Etienne Calsac Champagne 1er Cru Blanc de Blancs Les Rocheforts Extra Brut

Etienne Calsac Champagne 1er Cru Blanc de Blancs Les Rocheforts Extra Brut is a precise, mineral-driven grower Champagne crafted entirely from Chardonnay. Sourced from a single Premier Cru vineyard, this cuvée showcases the tension, purity and chalky finesse for which top-class Côte des Blancs wines are renowned. With its low dosage Extra Brut style, Les Rocheforts offers a particularly vivid expression of terroir and craftsmanship.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, this Champagne presents a pale lemon hue with fine, persistent bubbles forming a delicate mousse. On the nose, it is taut and elegant, opening with notes of lemon zest, green apple and white flowers, layered with chalk, crushed oyster shell and a subtle hint of fresh brioche. The palate is focused and linear, driven by vibrant acidity and a distinct saline, chalky backbone. Flavors of citrus, tart pear and crisp stone fruit are joined by nuances of almond, biscuit and a touch of creaminess from time on lees, all wrapped in a very dry, precise structure. The finish is long and saline, leaving a lingering impression of citrus peel and chalk dust. Enjoyable now for its energy and tension, it also has the structure and freshness to develop more complexity over the next 5–8 years in bottle.

Production
Les Rocheforts is sourced from a Premier Cru single vineyard rooted in the chalk-rich soils that define the best sites of the Champagne region. These deep chalk layers provide superb drainage and impart a marked mineral signature to the wine. Grapes are harvested by hand at optimal ripeness to preserve acidity and integrity of the fruit. In the cellar, the Chardonnay is gently pressed, with primary fermentation taking place in stainless steel (and in some vintages partially in oak) to balance precision and texture. The base wines rest on fine lees before secondary fermentation in bottle, followed by an extended period of aging sur lie to build complexity and finesse, with a very low dosage added at disgorgement to maintain the Extra Brut profile and highlight terroir purity.

Food & Serving
This Blanc de Blancs is an excellent match for fresh, delicate dishes such as oysters, scallop crudo, sushi, sashimi and simple fish preparations with citrus or beurre blanc. It also pairs beautifully with goat cheese, Comté, tempura vegetables and light poultry dishes. Serve well-chilled, ideally at 8–10°C (46–50°F), to emphasize its energy and precision. A brief 10–15 minutes in the glass, or a short, gentle decant in a chilled carafe, can help the aromas open up without diminishing the wine’s freshness and fine mousse.

Producer
Etienne Calsac is a highly regarded grower-producer based in the Champagne region, part of a new generation of vignerons redefining what small-estate Champagne can be. Working primarily with family vineyards, Calsac focuses on Chardonnay from Premier Cru sites, farming with great care to reflect each parcel’s character. Known for precise, terroir-driven cuvées and modest production levels, the estate has quickly gained recognition among sommeliers and Champagne enthusiasts for its purity of style, low-dosage Extra Brut expressions and impressive quality-to-price ratio within the grower Champagne landscape.