The Champagnes of André Beaufort

Jacques Beaufort makes some of the most pure, unadulterated and highly singular Champagnes readers are likely to come across. Beaufort is based in Ambonnay a village justly famous the high-class Pinot Noir that informs his wines with such eloquence. In addition to four hectares in Ambonnay, Beaufort also owns 14 hectares in Polisy, in the Aube.

Over the years Beaufort has converted his vineyards from conventional to organic and, more recently, biodynamic farming, a process he began after suffering a severe illness in the late 1960s caused by contact with the pesticides and herbicides he was using at the time. Beaufort’s approach to winemaking is equally stripped-down and non-interventionalist. The wines are left on the lees for long periods prior to being released, and disgorgement dates of various lots are clearly indicated. This is clearly a high-stakes approach to viticulture and winemaking that naturally leads to a wider degree of variation that is typically the case with more conventionally made wines. In essence, there is nowhere to hide from small mistakes or the capriciousness of Mother Nature. As it turns out, I found a bit of inconsistency in the wines of the mid 1990s. When Beaufort gets it right, though, the results are striking.

The Brut Reserve Grand Cru, made from 100% Ambonnay fruit, is an excellent introduction to the house style, but it is with the Brut Millésime Grand Cru, also from Ambonnay, that the domaine truly shines. The vintage wine from Polisy, in the Aube, can be excellent. From time the estate releases small batches of late-disgorged wines that are superb. At their best, the Beaufort wines are exceptional, and well worth the effort of seeking out.

The NV Brut Reserve Grand Cru shows wonderful complexity in toasty notes of brioche, apricot jam and candied orange peel, all of which come to life in a compelling display of elegance. This is an especially generous wine loaded with character, particularly at this level. There is more than enough development here to deliver a complete drinking experience at this stage, although the wine can also hold for a few additional years. This is lot 94A, disgorged August 2008. Drinking window: 2009-2014. The NV Brut Grand Cru Rosé is mostly Pinot Noir from the 2001 vintage, with the addition of still Pinot, all of which comes from vineyards in Ambonnay. This richly-textured, expansive wine blossoms on the palate with the essence of candied cherries, sweet herbs, smoke, flowers and minerals, offering tons of depth. The weighty style should allow the wine to pair nicely with a variety of foods, and the lingering notes of sweetness on the finish suggest an optimal pairing might be with spicier dishes. This is Lot R, disgorged 10/08. Drinking window: 2009-2014. The NV Demi-Sec Rosé is another gorgeous wine from Beaufort. It reveals a darker color than the Brut Grand Cru Rosé. Smoke, minerals, sweet herbs and candied cherries all make an appearance in this generous, enveloping wine. The Demi-Sec Rosé reveals terrific balance and a long, chalky finish that balances the wine’s sweetness. Naturally, the sugar is a little higher in this Demi-Sec than in the Brut bottlings, something readers will want to keep in mind when choosing the right occasion to drink this wine. That said, there are just a handful of wines made in the Demi-Sec style that are truly worth considering, and this is one of them. It is a lovely effort. This is lot 2005, disgorged 4/08. Drinking window: 2009-2012.

The 2000 Brut Millésime Polisy is a boisterous, exuberant Champagne loaded with the essence of smoke, earthiness, ripe peaches and minerals. Today the wine comes across as rather young, but the material is certainly there for it to develop into a splendid wine over the next few years with some additional time on the cork. This is lot 00P, disgorged 08/08. Drinking window: 2010-2016. Beaufort’s 1999 Brut Millésime Polisy is a fascinating wine. Although it doesn’t have the complexity of the 2000, it possesses better balance today. This is a beautifully sculpted Champagne boasts incredible precision and fine overall balance. The 1999 is an excellent choice for drinking while some of the other vintages continue to age. It is a wonderful effort. Drinking window: 2009-2014. This is Lot 99P, disgorged 10/07. The 1998 Brut Millésime Polisy is a big, brooding Champagne packed with scorched earth, licorice, smoke, minerals and dried peaches. There is a wild, almost animalistic quality to the wine that conveys an impression of rusticity compared to the other vintages in this flight. Additional time on the cork might help this wine find better balance, but I am not quite convinced that is likely. This is Lot 98P, disgorged 08/08. Drinking window: 2009-2018. The 1996 Brut Millésime Polisy is fully mature and ready to drink. Candied apricots and peaches, roasted nuts and smoke are just some of the aromas and flavors that emerge from this generous, full-bodied Champagne. This is Lot 96P, disgorged 12/07. Drinking window: 2009-2011. The estate’s 1990 Brut Millésime Polisy is in a beautiful spot that captures plenty of mature aromas and flavors while showing notable freshness, something that is undoubtedly a result of the recent disgorgement. A myriad of licorice, smoke, minerals, dried fruits and flowers can be found in this chiseled, precise Champagne. As it sits in the glass the wine turns more and more elegant, until its sensual mousse melds perfectly with the wine’s structural components. Readers looking for a complete Champagne to drink now will have a hard time resisting the 1990. This is Lot 90P, disgorged 10/08. Drinking window: 2009-2014.

