Etienne Calsac, 'Clos des Maladries' Grand Cru 2018

100% Chardonnay

Cote des blancs, Champagne

“Clos des Maladries” is one of very few clos in Champagne. The clos itself is quite small, at only 0.16 ha. It's named after a Maladries, a middle age hospital where contagious patients were kept, that was located on the site hundreds of years ago. The vines were planted in the early 1970s by Etienne's grandfather. The soil here is virtually pure chalk and is composed of a particularly prized type of chalk known as Belemnite, which thought to impart greater minerality and acidity to grapes grown in it. The exposure is due south and the walls of the clos also retain heat which aid in ripening. The vineyard is planted at a high density, farmed without any chemical inputs, and is plowed by horse.

Vinification with malolactic fermentation in 30% oak, 70% stainless steel vats. No fining or filtering. SO2: 36mg/L at press. 36 months aging under cork. Zero dosage.

In 2010, at the age of 26, Etienne Calsac decided to take control of his grandparents’ three hectares of vineyards scattered in and around Avize, which had previously been rented out to the grandes maisons. Chez Calsac, stewardship of the terroir is the basis for great Champagne, so Etienne set out to ensure that all the vineyards are planted with grass cover crops, plowed, and transitioned to organic farming. Etienne himself had worked several vintages helping with press before starting his own domaine, and he decided to maintain the same strict quality controls, as well as add a few personal touches inspired by tastings and conversations with other young vignerons. With dynamic releases and impactful quality, the potential of the domaine is unlimited, though the highly sought-after wines are not.