User:Jsells47/Champagne Roger Coulon

The house of Champagne Roger Coulon is located in Vrigny, a town in the Champagne region of France.

Eric and Isabelle Coulon are the representatives of the eighth generation of the Coulon family to be engaged as recoltant-manipulants, producing Champagne from Vrigny and the surrounding villages in the northwest corner of the Montagne de Reims. Since 1806, this family has gradually increased its holdings so that there are now 10 hectare under vines, almost all located within the 1er Cru rated villages of Vrigny, Coulommes and Pargny, about 10 kilometers distance from Reims.

The wines of Champagne Roger Coulon are imported into the United States by Rosenthal Wine Merchant.

Production
Production at Champagne Roger Coulon is approximately 90,000 bottles per year. The vineyards are planted 40% to Pinot Meunier, 30% to Pinot Noir and 30% to Chardonnay. The average age of the vines is 38 years, a rarity in Champagne where old vines, and the limited production that is the result thereof, are often considered a curse rather than a blessing. Further, the vineyards are planted by the selection masalle process rather than with modern clones. No herbicides are used and harvest is done manually. The juice from the red grapes is fermented and aged in stainless steel but much of the Chardonnay is fermented in small oak barrels (not new). Only the natural, indigenous yeasts are used.

Six cuvées are produced at Champagne Roger Coulon:

Brut Tradition 1er Cru: aged for three years prior to being disgorged; a blend of 50% Pinot Meunier, 25% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay; selected from vineyards situated in Vrigny, Coulommes et Pargny. A modest dosage is applied at the time of disgorgement.

Grande Reserve 1er Cru: aged for five years prior to disgorgement; an equal blend of Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay which is barrel aged for seven months; selected from vineyards in Vrigny and Pargny.

Brut Rosé: from the 1er Cru rated vineyards of Vrigny and Coulommes; produced from 80% Pinot Meunier and 20% Pinot Noir via the saignée method; aged for three years prior to disgorgement.

Brut Millésimé Blanc de Noirs: a vintage cuvée produced exclusively from Pinot Meunier (50%) and Pinot Noir (50%) and aged for 5 years prior to disgorgement; much of this blend is based on fruit from the old vines parcel of Pinot Meunier known as Les Linguets in Vrigny that was planted in 1953; the wine is neither filtered nor fined and only a minimal dosage is applied when this vintage Champagne is disgorged.

Esprit de Vrigny: a blend of grapes harvested from vineyards exclusively within the village of Vrigny; an equal marriage of Chardonnay (barrel-fermented and barrel-aged for seven months), Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier; aged for six (6) years; a pure expression of this terroir that sees zero dosage.

Les Coteaux du Vallier: a blend of 20% Pinot Noir and 80% Chardonnay ; from a single 1er cru lieu-dit ; the Chardonnay is aged for one year in small barrels and undergoes malolactic fermentation ; aged eight (8) years on the lees, this cuvée receives a minimal dosage upon disgorgement.

Links
www.champagne-coulon.com

www.madrose.com/coulonprint.html