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 five infuses everything with umami. As to  Certified Biodynamic, native yeast, no fining, no the finish, it is nothing short of contemplative: filtration, vinification in wood and ageing on lees, deeply saline, elegantly chalky, and marvelously parcel selections, low sulfur, low dosages, we fine and precise. Though an NV cuvée, this is, would be hard-pressed to name many other looks, and behaves like a prestige cuvée. Champenois who like Hughes can check all the 44&3. boxes that add up to constitute the nouvelle" vague LES CHAMPS ST MARTIN PINOT44 NOIR&3 GRAND CRU 2006: 44&3 " " . " . of champagne. Furthermore, Hugues8 has been 3g/l. 100% pinot noir from Verzenay." 100% vinified "  / 8 8

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   132

Background could have been coined with him Hugues mind, it Agrapart, Bereche, Boulard, Chartogne-Taillet, would be “character is doing the right thing when Marie Courtin, Horiot, Laval, Lahaye, Leclapart, The Godmés have been vignerons in Verzenay no one is watching.” Marie Noelle Ledru, and Tarlant. That’s a hell of a

since the 19th century. Joseph Godmé, Hugues’ gang, and Godmé belongs among them. In his small three-story that looks grandfather , began bottling just after WWII and somewhat like an abandoned industrial building was soon bottling the totality of his production (a that would make a perfect setting for a movie Biodynamics rarity at that time for a small grower and a great about a gang of rebel winemakers in a dystopian testament to the quality of the wines.) Hugues’ future, Hugues has done all his great work quietly, Hugues is madly in love with his . Madly. father followed in Joseph’s footsteps and never in isolation. Only recently has he started to hang As you tour them he will barely stop to catch his had to sell a single kilo of grapes. There were out with fellow nouvelle vague producers Benoit breath while he enumerates in an uninterrupted vignerons on Hugue’s wife’s side too, in Lahaye and Vincent Laval. With Lahaye’s autistic flow every step he took to protect his Villed ommange. The first bottles were sold there sponsorship, Hugues has applied to become part vines from the vicissitudes of the , every in the thirties. one of their victories over adversity. of Terre et Vins de Champagne, a group of like- Hugues was born in 1958. He got his first minded producers that includes, among others, Once Hugues has shown you the vineyards in , 1¼ acres, from his grandfather in 1976 while he was still a student at the lycée viticole.

The consecration of Hugues Godmé is imminent. If it hasn’t yet happened, it is because up to now Hugues and his sister Sabine have jointly been running the estate, but unfortunately, they have very different ideas about Champagne. Sabine prefers a more traditional approach, with higher dosages, shiny aureate labels and the like. Consequently, the domaine has remained as the French beautifully put it le cul entre deux chaises, its ass between two chairs. And while the viticulture has been impeccable at Godmé for quite some time, it is only Hugues’ three single vineyards and his Extra Brut Grand Cru that are everything one wants from the nouvelle vague. Though excellent, the other cuvées have until recently been trapped in a bit of a halfway house, neither traditional nor modern. In effect, one has two styles under the same roof, and this has made the domaine a little hard to market. Their differences are so irreconcilable that Hugues and his sister Sabine have decided to split the up the family domain. As of this year, Hugues is free to produce non-vintage wines as inspired and cutting edge as his prestige cuvées are.

That said, even if he had been free to make the way he wanted to, success would have still come to Hugues slowly. For a maker of hipster champagne, he is unusually void of chest- thumping or social media savvy. If one phrase

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from commenting from the peanut gallery, throwing out plenty of those good old farming proverbs. A good plowing is worth a good shower, Hugues remembered as he pondered his stressed vines. So he went back to the winery, hitched a plow to his tractor, and that was that. In one fell swoop, he went back to working the soil of his entire domaine. With 9 hectares then, but only one plow and very few vineyards workers, it was a gigantic effort to undertake overnight.

After a few years of soil cultivation, Hugues decided to wean his vineyards off of chemicals. Starting with an experiment on 1/10th of an acre in 2002, extending it in 2003 to 2/10th of an acre, he accelerated the conversion until the entire estate was organic in 2007. In 2004, Hugues enlisted the help of Pierre Masson, the famous biodynamic

Verzenay, he will take you to the vineyards in is almost a little too private. Verzy, and after he has shown you those, he will With so much amour, it will come as no surprise ask whether you would like to see the vineyards in that Hugues manages his vineyards Villers -Marmery. “It’s just down the road”, he’ll biodynamically. This began on an impulse. venture, anxiously, lest you decline. And when you do decline because you have all his wines yet to On a scorching day in the summer of 1997, a taste and another appointment to attend to, he will miserably dry year, Hugues stood staring at his look at you a little wounded, like a child would who drought-stressed vines. The weather service had had painted a mug for you in art class, and you had no reprieve to broadcast. There was no rain in barely taken the time to look at it. sight.

