Producer
This excellent family grower has as long a history as the famous houses: the marque was established in 1862, while the cellars themselves date from the seventeeth century. Based in Epernay, with seventeen hectares of vineyards in the Marne Valley, Champagne Testulat specializes in the black champagne grapes, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier; both the Carte d’Or and the Rosé are fifty-fifty blends of these two varieties, with all the biscuity richness one would expect. The Blanc de Blancs, from 100% Chardonnay, provides a contrasting style that majors on finesse.
Vineyard
The grapes come from two highly rated villages for Chardonnay: grand cru Chouilly and premier cru Epernay.
Winery
Only the cuvée – the first pressing – was used, for maximum purity. The blend includes 20% reserve wine, and spent thirty-six months on lees –
double the minimum requirement. It was finished with a brut dosage of ten grams per litre.
