Claude Cazals - Le Mesnil-sur-Oger

Le Mesnil-sur-Oger is all about intense powerfully focused minerality, chalk and wet stone. Parallels with great Puligny-Montrachet are common and precise. As the wines mature, tangerine and apricot flavours can develop. Le Mesnil-sur-Oger is home to two of the most famous cuvées in all of Champagne, the Krug Clos-du-Mesnil and to Salon. Established in 1897, Ernest Cazals, a barrel maker from Herault set up business in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. Born inventors, Olivier and his son Claude came up with many ingenious ideas and inventions to improve the quality of the Champagne process, one very famous one being the “Gyropalette”.

Now run by Delphine Cazals, with their cellars in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. They own 9 hectares of Grand Cru (Oger and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger) and 1er Cru (Vertus and Villeneuve-Renneville) Chardonnay including an exclusive monopole made from their 3.7 hectare Clos in Oger, Clos Cazals. Grand father Olivier planted this vineyard in 1947. Delphine Cazals is now at the helm producing better and better Champagnes at every opportunity. No doubt, being married to Olivier Bonville from Franck Bonville in Avize helps! Quality is on the improve (if that is possible!) – With some 1/3 of Delphine’s grapes being sold to Bollinger, Deutz and Roederer – and their winemaker used to work for Bollinger.

Most exports go to Belgium, Germany, Japan and now also just recently the U.K. Delphine has initiative and innovation in abundance and is determined to develop a unique style of Champagne – characterised by elegance and finesse in counterpoint with the rich treasures of this unique terroir.