This column is written by the team at Arrowine & Cheese (4508 Cherry Hill Road). Sign up for the email newsletter and receive exclusive discounts and offers. Order from Arrowine’s expanding online store for curbside pickup or in-store shopping. Have a question? Email thenose@
While major champagne houses dominate retail shelves, a centuries-old family estate in the Grand Cru village of Bouzy offers a distinctive alternative for New Year’s celebrations.
Domaine Jean Vesselle, whose roots in the region stretch back nearly 300 years, crafts a unique style of blanc de noirs that’s garnering critical attention.
Their “Oeil de Perdrix” (Eye of the Partridge) Champagne takes its name from its pale salmon hue, achieved through gentle pressing of 100% Pinot Noir grapes. The color reflects an ancestral technique historically practiced around Bouzy, where Pinot Noir thrives in the chalky soils.
Currently helmed by Delphine Vesselle, who assumed winemaking duties at age 22 in 1993, the estate is transitioning to organic certification. Their 17-hectare property adheres to traditional methods, including hand harvesting and extended lees aging of 24-36 months.
Wine critic Audrey Frick recently awarded the current release 94 points, noting its “pretty perfume of rose water, orange blossom, and peach” alongside “pithy grapefruit citrus and salty minerality.” The wine shows aging potential through 2030.
The trend toward Grower Champagnes (designated as “RM” or récoltant-manipulant on labels) represents a shift in consumer interest toward site-specific expressions that reflect individual villages and vineyards, similar to the evolution seen in other French wine regions.
Now available at Arrowine, this champagne joins their curated selection of artisanal producers from France’s historic wine regions.
