Drappier : Grande Sendrée 2015

Tasting characteristics and advice for Drappier Grande Sendrée 2015

Tasting

Appearance
The wine shows a bright golden hue with glinting highlights. The effervescence stands out for its remarkable finesse and consistency, with delicate bubbles rising in a persistent bead. The mousse is creamy and dense, reflecting extended aging on the lees.

Nose
The nose opens with aromas of ripe white fruits, notably pear and mirabelle plum, accompanied by delicate floral notes of peony and hawthorn. With aeration, the bouquet evolves toward more complex nuances of honey, brioche, and toasted hazelnut. Mineral touches of damp chalk and beeswax add an extra dimension, while subtle spicy notes complete the aromatic profile.

Palate
The attack is broad and generous, revealing fine richness supported by a signature chalky tension. The texture charms with its remarkable silkiness, while flavors of candied citrus and dried fruits unfold harmoniously. The palate expresses a perfect balance between the power of pinot noir and the mineral freshness of chardonnay. The finish lingers at length, marked by saline notes and a slight bitterness of citrus peel that adds complexity.

Food and wine pairings

This exceptional champagne pairs beautifully with seafood, notably oysters and crab, thanks to its natural minerality and salinity. It also matches fine fish such as turbot with hollandaise sauce or scallop carpaccio. For bolder pairings, Grande Sendrée 2015 elevates a rack of lamb with foie gras or a Bresse poultry dish with cream and truffles. Aged cheeses such as an 18-month Comté also make a remarkable match. Served as an aperitif, it will awaken the palate with elegance.

Serving and cellaring

Grande Sendrée 2015 is best enjoyed at a temperature between 10 and 12°C. This champagne is built for long cellaring and can be kept until around 2040. Bottles should be stored horizontally in a cool, dark place free from vibration to preserve their aging potential.

A sun-kissed, mineral champagne from the Côte des Bar

The estate

Founded in 1808 in Urville in the Aube, the Drappier House embodies more than two centuries of Champagne excellence. The estate now spans 110 hectares, including 60 hectares owned outright and 27 hectares certified organic. Led by the family’s eighth generation—Michel Drappier and his children Charline, Hugo, and Antoine—the House stands out for its pioneering environmental commitment, becoming in 2016 the first Champagne estate certified carbon neutral. Drappier is renowned for its minimal dosage and its predominance of pinot noir, which represents 70% of the plantings. The historic cellars, dug in 1152 by Cistercian monks under the guidance of Saint Bernard, house the House’s finest cuvées.

The vineyard

Grande Sendrée comes from a single plot located in Urville, in the Côte des Bar. This outstanding terroir rests on clay-limestone soils rich in Kimmeridgian limestone, identical to that of Chablis’ great crus. The plot’s south/southeast exposure encourages even, optimal ripening of the grapes, even in especially sunny vintages. These deep soils naturally concentrate aromas while preserving the mineral tension essential to the champagne’s balance. The plot’s name refers to the ashes that covered it after the village’s devastating fire in 1838, with a deliberately preserved historical spelling.

The vintage

The year 2015 in Champagne is defined by its sunny, generous character. After a mild winter, an icy spring gave way to a prolonged heatwave from mid-May to mid-August, with exceptional sunshine and periods of drought. These conditions yielded perfectly ripe grapes with fine aromatic concentration. Pinot noir developed remarkable density and flesh, while chardonnay retained its mineral tension and mouthwatering freshness. Timely rains at the end of August ensured optimal ripening, producing berries of exceptional balance and generosity.

Winemaking and aging

Grande Sendrée 2015 is made exclusively from first-press juice, extracted by low-pressure mechanical pressing. Clarification is carried out by gravity, without pumping, to preserve aromatic delicacy. Alcoholic fermentation takes place at low temperature for about two weeks. Malolactic fermentation is partially carried out to preserve mineral tension. Around 35% of the wine is aged for nine months in large oak vats, bringing complexity and structure without imprinting pronounced oaky notes. After blending, the wine is bottled without filtration or fining. The second fermentation takes place in the final bottle, followed by aging on slats for at least six to seven years in the chalk cellars. Riddling is entirely done by hand for this prestige cuvée. The dosage liqueur, aged for more than fifteen years in Limousin oak barrels and then in demijohns, is added sparingly at disgorgement.

Grape varieties

Pinot noir (55%)
Chardonnay (45%)