The Vesselle name is a hallmark of quality in Bouzy – and while Maurice Vesselle may not be as widely known as Jean Vesselle, their wines are equally superb. Maurice Vesselle wines are classic Bouzy power, with depth, structure, and intensity – all without sacrificing any verve or tension – with prices that feel absurdly approachable! Come see for yourself…

Back in 1955, Maurice Vesselle, the fourth generation in a large family of winemakers in Bouzy, first branched out on his own and put his name on a Champagne label. Now, decades later, the Maurice Vesselle house rests in the capable hands of his two sons, Didier and Thierry, who are proudly known as the “Vesselles who plough.” Their hands-on approach of “earthing up” the vines in the winter and “earthing down” in the spring allows the roots to grow strong and deep. This is a traditional method that is painstaking and time-consuming, yet it leaves less pollution behind than herbicides and helps to rebalance the ecosystem. Their method is meant to stress the vines, but not in a neglectful way – more so a way to train them and make them healthier and more robust over time. Didier has said of their approach, “Yesterday we were called old-fashioned, today we’re avant-garde.”

As an almost unspoken rule, Champagne Maurice Vesselle seeks out minerality – a quality abundant in the wines of the Côte des Blancs, but somewhat more elusive in this portion of the Montagne de Reims, as powerful fruit backbones define the style of Bouzy. For this reason, they vinify plot by plot in temperature-controlled stainless steel, allowing them to highlight those lots that achieve the qualities they seek and build out their final blends from there. And finally, they show the necessary patience to allow it all to come together. With 80% Pinot Noir, the balance of Chardonnay helps integrate some acidity and minerality into the fruitier skeleton, as does the slight, Extra Brut-worthy dosage of only 5 grams per liter.

Their La Cuvée 53 is powerful and brooding right out the gate, with a wild note of cider apples and iron shavings, sourdough boules, and a whisper of freshly-poured asphalt. Things brighten up considerably in the mouth, as notes of apricot, golden apple, dried mango, and tart cranberry come to the fore. The lingering element of your favorite Parisian-style bakery carries this into a long, dry, and mouth-coating finish, with a hint of toasted almonds that flitters about the tongue long after your final sip. Fantastic now, but with life to extend over another few years, this is something worth savoring! We’re delighted to have found another Bouzy Vesselle to wrap our arms around… and excited to see what’s next for these two charismatic brothers!