Eric and Isabelle Coulon, alongside their children, Louise and Edgar, spend much of their time maintaining the family’s 11 hectares of vines here in the northern reaches of the Montagne de Reims. The vineyard is now certified organic, a distinction achieved in 2019, shortly after this wine was bottled and moved into the aging cellars for its 60 months on the lees. Eric has returned the house to very traditional Champagne winemaking – with two notable exceptions… dosage and picking times. Decades and centuries ago, dosage levels in Champagne were very, very high – with the majority of Brut Champagnes dosage up the very upper limit of the classification – at or near 12 grams/liter. Today, most Bruts fall in the 7-10 range, with the majority of grower producers opting to go lower still for Brut. Then, there’s the picking times… advances in agriculture, plus the ever-looming threat of global warming means that many grapes in Champagne are picked riper than ever before – not to mention that some of Champagne's great icons hang their hat on more vinous styles made from grapes at full ripeness. One of those icons is Francis Egly – who just happens to be Eric’s brother-in-law.

This Esprit de Vrigny is blended to showcase three primary soils in Vrigny – and the grapes that thrive in each. The chardonnay is planted on limestone chalk, with the pinot noir grown on rich clay, and lastly the pinot meunier planted on Thanetian sand. Each grape is harvested and fermented separately – via native yeast – before resting in neutral oak barrels for a minimum of ten months. From there, the blend is fashioned, with the wine bottled and capped for aging on the lees over the next 60 months. Eric aims for lower pressure than most Champagne producers today, opting for around 4.5 kg instead of the more typical 6 kg of pressure – yielding a softer palate and more subtle entry on the attack – which is ideal for food. 

The wine showcases ample minerality and earthy accents on the aroma initially – with wet slate, crushed chalk, and sun-dried hay aspects. Pears and golden plums follow, with crumbly English biscuits, white cherries, and sage on the finish. For a Brut Nature, the wine is exceptionally generous, but comes to a focused and persistent close – bone-dry and ready to anticipate your next glorious sip! This is a thoughtful and pleasing Champagne that is a suitable introduction to a new (to Last Bubbles, anyway) grower house of the highest quality. The Wine Advocate’s William Kelley perhaps said it best, “These are vinous, intensely flavored Champagnes of considerable character, … so I'm a little ashamed that it has taken me so long to beat a path to the Coulons' door, given the quality and consistency this visit revealed. These wines will certainly find a place in my own cellar, and I warmly encourage readers to try them.”

Indeed. Just over ten cases available and sure to delight and impress the fastest amongst you all on this fine Wednesday morning! Go get ‘em!