Pascal Doquet: A Treasure in the Côte des Blancs 12-23-23

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Pascal Doquet: A Treasure in the Côte des Blancs



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“It’s the viticulture that makes the difference, not the vinification.” -Pascal Doquet

With an eye towards thoughtful, organic farming, Pascal Doquet epitomizes grower Champagne. Not only does his estate encompass some of the finest terroir in all of Champagne in the illustrious Côte des Blancs, his organic-certified parcels boast significant amounts of old vines. His resulting Champagnes are a magnificent tribute to his masterful and conscientious farming.

Since 1982, Doquet has worked his family’s estate alongside his father. He took over completely in 1995 and began rolling out more environmentally-friendly practices under the French concept of lutte raisonnée. His passion for the vineyards and for his farming methods came to a head in 2004, when his sister forced the break-up of the family estate, Doquet-Jeanmaire, to farm more conventionally. (It was a different time, especially in Champagne, which only recently saw organic and biodynamic farming take off. Even today, only one Grande Marque, Roederer, boasts significant biodynamic holdings.) No longer retrained by other voices, Doquet named his estate after himself and began converting his holdings to certified organic. Today, he has nine hectares of vines in the villages of Vertus, Le Mont Aimé and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger.

Doquet’s vines are farmed with cover crops and managed by hand or by ultra-light tractor so as to not compact the chalk and silex (flint) soils. In the fields, he limits use of copper, allowed in organic farming but controversial since it accumulates in the soil. Grapes are hand-harvested and rigorously sorted before undergoing a gentle pressing in the winery. Fermentation occurs in enamel-lined tanks or neutral oak using indigenous yeast with extended aging on the gross lees. Doquet limits the use of sulfur, and the wines naturally undergo malolactic fermentation.  

Though the wines are rarely reviewed, most recent notes can be found from Stephan Reinhardt of the Wine Advocate in 2018. Reinhardt wrote up the 2006 releases and their accompanying NVs. Much of his prose is dedicated to descriptions of the mineral character of the wine, with repeated use of terms such as saline, chalky, iodine, flinty, or crystalline. While rich in mineral notes, these wines are not austere. Instead, they deliver generous layers of fruit and leesy character balanced by refreshing elegance.

These are grower Champagnes in the truest sense of the term, strikingly beautiful, and extremely limited in quantity.

“The wines of Pascal Doquet burst with energy and verve and deliver mineral-laden, multi-layered expressions of his terroirs.  These are wines for people looking to experience the scintillating flavors of the Côte-des-Blancs ‘sans maquillage’ (without makeup).” -Schatzi Wines

In Stock Now from Pascal Doquet:

Pascal Doquet ‘Arpege’ Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru Extra Brut (2017-base) NV 750ml $69 special, 28 bottles in stock now
Importer note “The chardonnay for “Arpège” comes from Vertus, Villeneuve and Mont Aimé—the grapes that are not in the Coeur de Terroir series. There is substantial reserve wine in the blend, preserved in enamel tanks to maintain freshness. Aromas of spice, black tea and pear dominate the flinty-silex soils from the Mont Aimé and lend smokiness and depth to the structure.”

Pascal Doquet ‘Arpege’ Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru Extra Brut (2015-base) NV 750ml $59 special, 4 bottles in stock now
Importer note “Arpège is now the basic, non-vintage wine at the estate, with the “Horizon” bottling now being firmly established in other markets… “Arpège” is in a different league; it’s finer in tone and more complex. The chardonnay comes from Vertus, Villeneuve and Mont Aimé—the grapes that are not in the Coeur de Terroir series… There is substantial reserve wine in the blend, preserved in enamel tanks to maintain freshness. Aromas of spice, black tea and pear dominate the flinty-silex soils from the Mont Aimé and lend smokiness and depth to the structure.”

Pascal Doquet ‘Arpege’ Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru Brut Nature NV 750ml $59 special, 1 bottle in stock now
Producer note “100% Chardonnay from the south of the Cote des Blancs. 66% vintage 2015 and 34% ‘reserve perpetuelle’ wines. Bottled in April 2015 and disgorged in February 2022. Brut nature.”

Pascal Doquet ‘Champs Libres’ Blanc de Blancs Brut (2018-base) NV 750ml $49 special, 28 bottles in stock now
100% Chardonnay from 2018. Vinification 100% in vats.

Pascal Doquet ‘Diapason’ Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut (2015-base) NV 750ml $89 special, 9 bottles in stock now
Pascal Doquet ‘Diapason’ Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut NV 1.5L $169 special, 2 magnums in stock now
Importer note “Pascal’s grandfather consolidated to 1 hectare in which Pascal still owns 60 acres of, including “Les Migraines” where he has very old vines, planted in 1929. Approximately half is fermented in enamel and the rest in neutral barrel. It’s as impressive a non-vintage Champagne as is available anywhere. There are aromas of ginger, anise, zest and sandalwood, and the Champagne emphasizes the spicy characteristics of Le Mesnil. The wine finishes with some cut which helps focus the finish.”

Pascal Doquet Grand Cru Le Mesnil-Sur-Oger Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut 2009 750ml $149 special, 5 bottles in stock now
Winery note “Pascal is fortunate to have some very old parcels in the mid-slope of this renowned Grand Cru village. His grandfather consolidated nearly a hectare of vines in Champ d’Alouettes, of which Pascal owns 60% of the original holdings. He also has very old vines in Les Migraines planted in 1929, as well as Chétillons, Coullemets and Finciarts. From these sites, Doquet selects the best lots and vinifies them for the Coeur de Terroir range. Aged for 12 years sur latte, this wine was disgorged with a mere 2 grams MCR. It’s Pascal’s most complex wine, showing ginger, anise and blueberry.”

Pascal Doquet Le Mont Aime Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru Extra Brut 2009 750ml $95 special, 9 bottles in stock now
Importer note “The Mont Aimé lieu-dit is east of Vertus and faces due south. Even so, it is a cooler microclimate than Pascal’s parcels in Le Mesnil and Vertus and ripening here can happen a week later. Previous vintages were fermented in tank to support the racy, linear style of the wine, but as things evolve, Pascal now ferments roughly half in neutral barrel and half in enamel lined stainless steel tanks, which brings out a cool blueberry and smoky characteristic common to flinty, silex soils.”

Pascal Doquet Champ d’Alouettes Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru, Le Mesnil-Sur-Oger 2004 750ml $179 special, 12 bottles in stock
From the single vineyard Champ d’Alouettes in the village of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, the rarest of his cuvees.

We are proud to offer these limited-availability wines. While the production amounts aren’t high, we strive to offer you a wide selection. Champagnes of this quality and scarcity are generally double or triple the price! So act now before someone else does…