A Champagne Dinner With Pascal Doquet
10/14/14 -
(Photo courtesy of Robert Kacher Selections)
Although the estate is quite young in terms of Champagne houses, Pascal Doquet produces wines we consider modern classics. In the few years the wines have been available under his own name, we’ve been bowled over by their beauty and terroir expression. Based in Vertus, Pascal has worked the family’s Doquet-Jeanmaire estate as chef de cave- since 1995 and in 2004 acquired full ownership of the family holdings freeing him to implement heathier cultivation for the benefit of the land (as well as the consumers). Following conversion to organics in 2007 (and certification in 2010), the wines have only gained in purity and harmony thanks to increasingly conscientious farming.
The vineyards are planted 95% to Chardonnay with parcels in some of the greatest vineyards of the Côte des Blancs: Le Mesnil, Vertus, and Mont Aimé. Fermentations are with native yeasts to better express each individual terroir, the wines go through malolactic fermentation, and age on their lees in bottle for a significant length of time (nine years for the vintage Mesnil and usually four or more years for the non-vintage cuvées). The wines are rich and fluent expressions of their terroirs: premier cru Vertus is lush and creamy framed with precise mineral structure, while grand cru Le Mesnil-sur-Oger is a saline, sapid, vibrant expression of chalky purity.
Please join us at 7pm on Monday, October 20th, as we welcome the dynamic Pascal Doquet who will present a selection of his beautiful Champagnes to accompany a three course dinner at Craft Restaurant’s private dining room. We’ll be pouring three non-vintage cuvées: Brut Premier Cru Blanc de Blancs, Brut Horizon, and Grand Cru Le Mesnil-sur-Orger; as well as two of his exquisite single vineyard vintage bottlings: 2004 Premier Cru Vertus, and 2002 Grand Cru Le Mesnil. (Price includes three courses, wine, tax, and gratuity.) For lovers of blanc de blancs Champagnes, this is not to be missed! We hope to see you there.
–John McIlwain
