As I’m sure you’ll appreciate, stocks of Jacques Selosse are very limited and offered on allocation. In fact, they are tighter than ever following recent low-yielding harvests and a welcome crack-down by the domain on grey market trading and speculation. We’ve never liked to hold ‘guns to heads’ when allocating these but always appreciate some support for our other offerings. Lots of other gems lie within...
We are immensely proud to be the exclusive UK agents for this revered domain, a privilege we have enjoyed for the past 16 years. Sharing out our allocation has become more and more challenging with each passing year, not only because of vintage pressures but as word of how extraordinary these wines are continues to spread.
Profound wines from profound thinkers. ‘Montrachet with bubbles’ (Antonio Galloni) will give you some idea. The baton has recently passed from Anselme to Guillaume, father to son, with the impact of a few early tweaks showing that the domain remains in great hands.
Anselme’s parents carried out their first vinification in 1964. Ten years later Anselme was given the keys to the domain. He thus began his professional career with what would become a lifelong process of observation, trial and error and contemplation in regard to his viticultural methods and practices. This empirical approach to viticulture and vinification is perhaps his most remarkable trait as a winegrower. From 1990 to 1996 the principles of agro-biology were applied in the vineyards, from 1996 his focus turned to bio-dynamics. In 2002 Anselme distanced himself from the bio-dynamic doctrine, defying the usual codes and processes as he did not wish to have a hand in influencing nature. The thoughts and reflections of Masanobu Fukuoa and permaculture had begun to inspire him and subsequently the attention he pays to the vines and the wine. Anselme and Guillaume often make references to “gatherers”, those who venture out into nature to reap the harvest and collect the fruit found there: “Primum non nocere”. First, do no harm. The Hippocratic Oath...“It is man who perturbs nature the most thus one must refrain from intervening as often as possible ».
This dedication and spirit has been passed on to the next generation, with Anselme and Corinne’s son, Guillaume working side by side with his father since 2012, During the time spent working side by side with his father, he has naturally been developing his own viticultural skills and inclinations which will most certainly lend a unique identity to the wines in the future. It is already clear, as witnessed by the clamour for Guillaume’s initial personal bottlings, that the domain is in safe hands. With ever greater understanding of their vines and their craft, the wines get more profound year after year.
Available Wines
The Lieux Dits are built on a base vintage, plus a perpetual reserve of the preceding years. The two sets of wines are blended in a large tank and then bottled. The perpetual reserve cask is re-filled, and what remains is bottled as that year’s release. Thus, the production of the lieux-dits varies from year to year. The concept behind these wines is to erase the marker of vintage so that the terroir of these sites is centre stage.
The Lieux Dits are built on a base vintage, plus a perpetual reserve of the preceding years. The two sets of wines are blended in a large tank and then bottled. The perpetual reserve cask is re-filled, and what remains is bottled as that year’s release. Thus, the production of the lieux-dits varies from year to year. The concept behind these wines is to erase the marker of vintage so that the terroir of these sites is centre stage.
The main production of the domain, blending vineyards on lower slopes from Avize, Cramant and Oger. Version Original. Floral and mineral with mind-blowing richness and presence on the palate. Extra Brut.
The base wine is all Chardonnay with the addition of Pinot Noir from a few barrels made by Francis Egly in Ambonnay. Extraordinary freshness and depth, with a beguiling mix of citrus, cranberry and wild strawberry.
This is made from fruit sourced from higher, steeper slopes, mainly in Avize, where the layer of chalk sits right beneath the vine. A wine of almost frightening intensity with mineral grip and a pure, focussed palate with notes of white pepper, crushed flowers and dried apricot.
The Lieux Dits are built on a base vintage, plus a perpetual reserve of the preceding years. The two sets of wines are blended in a large tank and then bottled. The perpetual reserve cask is re-filled, and what remains is bottled as that year’s release. Thus, the production of the lieux-dits varies from year to year. The concept behind these wines is to erase the marker of vintage so that the terroir of these sites is centre stage.
