Champagne Tassin • Grower Champagne in Loches-sur-Ource, Aube since 1793 That is not a typo…the Tassin family has been farming in the Aube, in the Côtes des Bar, since 1793. The country was in the midst of the Revolution Française when the Tassin family settled in the village of Loches-sur-Ource, just outside of Troyes, the historic capital of Champagne for centuries. The estate has been in the family’s succession ever since – grower-producers in the Aube now in their 222nd vintage.
The estate today is run by father and son Michel and Thibault Tassin. Michel Tassin Holding diplomas in enology from no less than three institutions – Troyes, Beaune and Reims – Thibault brings his professional training in line with the family passion for the region. His stated goal is to express the terroir of the Aube and the family’s unique vineyards in this cozy corner of Loches- sur-Ource. True recoltant-manipulants in every sense.
The terroir of Champagne can be described as either vins de la montagne or vins de la riviére, referencing the modest hillsides in the north, or the rivers and tributaries which snake their way through the Aube. This is where we arrive at Tassin, following the Seine river as it meets the L’Ource river in Troyes, flowing south to Loches-sur-Ource. Geographically, the Aube is somewhat more set apart in distance from its northerly neighbors. Geologically, it is vastly set apart from those neighbors – the soils are quite literally hundreds of millions of age apart from the Belemnite chalk found further north. The terroir here consists of marls and Kimmeridgian chalks, an extension of the Kimmeridge ring one finds in the neighboring appellations of Chablis, Sancerre, etc. Just as in Burgundy, Pinot prefers the marls, while Chardonnay thrives on these chalky soils; this is a significant factor in Tassin’s defining style.
Historically the Aube has long been the “breadbasket” for the region, serving up the required fruit for the large négociant- distributeur houses of Champagne based in the more northerly areas. Tassin is one such house who had long provided fruit, however today Thibault is passionate about elevating his estate and the Aube. The region is renowned for its cuisine, and rich cultural history. This is where, in the neighboring village of Essoyes, where Renoir and his family summered. In fact the seductively serene city of Troyes, in the Aube, was the capital of the Champagne region for more than 800 years until the French Revolution. Looking down at the city of Troyes from above, you can even find the city to be in the shape of a Champagne cork!
Old vines of Chardonnay at Tassin, planted to chalk and Kimmeridge soils Brut NV 80% Pinot Noir, 20% Chardonnay; fermented in stainless steel from beginning to end with no malolactic. After initial fermentation of the base wines, Thibault allows the wine to settle in vat within his cold cellar not once but two times, for a beautiful, all-natural clarification of the wine. Then comes the initiation of the second fermentation in bottle, after which the wines are aged sur-latte. The bottles are riddled by hand, truly a lost art, and Thibault disgorged this for us in July of this year.
Just as in Burgundy, the limestone-rich marls here are ideal soils for Pinot Noir and chalky soils are the preferred for the Chardonnay grown. The primary fermentations take place separately in steel, then blended and bottled for the secondary fermentation in bottle. After three years aging on the lees, the wine was disgorged to our specifications in July 2015. The result is an instantly captivating and iconic expression of Tassin’s terroir: fresh cut white flowers, wet stone, apricot, and rich, Pinot depth. That depth carries through to the palate, with a generously caressing mousse, bright acidity and fruit texture to match.
Brut Blanc de Blancs NV 100% Chardonnay from Tassin’s old vines planted to limestone soils. It is a true rarity to find a Blanc de Blancs from a region known mostly for its red Pinot grapes; in fact Chardonnay comprises a mere 7% of overall plantings in the Aube, making this cuvée that much more extraordinary.
Tassin’s Blanc de Blancs also sees all steel, no malo, and is aged thirty-six months in his cold underground cellar before being disgorged for us in July 2015. The Chardonnay character shines through with green apple, lemongrass, mint and peach pit. The richness of the wine is matched with a fine mousse, electric nerve, and clean mineral finish, with a vintage-like pedigree to its vigor and depth of flavor. One can truly understand the uniqueness of Tassin’s terroir in this wine.
Fitting at table with savory dishes such as trout amandine or grilled lobster with beurre blanc; its robustness even calls for unlikely pairings such as herb-roasted chicken with mushrooms or pork with grilled apricots. Cane-pruned vines of Pinot Noir in marl soils A 'cadole': an ancient stone lodge where vignerons took refuge in bad weather
Thibault and Michel Tassin, in Essoyes, where Renoir summered with his family