truly unique. He also ferments the wine in a mixture of stainless steel and oak. The only other producer we know that does this is Geoffroy with his 'Blanc de Rose' (also on Emperor).

The style is ripe, spicy and powerful yet mineral and fresh with many layers waiting to reveal a vinous and yellow fruit driven appeal that we cannot get enough of. This is most certainly a wine before it is a champagne and so give it time in the glass. The dialogue will be rewarding!

Base vintage: 2014 

Bottled: 08 / 04 / 15 

Disgorged: 15 / 01 / 17 

Dosage: 5 g/L

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"The trend in Champagne is towards keeping parcels separate to increase definition, but De Sousa has boldly co-fermented to created a profoundly seamless union of chardonnay and pinot noir from three of Champagne’s most distinctive villages. The mood of 3A swings dramatically according to its base vintage, and the 2013 season presents quite a contrast to earlier blends.

Ripe pinot noir leaps from the glass in pink musk stick, red cherry and candied strawberry exuberance, declaring a bold and fruity style. It pulls in line on the finish, thanks to well-defined acidity and a tremendous undercurrent of fine salt chalk minerality, the unifying highlight of De Sousa. The 2012 base, by comparison, is a rich style that declares the depth of Aÿ and Ambonnay pinot noir in plum and black cherry fruit, with the expansive mood of oak fermentation expressed in mixed spice, dark fruit cake and dark chocolate. The minerality of Avize triumphs, fine, tense and chalk-rich."

Tyson Stelzer - The Champagne Guide 2018-2019

$139.99

Club Price $132.05 (?)

Send to friend

Winemaking

Winemaking

Barrel-fermented Biodynamic

Earth

Earth

Mineral

Stone Fruit

Stone Fruit

Black Cherry Plum

Tropical Fruit

Tropical Fruit

Yellow Fruit

Red Fruits

Red Fruits

Strawberry

Herbs & Spices

Herbs & Spices

Spice

What to expect

We are proud to have this wine in our midst. What does it mean to co-ferment? Don't champagne producers do that anyway? Well, the answer is no. Most producers keep every parcel separate and here we see Erick De Sousa, showing his character and fermenting both chardonnay and pinot noir (50:50) to create something truly unique. He also ferments the wine in a mixture of stainless steel and oak. The only other producer we know that does this is Geoffroy with his 'Blanc de Rose' (also on Emperor).

The style is ripe, spicy and powerful yet mineral and fresh with many layers waiting to reveal a vinous and yellow fruit driven appeal that we cannot get enough of. This is most certainly a wine before it is a champagne and so give it time in the glass. The dialogue will be rewarding!

Base vintage: 2014 

Bottled: 08 / 04 / 15 

Disgorged: 15 / 01 / 17 

Dosage: 5 g/L

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"The trend in Champagne is towards keeping parcels separate to increase definition, but De Sousa has boldly co-fermented to created a profoundly seamless union of chardonnay and pinot noir from three of Champagne’s most distinctive villages. The mood of 3A swings dramatically according to its base vintage, and the 2013 season presents quite a contrast to earlier blends.

Ripe pinot noir leaps from the glass in pink musk stick, red cherry and candied strawberry exuberance, declaring a bold and fruity style. It pulls in line on the finish, thanks to well-defined acidity and a tremendous undercurrent of fine salt chalk minerality, the unifying highlight of De Sousa. The 2012 base, by comparison, is a rich style that declares the depth of Aÿ and Ambonnay pinot noir in plum and black cherry fruit, with the expansive mood of oak fermentation expressed in mixed spice, dark fruit cake and dark chocolate. The minerality of Avize triumphs, fine, tense and chalk-rich."

Tyson Stelzer - The Champagne Guide 2018-2019

About the House

About the House

Food Suggestion

The De Sousa family are based in the Grand Cru village of Avize in the Côte Des Blancs. Father and Vigneron Erick De Sousa has a Portuguese background and practices Biodynamic viticulture. The family runs just over 9 hectares, most of which in Avize but also in the Montagne de Reims and Ambonnay, also a small vineyard in the Marne Valley - Mardeuil. The main characteristics of De Sousa Champagne are; *'Vieilles Vignes' or old-vine viticulture. *The vineyards are ploughed traditionally by horse and some of the oldest vines go back to the early 1930's. *Full malolactic fermentation. *Extended lees ageing. *Ageing of reserve wines in barrel. Ericks' winemaking philosophy supports later ripening which allows the vines to benefit from the mineral-rich soils. This interaction enables the champagne to develop a palate profile that has abundance and purity and in our view, a remarkable length and finish compared to many other champagnes.   

Food Suggestion

With a wine that has this sort of power, vinosity and energy, you play in many different arenas of flavour. We love Mexican and think that this could handle and Chicken Mole Poblano with Green Coriander rice. We love this dark, sweet and spicy South American stew with dried ancho chillies, ground nuts and chocolate.