Étienne Calsac L'Échappé Belle Extra Brut
43.01₣ (Inc. VAT bot. 75 cl.) / Spain
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Étienne Calsac’s 2021 vintage-based NV Blanc de Blancs L'Échappée Belle, disgorged in May 2024 with a dosage of four grams per liter, combines the broad-shouldered musculature and amplitude of Montgenost in Côte de Sézanne (half of the blend) with the tauter, acid-laden profile of Grauves in Côte des Blancs and the texture of Bisseuil in Grande Vallée. Defined by the incisive base vintage, complemented by 20% of reserve wines from 2020, it unfolds from the glass with aromas of citrus fruit, white flowers and pear. Medium-bodied, pillowy and underpinned by bright acidity, it concludes with a delicately chalky finish. Vinified mostly in tank, with about 30% in oak, it represents half of the grower’s production.
Features
Style
Occasions
Winery
Size
Appellation
Alcohol
12.0%
Grapes
Serving
Between 8ºC and 10ºC
Winemaking
Aged for a minimum of 30 months in the bottle before disgorging.
Description
Étienne Calsac is part of a new generation of vignerons who work inherited plots with conviction and finesse, elevating the expression of the terroir without compromise. In 2010, he took over the family vineyards in Grauves, in the Côte des Blancs, an area with a cooler climate and clay-limestone soils. Where grapes used to be sold to large maisons, Calsac decided to vinify with his own personal stamp: minimum interventionism, maximum transparency. L'Échappée Belle - "The Great Evasion" - refers not only to his break with the status quo, but also to the freedom with which he interprets Chardonnay.
Étienne Calsac L'Échappée Belle Extra Brut is made from 100% Chardonnay, sourced from Grauves, the Côte des Blancs, the Côte de Sézanne and the Grande Vallée de la Marne. Since 2011, Calsac has kept a perpetual reserve specifically for this cuvée, which allows it to include 30% reserve wines that add complexity without losing freshness.
Winemaking
The vinification of Étienne Calsac L'Échappée Belle Extra Brut follows an artisanal approach: spontaneous fermentations with indigenous yeasts, no fining or filtering. 25% of the wine is aged in used barrels, the rest in stainless steel, with ageing on fine lees for 18 to 24 months. Natural malolactic fermentation is allowed, and the dosage is Extra Brut, to maintain the wine's tension and clarity.
Taste
The bubbles of Étienne Calsac L'Échappée Belle Extra Brut are fine and persistent, almost ethereal. On the nose, it unfolds slowly: green apple, candied lemon, raw almond and a delicate hint of brioche. Notes of white flowers, chalk and grapefruit peel also appear. On the palate, the entry is sharp, with a precise and electric acidity that sets the pace. The centre of the mouth is more enveloping, with a creamy texture, but never loses its vertical drive. The finish is long, mineral and saline, with an elegant citrus bitterness that cleanses the palate. A pure, filigree Champagne of great character and clarity, ideal for those seeking depth without ornamentation.
Shipping to Peninsular Spain
FREE shipping on orders over 188.87₣ or for 18 bottles or more in 6-bottle multiples (24, 30, 36, 42, 48, 54 and 60 bottles)Estimated transit time: 2-3 working days.
| Bottles | Price | Over 188.87₣ |
|---|---|---|
| 1-6 | 6.52₣ | 0.00₣ (-6.52₣) |
| 7-12 | 6.52₣ | 0.00₣ (-6.52₣) |
| 13-17 | 12.18₣ | 0.00₣ (-12.18₣) |
| 18 | Free | 0.00₣ (Free) |
| 19-23 | 15.01₣ | 0.00₣ (-15.01₣) |
| 24 | Free | 0.00₣ (Free) |
| 25-29 | 18.70₣ | 0.00₣ (-18.70₣) |
| 30 | Free | 0.00₣ (Free) |
| 31-35 | 21.63₣ | 0.00₣ (-21.63₣) |
| 36 | Free | 0.00₣ (Free) |
| 37-41 | 25.40₣ | 0.00₣ (-25.40₣) |
| 42 | Free | 0.00₣ (Free) |
| 43-47 | 27.29₣ | 0.00₣ (-27.29₣) |
| 48 | Free | 0.00₣ (Free) |
| 49-53 | 32.01₣ | 0.00₣ (-32.01₣) |
| 54 | Free | 0.00₣ (Free) |
| 55-59 | 33.90₣ | 0.00₣ (-33.90₣) |
| 60 | Free | 0.00₣ (Free) |
| VAT included | ||
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