MULTI-VINTAGES
Première Cuvée
The Premiere Cuvee is a very personal interpretation of the whole region, through the selection of 35 of the 320 crus of champagne.
It is the flagship of the BRUNO PAILLARD style.
A top quality wine, the Première Cuvée has to survive any harvest whether rich or poor.
Crus
More than 30 Crus, the composition of which is a house secret.
The blend
Exclusively first pressing – the purest juice – Pinot Noir (45%), Chardonnay (33%) and Pinot Meunier (22%), part of which (20%) was in barrel for the first fermentation.
Reserve wines
A blend of 25 vintages, since 1985; up to 50% of the final blend.
Ageing
Ageing is longer than the legal requirement; three years sur lie, then a minimum of a further five months after disgorgement.
Dosage
Extra brut, very low dosage, less than 6g/L. This creates a very pure, very authentic champagne. (For the record, the “extra brut” denotes a sugar level of up to 6g/L).
Tasting
by Bruno Paillard
EYE The golden straw colour reveals a high presence of chardonnay and the exclusive use of the first pressing. The fine bubbles are due to a strict selection of the best grapes, perfectly controlled temperature in the cellar and very long ageing.
NOSE The primary aromas reveal the citrus fruits of Chardonnay: lime and grapefruit.
Then the red fruits aromas of Pinot Noir appear: redcurrant, raspberry, morello cherries. When left to open up in the glass, the wine shows hints of dried fruits, sometimes exotic, from Pinot Meunier.
PALATE Lively and vivacious, thanks to a low dosage, the aromas on the nose are echoed in the mouth. Primary flavours of citrus, almonds, and toasted bread, very soon joined by redcurrant jelly but also dark fruits like cherry, fig and blackberry.
Whilst the wine opens up in the glass, and gets warmer, it expresses light plum and pear flavours. The palate is full, quite long with a very clean finish.
The Brut is available in half–bottles, bottles, magnums and jeroboams. Each bottle carries a label, indicating the month and year of disgorgement.
Bettane & Desseauve – Guide 2016
Guide Bettane Desseauve 2016 : 16/20
Guide Gault et Millau 2015 : 16/20
FOOD & CHAMPAGNE PAIRINGS
Clam Risotto
by Joël Robuchon :
Première cuvée
Serves 2
• ½ l clams
• 240g risotto rice
• 1 garlic clove
• 60g butter
• 1dl olive oil
• 2 shallots
• 2 tbs flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 3.5dl Champagne Première Cuvée
• 50g liquid whipping cream (unsweetened)
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
The Premiere Cuvee champagne is an excellent aperitif. It matches divinely with cheese (Brie de Meaux, Camembert, aged salers), poultry and shellfish.
In 2000, acclaimed French chef, Joël Robuchon discovers the BRUNO PAILLARD Champagnes. Here is what tasting BRUNO PAILLARD inspires him: “This champagne, low in sugar content, well balanced, and with its subtle note of hazelnut, is the result of a demanding personality, an excellent connoisseur of terroir and of the best crus. I do believe that he and I have the same notions of hard work and perfection.” Thus, Joël Robuchon has worked for a decade on matching his dishes to the champagnes of BRUNO PAILLARD.
The fruitful exchange between the culinary and Champagne worlds, has led to the creation of the following recipes by Joël Robuchon exclusively for BRUNO PAILLARD Champagne.
1. Rinse the clams several times.
Peel and finely chop the garlic clove.
2. In a large saucepan, soften the garlic over a low heat for two minutes in 30g of melted butter and 6cl of olive oil, but do not brown. Add a pinch of cayenne pepper and stir. Next, add the clams, 25cl Brut Champagne, ½ l of water. Cover and bring to a boil. Cook until the clam shells open (about 2 minutes).
3. When the clams are cooked, remove them from their shells. Discard the shells, but keep the cooking liquid. Pass it through a fine mesh sieve, and keep it warm.
4. Peel and finely chop the shallots. In a saucepan, allow them to soften, without browning, over a low heat with 4cl of olive oil. When these are translucent add the rice (unrinsed). Stir to coat the grains of rice with the oil, and cook over a low heat stirring constantly.
When the grains begin to stick together, pour the remaining 10cl of Champagne until almost completely evaporated.
Incorporate the cooking liquid from the clams one ladle at a time; as the liquid gets absorbed, add another ladle. Repeat until the rice is almost completely cooked (around 15–20 minutes). You may not necessarily use all of the clam cooking liquid. The risotto should be very creamy.
5. Check the seasoning, and add salt to taste. Add the clam meat and 30g of cold, cubed, butter. On low heat, add one last ladle of cooking liquid, and 2tbs flat leaf parsley. Mix well.
6. Away from the heat, delicately mix in the liquid whipping cream.
7. Serve warm with a drizzle of olive oil on top.
“Low dosage, aperitif style, but showing beautiful maturity on the palate, the Brut Premiere Cuvee is one of the most interesting non vintages on the market.”