Finesse. Beauty. Elegance. It’s all there in Beaufort’s 2000 Brut Millésime Grand Cru. The wine positively shimmers on the palate with layers of silky-textured, perfumed fruit that come to life in a gorgeous display of class. Deceptively medium in body, the wine reveals superb clarity in a chiseled style, with a mousse that is exceptionally fine. Overtones of mint, licorice, lemons and flowers linger on the sublime finish. This is a reference-point wine for readers who want to know why Ambonnay is a Grand Cru village. The Pinot character remains suppressed today but it will emerge in bottle. The 2000 Brut Millésime Grand Cru is one of the most elegant wines I have tasted from Beaufort. This is Lot 00A, disgorged 10/08. Drinking window: 2009-2020. The 1999 Brut Millésime Grand Cru reveals gorgeous depth and richness in a riper, sweeter style than the 2000. Here the Pinot character is more pronounced, as candied cherries, sweet spices and flowers all flow with notable expressiveness. This generous Champagne is drinking beautifully today and should continue to provide much pleasure over the next decade. That said, readers will have to accept some small imperfections in the wine’s aromatics. This is Lot 99A, disgorged 10/08. Drinking window: 2009-2019. The 1996 Brut Millésime Grand Cru captures the best qualities of this legendary vintage. Only the wine’s volume is a hint as to its age, because the aromas and flavors remain decidedly youthful. With time in the glass mint, licorice, oranges and dried apricots reluctantly make an appearance, but this is a big, structured wine that could still use another few years in bottle. Readers will have a hard time waiting, though, as the 1996 is in a beautiful place today. This is Lot 96A, disgorged 10/08. Drinking window: 2010-2020. The 1995 Brut Millésime Grand Cru is one of the more complete and ready to drink wines in this flight. It doesn’t have the elegance of the 2000 or the power of the 1996, but it makes up for that with its impeccable balance. The 1995 is one of the smaller-scaled versions of this wine, but it is remarkably complete all the same. Roasted nuts, smoke, candied fruits and spices are all to be found, yet the advanced aromas and flavors are balanced by a pretty sense of minerality that insures the wine will continue to drink well for at least another few years. This is lot 95A, disgorged 03/07. Drinking window: 2009-2014.

The 1990 Brut Millésime Grand Cru is a very pretty, harmonious wine. Made in a subtle, understated style, it reveals hushed tones of candied apricots, flowers and sweet spices, with white truffles that linger on the long, refined finish. It is a terrific effort from Beaufort. Quite understandably, this 2008 disgorgement is far fresher than the 1996 disgorgement tasted alongside it. This is Lot 90A, disgorged 10/08. Drinking window: 2009-2019. The 1990 Brut Millésime Grand Cru Vieux Degorgé is fully mature. This round, creamy Champagne caresses the palate with candied fruit, sweet spices, roasted nuts and honey in a beautifully balanced style where all the components are fully integrated. I can’t imagine there is too much upside to cellaring this wine further, but it should continue to hold for at least a few more years. This is Lot 90A, disgorged in 1996. Drinking window: 2009-2014.The 1989 Brut Millésime Grand Cru is further along in its evolution than both bottlings of the 1990 I tasted. Caramel, roasted nuts, cinnamon, cloves, coffee dried figs and honey notes all make an appearance in this soft, fully mature wine. The 1989 is best enjoyed over the next year or two. This is Lot 89A, disgorged 10/08. Drinking window: 2009-2011. The 1985 Brut Millésime Grand Cru is just lovely today. Subtly woven layers of mint, licorice, flowers, truffles and apricots gently flow from this generous, expressive wine. At 24 years of age, the 1985 has stood the test of time beautifully and is still in great shape. Though fully mature, it remains fresher and brighter than the 1989, can still hold for at least a few more years. This is Lot 1985, disgorged 10/08. Drinking window: 2009-2015.

The 1996 Demi-Sec Millésime Grand Cru shows much of the same structure and complexity as the 1996 Brut Millésime, but naturally with higher dosage. The wine possesses outstanding depth and definition, along with a long, clean finish. This is Lot 96A, disgorged 10/08. Drinking window: 2009-2012. Likewise, the 1995 Demi-Sec Millésime Grand Cru preserves much of same character as the 1995 Brut Millésime Grand Cru, namely that wine’s relatively modest structure and concentration vis-à-vis other vintages in this tasting. This is a pretty, soft wine to enjoy over the next few years. Despite lacking the richness of Beaufort’s best wines, this 1995 is impressive for its freshness and harmony. This is Lot 95A, disgorged 03/06. Drinking window: 2009-2011.

--  Antonio Galloni