Wine Enthusiast - 92 Points
"This wine has the classic richness of Pinot Noir, with a touch of textured tannin and bright red fruits. It needs more bottle age, so drink this wine from 2017. This is one of three Champagnes in a series of limited releases named after Dumangin ancestors (Hippolyte was the first to make Champagne)." Roger Voss
Producer: Champagne J. Dumangin
Wine: Brut Nature Pinot Noir Cuvee Hippolyte NV. "Hippolyte" was the 1st generation of Champagne maker in the family at the end of the 1800s.
Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir
Nose: Green plums and layer upon layer of citrus
Palate: Rich, full-bodied, well-structured with lovely freshness and mellowness
Food: Roasted chicken
Cellaring: Drink now or holds
CHAMPAGNE DUMANGIN
Chigny-les-Roses, Champagne
The Dumangin family can be traced back to working in the vineyards since the 1650's. Champagne Dumangin was created by Hippolyte Dumangin in the 1890s in the 1er Cru village of Chigny-les-Roses. Jacky Dumangin, three generations later, perfected the characteristically feminine Premier Cru champagne range. His son, Gilles Dumangin, 5th generation of successful winemakers, expanded the domaine by introducing several high-end cuvees that helped position his domaine.
The installations for pressing and making the wines have been awarded the quality label by the CIVC. His press of 2000Kg (4409 pounds) combines modernism and tradition and is one of only two made of this type in the world. It crushes the grapes ever so delicately, with less pressure and more respect for the grape, adhering to the family philosophy of never "stressing" the grapes at any point during the production process. Gilles Dumangin is one of the few producers in Champagne who utilizes enamel tanks in which the porosity maintains a signature yeast component cuvee after cuvee.
Champagne Dumangin J. Fils has more than 13 acres in the prestigious Montagne de Reims and is considered a classic recoltant-manipulant (grower producer) who carefully controls every aspect of production, from picking to bottling, to hand riddling.
Trio des Ancêtres Cuvée Hippolyte is a Blanc de Pinot Noir (100%). Hippolyte was the first generation of Champagne maker in the family at the end of the 1800's (Gilles is the 5th). Placed in barriques in May of 2001, bottled in May 2002, and disgorged with no dosage as a Brut Nature after 12 years on lees. Estate bottled.
The Champagne production zone (AOC vineyard area) is defined and delimited by a law passed in 1927, encompassing roughly 85,000 acres of vineyards. There are four main growing areas in the Champagne: the Montagne de Reims, the Côte des Blancs, the Valley de la Marne and the Côte des Bar. Together they encompass nearly 280,000 plots of vine. 17 villages have a traditional entitlement to Grand Cru ranking and 42 to Premier Cru ranking.
Champagne has a history of vine-growing that dates back to the dawn of Christianity, and its vineyard boundaries have been defined by France’s appellation system (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée or AOC) since 1927.
With its northern location, rugged climate, distinctive soil type and hillside vineyards, the Champagne terroir is the only one of its kind – as original as the wine it produces. Champagne had two major distinguishing features: northerly latitude and a dual climate that is subject to oceanic and continental influences alike.
Montagne de Reims
Montagne de Reims is one of the five sub-regions of the Champagne wine region. It is located north of Vallée de la Marne, Côte de Sézanne and Côte des Blancs. The region is located around Reims Mountain, from Reims to Épernay, and contains nine Grands Crus villages.
Information by: Champagne.fr
