Françoise Bedel, Champagne Brut “Dis Vin Secret”
November 25, 2009 by Derek Swanson
A last minute recommendation to start tomorrow’s feast, this week’s pick comes from Master of Wine Liz Berry, of Provence, France. Ms. Berry offered these comments on a Champagne she is fond of: ”I have been incredibly impressed by the quality of all the Champagnes from Françoise Bedel. With 8.4 hectares in Crouttes sur Marne, the domaine is run using bio-dynamic principles, with all racking, bottling, and vineyard treatments taking place at appropriate phases of the bio-dynamic calendar. The wines all have long aging before disgorging, and are produced in a traditional style, using a percentage of oak casks for the first fermentation. The Dis Vin Secret is a dry champagne with enough body to accompany both fish and meat dishes, with wonderful brown bread nutty flavours, very fine mousse, elegant and classy with distinctive pinot Meunier characteristics and a long, complex finish.”
Most of the blend is from the 2003 vintage, with 86% Pinot Meunier, 8% Pinot Noir, and 6% Chardonnay.
Ms. Bedel now runs a fine wine shop, Vins Fins de la Crau, in Provence, which places an emphasis on the Rhône, Languedoc Roussillon and Provence, but with a range encompassing many wine producing countries, grands formats, fine Armagnacs, and olive oil.
