Vinopolpick Thursday – October 31

October 31, 2013

Near the Eastern edge of the Vallee de la Marne lies the famous city of Aÿ in the heart of Champagne.  Here, in 1838, two Prussian immigrants founded Champagne Deutz.  The founders, William Deutz, a negociant, and Pierre-Jubert Geldermann, a Champagne salesman, began by purchasing wine in the bottle (sur lattes) and disgorged and added the dosage in house.  They began buying up plots of vineyards within the Cote des Blancs and around Aÿ to ensure they could use the best grapes for their wines.

From this humble beginning Deutz grew and gained recognition.  In 1882, it became one of the founding members of the Syndicat du Commerce des Vins de Champagne, the organization that represents the large champagne houses.  The organization swelled to as many as 61 houses.  In 1912, the less powerful houses broke off and formed the Syndicat des Négoçiants en Vins de Champagne.  The original organization was renamed in 1964.  Due to disputes over whether it should require quality standards, the organization was reformed as the Club des Grandes Marques in 1993 with only 24 members.  It now includes quality standards.

Andrè Lallier, a decedent of the founders, modernized their wine-making technologies in the 1980s and 1990s.  Stainless steel fermentation vats replaced wood, allowing them to better control fermentation temperatures and eliminate wood flavors from the base wine.  Improved methods eliminated oxidation to further purify aromas and flavors.  The two families have maintained their connection to the business since its foundation: Lallier’s son is the Export Director and owns 100 acres of vineyards.

Today, the company is headed by Fabrice Rosset and produces 1.4 million bottles a year.  Deutz sources grapes from 275 acres of vineyards, 80% of these grapes are sourced from Grand Cru and Premier Cru sites.  Their growers practice sustainable growing methods that are tailored to each plot.  The wines are aged beneath Aÿ in chalk cellars.  Their style is elegance, balance and finesse, with extended lees aging for a rich depth of flavors.  Their Brut Vintage wines are hand-harvested in the best years and undergo 100% malolactic fermentation.  They spend three years ageing on the lees for extra richness and are riddled by hand.  Their rose wines use small amounts of red base wine to add color and flavor and are aged for four years.  The Cuvee William sees at least five years of aging, and is made only during the greatest vintages.

Deutz Brut Classic NV ($59.95) $37.00 special, 12 bottles available
Deutz Brut Classic NV 375ML ($29.95) $21.90 special, 12 bottles available
Deutz Brut Classic NV 1.5L ($99.95) $79.00 special, 5 bottles available

Stephen Tanzer 90 points: “Light yellow. Toasty lees, poached pear and lemon rind on the pungent nose. Offers an array of sappy citrus and orchard fruit flavors and becomes spicier with air. The lemon and lees notes come back on the broad, clear finish.”

Wine Spectator 92 points: “A smoky, minerally undertow supports the flavors of black currant, kumquat, honey, toasted brioche and baked apple in this firm version, with an intense and lively bead. Best from 2015 through 2026.”

Stephen Tanzer 91 points: “Light, bright straw. Lemon zest, green apple and chalky minerals on the fragrant nose. Dry and precise, offering energetic citrus and orchard fruit flavors that pick up anise and honeysuckle nuances with air. Closes stony and long, with lingering floral and iodine notes.”

Stephen Tanzer 92 points: “Bright yellow-gold. A heady, complex bouquet evokes dried citrus fruits, quince, white flowers and iodine, with a hint of truffle in the background. Shows both power and finesse, offering lively Meyer lemon, orange pith and fresh fig flavors. The floral quality builds with air and carries through a very long, mineral-accented finish.”

Best Champagne: “Deutz Brut Millesimé has an upright character that is both powerful and elegant.  The colour is bright and the bubbles are persistent.  The entry is clear-cut and stylish, with the palate then showing flavours of fruits, spices and mild tobacco.  It is well build and beautifully balanced.”

Stephen Tanzer 93 points: “Bright pink. Pungent, expansive aromas of dried red berries and cherry, with a brighter suggestion of blood orange and a hint of anise. Deeply pitched citrus and red berry flavors are complicated by notes of candied rose and white pepper and gain spiciness with air. Finishes on a refreshingly bitter citrus pith note, with excellent persistence. Seems fully mature but there’s no rush to drink this.”

Wine Spectator 91 points: “Firm and fresh, this is lightly chalky in texture, displaying a delicate mesh of white cherry, wild strawberry and white peach fruit, with notes of ground ginger, smoke and blanched almond. Elegant, with a lasting finish. Drink now through 2018.”

Antonio Galloni 93 points: “Readers who want to understand why 2008 is such a fabulous vintage for Champagne should check out Deutz’s 2008 Brut Rosé. A tense, brilliant wine, the 2008 impresses for its energy, cut and pure crystalline focus. Even with all the mineral-infused cut, the 2008 is gorgeous and accessible today. Sweet floral notes add lift on the finish, but ultimately, the 2008 Rosé is really a wine of texture.”