Etienne Sandrin Champagne a Travers Celles Extra Brut

Etienne Sandrin Champagne À Travers Celles Extra Brut is a precise, terroir-driven grower Champagne from the village of Celles-sur-Ource in the heart of the Aube. Crafted without the use of reserve wines, it captures the pure character of a single, undeclared vintage in a refined Extra Brut style. This cuvée is a thoughtful blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, offering a vibrant, mineral expression of Champagne’s southern reaches.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, À Travers Celles shows a pale, luminous straw-yellow hue with fine, persistent bubbles that form a delicate mousse. The nose is fresh and engaging, opening with notes of citrus zest, crunchy pear and green apple, followed by hints of white flowers, chalk, freshly baked bread and a subtle touch of red berries from the Pinot Noir. On the palate, the wine is taut and linear at first, then broadens into a harmonious, textured mid-palate. Expect bright lemon and lime, white peach and crisp orchard fruit layered over saline minerality and a gentle, biscuity complexity. The Extra Brut dosage keeps the profile dry and focused, letting the underlying freshness be the driving force from start to finish. The finish is long, clean and mouthwatering, suggesting very good aging potential over the next 5–8 years, during which the wine will gain additional creaminess and complexity while retaining its vibrant core.

Production
The grapes for À Travers Celles come from carefully selected parcels around the village of Celles-sur-Ource in the Champagne region, where diverse exposures—south-facing Mouille Brant, north-east-facing Vieux Moulin and well-ventilated, west-facing sites—bring nuance and balance to the final blend. The soils are typically chalk and clay-limestone, lending both energy and mineral tension to the wine. Grapes are harvested by hand at optimal ripeness to preserve freshness and integrity, then gently pressed and vinified parcel by parcel. Fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled vessels, followed by extended aging on the lees in bottle to build texture and finesse before disgorgement, with a low Extra Brut dosage that highlights the natural purity of the fruit and terroir. Notably, no reserve wines are used in this cuvée, making it a pure reflection of a single year, even though it is labeled NV.

Food & Serving
This Champagne’s tension and finesse make it a versatile partner at the table. It pairs beautifully with fresh oysters, scallops crudo, sashimi, or a classic tartare of sea bass or tuna, as well as lightly fried seafood and tempura. On land, try it with chicken liver pâté, poultry terrines, sushi, or simple dishes of roast chicken with herbs. Soft-rind cheeses such as Brie or Chaource are also excellent companions. Serve well chilled at 8–10°C (46–50°F). Decanting is not necessary, but pouring into larger white-wine glasses or opening the bottle 10–15 minutes before serving will allow the aromas to unfurl gracefully.

Producer
Etienne Sandrin is a quality-focused grower-producer based in Celles-sur-Ource in the Aube, a sub-region of Champagne that has gained increasing recognition for its expressive, Pinot Noir–driven wines. Working primarily with his own vineyards, Sandrin emphasizes careful farming and precise, low-intervention winemaking to let each parcel speak clearly in the glass. Bottlings like À Travers Celles showcase not only the individual character of Celles-sur-Ource’s slopes, but also the broader potential of the Aube to produce Champagnes of real finesse, depth and personality, making the estate a noteworthy name among today’s new wave of artisanal Champagne growers.

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