2012 Champagne Frerejean Frères Cuvee des Hussards Vieilles Vignes Premier Cru

The 2012 Champagne Frerejean Frères Cuvée des Hussards Vieilles Vignes Premier Cru is a powerful yet finely chiseled vintage Champagne crafted from old vines in the Côte des Blancs. Sourced exclusively from Premier Cru sites around Grauves, this cuvée marries richness, freshness and long lees aging to deliver a deeply complex, gastronomic style of Champagne. Named after Napoleon’s famed hussars – reputedly the first to saber a Champagne bottle – it celebrates both history and hedonism in one remarkably elegant bottle.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, Cuvée des Hussards shows a luminous, pale golden hue with fine, persistent bubbles forming a delicate, creamy mousse. The nose is expressive and layered, opening with ripe stone fruits such as apricot and peach, followed by crisp apple and pear, all wrapped in subtle notes of pastry, toasted brioche and a hint of minerality. On the palate, this is a concentrated and generous Champagne, yet remarkably refined. The 85% Chardonnay lends tension, citrus brightness and chalky precision, while the 15% Pinot Noir adds body, structure and depth of fruit. Expect waves of white and stone fruits over a very fine, silky mousse, with a long, mouthwatering finish framed by freshness and a touch of salinity. Thanks to more than eight years of aging on the lees and a modest dosage of just 6.5 g/L, the wine combines mature complexity with vibrant energy and still has excellent aging potential, evolving beautifully over the next decade or more under good cellaring conditions.

Production
Frerejean Frères works predominantly with old-vine Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from Premier and Grand Cru vineyards around Grauves in the Côte des Blancs, an area known for its chalk-rich soils that give Champagne its trademark tension and mineral drive. The grapes for Cuvée des Hussards are carefully selected from vieilles vignes (old vines), where naturally lower yields contribute to concentration and depth of flavor. The blend is 85% Chardonnay and 15% Pinot Noir from a single, exceptional vintage (millésime 2012), rather than a multi-vintage assemblage. After gentle pressing and vinification designed to preserve purity and finesse, the wine is matured sur lie for more than eight years, developing complexity, texture and tertiary nuances. A low dosage of 6.5 g/L is added at disgorgement, allowing the wine’s terroir character and long lees aging to take center stage.

Food & Serving
This is a gastronomic Champagne that shines at the table. Its richness and intensity make it a superb match for fresh seafood such as oysters, scallops and ceviche, where the vibrant acidity cuts through brininess and enhances delicate textures. It also stands up beautifully to more substantial dishes like duck confit, veal roast, poultry with cream-based sauces and refined shellfish preparations. Serve well chilled but not icy, ideally around 8–10°C (46–50°F), to allow the aromatic complexity to unfold. A brief 15–30 minutes in the bottle on ice before serving is sufficient; for added expressiveness, you can pour it into a larger white wine glass rather than a narrow flute. Decanting is generally not necessary, but opening the bottle a few minutes before serving will help the wine fully open.

Producer
Frerejean Frères was founded by the Frerejean-Taittinger brothers, members of the extended Taittinger family, with a clear focus on crafting premium, terroir-driven Champagnes from top sites. Based in the Côte des Blancs and working only with Premier and Grand Cru vineyards, the house has quickly earned a reputation for elegant, low-dosage wines that emphasize finesse, minerality and depth over sheer opulence. Long aging on the lees is a hallmark of their style, lending roundness and complexity without sacrificing freshness. Cuvée des Hussards represents one of the flagship expressions of the estate – a cuvée that encapsulates Frerejean Frères’ commitment to tradition, meticulous craftsmanship and a modern, gastronomic vision of Champagne that has garnered critical acclaim, including top-tier scores such as 97/100 from Karaffel.

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