Clos des Goisses
The Vineyard
The Les Goisses vineyard faces south and drops steeply—up to 45%—toward the Marne River. Tractors cannot be used here.
In addition to intense sunlight, light is reflected off the Marne. The houses of Mareuil provide protection from the east wind, and the walls of the clos act as both heat reservoirs and windbreaks. The grapes reach high ripeness almost every year. For a long time, Clos des Goisses was the first champagne regularly to reach 13% alcohol.
The Philipponnat family purchased the vineyard in 1935 and produced the first “Vin des Goisses” that same year.
The name “Clos des Goisses” was suggested by journalist Renaud Boudoin. It first appeared on the label in 1959.
The vineyard covers 5.5 hectares. Usually about half of the grapes are declassified and do not go into the Clos des Goisses.
Despite the warmth of the site, the fine chalk soil delivers remarkable freshness and minerality.
The Cuvées
Clos des Goisses
In its early decades, Clos des Goisses was made entirely from Chardonnay. Gradually, Pinot Noir was planted.
1964 marked the first Clos des Goisses that included Pinot Noir. The proportion usually ranges between 60–80%, with the 1996 vintage exceptionally containing only 50%.
Until 1988 it was vinified exclusively in used Burgundian oak barrels. From 1989 to 1998 stainless steel tanks were also used; in 1999 and 2002 vinification took place exclusively in tanks.
In 2001 new 225-litre barrels were purchased; these are still in use today.
The absence of malolactic fermentation combined with the terroir’s minerality creates considerable structure—and in youth even a certain hardness.
Clos des Goisses is therefore a very demanding champagne. When young it shows little fruit and instead displays an oxidative, nutty character. With age it develops a wonderful spectrum of aromas.
Today, vintages from 1979 and earlier are generally the ones worth drinking now.
However, the sequence 2009, 2010, 2012, and 2013 represents the finest series this great vineyard has produced in recent decades. The 2008 is comparatively lean and mineral and does not fully meet expectations for this normally powerful, concentrated champagne that can sometimes reach 13% alcohol.
Les Cintres
A micro-terroir cuvée from old vines in the heart of Clos des Goisses, displaying pronounced minerality and structure. It is a pure Blanc de Noirs made from Pinot Noir.
Clos des Goisses Juste Rosé
This champagne ranks among the very best rosés in Champagne. It lacks the strawberry and raspberry-cake aromas typical of many rosés and instead resembles a sparkling red Burgundy. The color is a pale pink. Clos des Goisses Juste Rosé offers a fine mousse along with aromas of wild strawberries, citrus fruit, and floral notes. It feels even purer and shows fewer yeasty characters than the classic Clos des Goisses.
Production of Juste Rosé
In recent vintages the rosé character comes from a short maceration of roughly 18% of the Pinot Noir component. In the past, color was added by blending in red wine from the same vineyard. The final blend is usually around 68% Pinot Noir and 32% Chardonnay. It is fully barrel-fermented, undergoes no malolactic fermentation, receives a low dosage (≈4.5 g/l), and ages over eight years on the lees. Production is limited to just a few thousand bottles per vintage.
