Julie Dufour Champagne Extra Brut Cleobuline Chapitre 1

Julie Dufour Champagne Extra Brut Cleobuline Chapitre 1 is a refined grower Champagne that highlights precision, purity, and a beautifully dry, gastronomic style. Crafted from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, it offers a vivid snapshot of the Champagne region in a low-dosage expression that lets the fruit and terroir shine. As the name suggests, “Chapitre 1” marks an early chapter in Julie Dufour’s own Champagne story, bringing a fresh, contemporary voice to a deeply traditional region.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, this Extra Brut pours a bright, pale lemon-gold with a fine, persistent bead that signals both quality and careful aging on the lees. On the nose, expect crisp green and yellow orchard fruits—apple, pear, and a touch of white peach—layered with citrus zest, chalky minerality, and delicate notes of brioche, white flowers, and a subtle toasted almond edge from time on the lees. The palate is taut, lively, and impeccably dry, with the structure of Pinot Noir supporting the elegance and precision of Chardonnay. Flavors mirror the nose: crunchy apple, lemon curd, and stone-fruit nuances, wrapped in a chalky, saline backbone that gives the wine both energy and length. The low dosage keeps the finish very clean and mouthwatering, making it as food-friendly as it is refreshing as an aperitif. Enjoy it now for its vibrancy, but with its structure and acid backbone, it should develop added complexity over the next 3–5 years under proper cellaring conditions.

Production
Sourced from carefully selected vineyards in the Champagne region of France, this cuvée reflects the region’s classic cool climate and limestone-rich soils, which give the wine its precision, lift, and minerality. Chardonnay provides finesse and tension, while Pinot Noir contributes depth, body, and subtle red-fruit undertones. Grapes are harvested by hand at optimal ripeness to preserve freshness and ensure gentle selection in the vineyard. In the cellar, the must is vinified with a focus on purity: cool fermentations to retain aromatics, followed by extended aging on the lees to build texture and complexity. The Extra Brut dosage—very low in sugar—allows the character of the base wines and terroir to take center stage, offering a Champagne that is both incisive and finely textured.

Food & Serving
This Extra Brut Champagne is a natural partner for refined, savory dishes that benefit from high acidity and a clean, mineral finish. Pair it with oysters, scallop carpaccio, sushi, or simple shellfish platters to echo its saline, citrusy edge. It also works beautifully with soft cheeses like triple-cream brie, goat cheese, or lightly aged cow’s milk cheeses, and can stand up to delicately seasoned white meats or roast chicken. Serve well-chilled, around 8–10°C (46–50°F), to highlight its precision and freshness. A brief 10–15 minutes in a decanter or simply allowing the wine to open in the glass will help the aromatics broaden and reveal more of its brioche and nutty complexity.

Producer
Julie Dufour represents a new generation of Champagne producers who focus on crafting characterful, terroir-driven wines on a smaller, more artisanal scale. Working in the renowned Champagne region of France, she builds on the area’s long heritage of sparkling wine while emphasizing careful viticulture and thoughtful, minimal-intervention winemaking. Rather than blending away individuality, her approach seeks to preserve nuance and authenticity in each cuvée, reflecting both grape and place. With wines like Cleobuline Chapitre 1, Julie Dufour is helping to showcase the dynamism and diversity of grower Champagne, adding a distinctive, modern perspective to one of France’s most storied wine regions.