NICOLAS FEUILLATTE STYLE
Precision, elegance and finesse
From grape to glass
Our cellar master, Guillaume Roffiaen
Guillaume Roffiaen’s passion for wine began at an early age. Having studied agricultural engineering and agribusiness, his passion led him to Reims, where he qualified with a National Diploma in Agriculture (DNO) in 2002. Champagne became his inspiration and work experience at the Centre Vinicole alongside Jean-Pierre Vincent, the Cellar Master at the time, would be a turning point in his exceptional career. In March 2014, he returned to Nicolas Feuillatte as Director of Winemaking and Quality. Through his unstinting, meticulous approach, he was appointed Chief Winemaker in 2017 et Director of Vines and Wines in 2018.
"While Champagne is a truly exceptional product,
not only exceptional events deserve Champagne"
AN EXCEPTIONAL VARIETY OF CRUS, OFFERING INFINITE BLENDING POSSIBILITIES
At the heart of our champagnes lies a land of excellence recognised as a World Heritage site by Unesco, and an authentic savoir-faire.
Drawing their strength and full flavours from a remarkable array of crus, enhanced by the subtle art of blending, Nicolas Feuillatte champagnes reflect the harmony, finesse and freshness of this unique region. An extensive variety of perfectly ripe grapes make up the champagnes in our range, vinified individually by cru or by area and by grape variety, together with a meticulous selection of Grands Crus and Premiers Crus. The mosaic of soils sculpt wonderfully nuanced champagne: sandy doils create supple, light and fruity wines, while soild on marl and limestone clay create wines allying structure with fruit, chalk soils bring minerality and freshness and complex aromas that develop over time.
Guillaume Roffiaen, our cellar master has an exceptional variety of crus at his disposal, offering infinite blending possibilities.
The champagne-making process
All the elements align to create perfectly balanced Champagnes reflecting their origin. It all begins with perfectly ripe grapes vinified separately by cru, by different plot, and by grape varietal, which in years to come will form the cuvées within the range.
Like an artist in front of a blank canvas, the cellar master is faced with a vast spectrum of textures and aromas, offering scores of potential combinations, which epitomise the beauty and sheer wealth of the Champagne region.
MULTI-VINTAGE CHAMPAGNES
The cornerstone of Champagne tradition, blending (assemblage) is the pinnacle of the Champagne making process. Grape varieties, crus and individual harvest years offer multiple variations, and any one of these elements may become the focus for a particular Champagne style.
For the cellar master, reserve wines play a central role in the creative process. Selected for their quality, consistency, diversity and long ageing potential, they account for the balance in Nicolas Feuillatte cuvées.
VINTAGE CHAMPAGNES
In the case of vintages, the prevailing weather conditions from a specific year dictate. A vintage wine will bring the specific character of the year to the Champagne, to which is added the typical style and singularity of a particular cuvée, whether Cuvée Spéciale, Collection Vintage, Grands Crus or Palmes d’Or.
In the same way, the quintessence of the vintage is embodied in the prestige cuvée Palmes d’Or, a symbol of the refined, precise and elegant style of Nicolas Feuillatte.
Ageing time in our cellars
Since quality requires time and cannot be hurried, the amount of time each Nicolas Feuillatte Champagne quietly rests in the cellars before its release far exceeds the legal minimum: at least three years, and as many as ten years for the most prestigious cuvées such as Palmes d’Or, which is enriched by lengthy contact with the lees.
Dosage
Dosage consists of adding sugar and reserve wines after disgorgement. The amount of sugar may vary depending on the legal category of the resulting Champagne (from Brut to Demi-sec).
At Nicolas Feuillatte, the particular wine used is essential in this process as it will bring the finishing touch to the cuvée and impart balance, while fine-tuning texture and tonality. The wine will always be tailored to each individual cuvée to guarantee its distinctive style.
“The key element is anticipating the future Champagne from its intrinsic components. Within that I include the potential of the dosage at the very start of the creative process. I base my decisions on the quality of the reserve wines or the characteristics of the vintage year, on the sensory profile of the wines and the typical character I seek in each Champagne,” explains Guillaume Roffiaen. This way, the cellar master also plays on the finesse of the bubbles and the aromatic components. It is a work of precision juxtaposed with the meticulous art of blending.
