Champagne J M Seleque Solessence Extra Brut NV

Jean-Marc Sélèque is a third-generation vigneron, with a focus on crafting authentic expressions of the family’s holdings in the Marne Valley. He grew up in Champagne on the family’s estate, but set out on his own to travel the world and learn wine from the perspective of the world’s other top regions like Napa and Australia, before returning home in 2008. His journeys have guided his vision for the winery’s future – including a transition to biodynamics, and a thoughtful and sustainable focus on how best to achieve the sort of agriculture that reflects the purity of Champagne possible on the family’s holdings. His Solessence Extra Brut bottling is the torch bearer of these efforts – a careful and considered blend of all the various plots into a round and fresh expression of the Sélèque style.

A blend of 50% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Meunier, and 10% Pinot Noir form the basis of this non-vintage cuvée – sourced from more than 45 tiny plots in seven different villages, and totalling to just 9 hectares of vineyards. The vin clair is aged for a full 10 months in a mix of stainless steel tanks and oak barrels before making the transition to a sparkling wine – though first blended with an impressive 50% of the estate’s perpetual reserve blend. A full 24 months on the lees follows for integration and richness, finished by a minuscule Extra Brut dosage of just 2 grams per liter.

And the result? An elegant combination of linear purity and balanced decadence – where nutty and toasty elements of almonds and nougat are followed by golden apples, brioche, and grass-fed butter. The entrancing ambrosia strikes the glass pale gold in color and boasting a fine perlage – but that first sip reveals this is as lively, with a taut and firm tension throughout. Sushi ginger, Korean pear, and a barely-there oxidative note give this all kinds of complexity, with a finish that is an absolute gourmand's delight. This is the sort of bottling that will make you fall even deeper in love with top-notch Grower Champagne. We only wish we had more to share!