Jean Vesselle - Bouzy

Bouzy is famous for its Pinot Noir. Compared to Ambonnay, it is more mineral and has less macerated red fruit character. There is a certain nervous edge to the wines. Large in overall structure, maybe even robust with smoky bacon overtones but there is still an under-lying elegance, acid and mineral kick that concentrates all the flavours.

 

The Vesselle family have been vignerons in Bouzy for 300 years and farm 11 ha of vines in two parcels. All Grand Cru with 90% Pinot Noir and 10% Chardonnay. Delphine Vesselle carries on the family tradition after her father passed away at an early age in 1996.  After 6 years at “ lycée viticole de la Champagne” she did work experience in South Africa, Australia and Japan. The wines show their Pinot Noir heritage but there is a subtlety and elegance which makes the entire range of Champagnes very enchanting.

Changes are underway in the cuverie with a redesign and extension allowing room to store wines in bottle for longer and also to allow for more oak. Delphine’s husband David is the technocrat – bringing new ideas and innovation into an already top performing property. David is the black sheep of the family being from a grape growing family in Chouilly  – he has adapted very quickly and is open to new ideas and tastes widely across all wine styles from all countries. He is now the driving force behind this leading producer in Bouzy.

 

One of the highlights of the entire Jean Vesselle collection is the unique 100% Pinot Noir Champagne “Le Petit Clos” made from the .0822 acres which constitutes the little walled area next to the winery in Bouzy. This tiny micro-climate allows the grapes to be picked at optimal maturity, then vinified and stored in small oak barriques from Meursault using natural yeast, no fining, no filtration, battonage and no malolactic fermentation. They only make one or two barrels of this. The quality of this remarkable cuvée is testament to the wine making passion of Delphine and David.