There is tenderness in the rapport Hughes has In the nineties, farmers of Hugues’ generation had with his vines, a solicitude for them, that is only known chemical farming –their fathers began unusual even among the greatest French farming that way in the fifties. But grandparents vignerons. Watching him in the vineyards, it feels were still around; they had farmed in an entirely at times like you have walked in on something that different manner. There was no stopping them

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consultant to DRC and Lafon, and experimented he will use a pied de cuve. homeopathic doses of plants like horsetail, a

on a few parcels. He switched the entire estate to WOOD: Hugues vinifies and ages his 15 best scarcity of lactic bacteria in his barrel cellar, and his biodynamic in 2006. Organic and biodynamic parcels (representing about 1/3 of his production) willingness to make wines that are on the edge of certification processes were begun in 2011. The separately in wood, used barrels only – he does stable.

organic certification was obtained in 2013, the not like new wood. The barrels are mostly Francois FINING, FILTRATION: No. biodynamic certification in 2014. Frères that he purchases from the cooper when RÉSERVE WINES: The percentage of reserve wines in “We are working with a plant that is truly they are one or two years old. The percentage of the non-vintage cuvées varies between 40 to 70%, astonishing”, says Hugues, “we are lucky to be wine vinified in wood ending up in each cuvee with final assemblages that can include up to 6 vignerons. We can change our methods and the ranges from 15% on the brut réserve to 100% on vintages (including the base wine). Peter Liem vine just adapts to it. But because of the risks the single vineyard wines. writes that this is a “remarkably high percentage” involved in organic or biodynamic vineyard MALO, SULFUR: Until 2013, Hugues partially put his in non-vintage and that this gives manage ment, you have to really want it. It can’t wines through malo. Since last year he is fully non- Hugues’ wines “an added depth and complexity.” just be an opportunistic commitment or you will malo. Parodoxically, Hugues strives to limit his use STYLE: “What I want to achieve for all of my wines fall flat on you face. The only way you will stick of sulfur. He has sans soufre cuvees in the cellar with it is if you feel profoundly rewarded by your is a certain lightness” Hugues says. “Whether for (brilliant) and generally aims to bottle at 40ppm. He pinot or chardonnay I prefer sensuality and lace to wines. The wines of the nineties, I was tired of credits his ability to block malos without making that stuff. Today there is so much more something too overt. I prefer for the taster to work bombarding the wines with sulfur to his ageing of a little to find the bouquet. I find that when you put sensuality, length, matière. Now we are revealing the still wines on plenty of lees, the use of the chalk.” a stopper in the bottle and come back to it a few hours or a few days later and tell yourself ‘Hmm, I had missed this’ it is much more interesting than a Style & Winemaking wine that gives you everything up front. And I want wines that will age.” Certified Biodynamic, native yeast, no fining, no filtration, vinification in wood and ageing on lees, And though Hugues does go for ageability, his parcel selections, low sulfur, low dosages. We wines are merely coiled up in their youth, not would be hard-pressed to name many other austere. Indeed, to our palates, they have just the people in Champagne that, like Hughes, could structure we like, because it’s precise and discreet check all the boxes that add up to constitute the rather than brutal –serious yet kind, just like nouvelle vague. Hugues. And with the exception of the two wines from Villers-Marmery, around this structural core PICKI NG EARLY, : Though Hugues the flavors are savory rather than fruity, complex tends to pick a few days after the ban de vendanges, he still picks earlier than a lot of the rather than primary, wise rather than adolescent, nouvelle vague people. This is because in keeping salty, sauvage and umami rather than appley- with his desire for freshness, elegance, and citrusy. This comes from the sites, the viticulture, the elevage, the low sulfur, and the larger ageablity, he aims for 10 to 10.5 potential alcohol, whereas his peers usually aim for 11. Hugues proportion of reserve wines in the NV cuvees. does as best as he can to avoid chaptalization, but Salinity: it’s the new black for wine. Godmé has salt in spades. he is also transparent. With 80 separate parcels, it’s hard to pick everything at optimum maturity. There is a quote from Glenn Gould on Fred So, in 2014, on the full 11 hectares of his domaine, Mugnier’s website. It is about Gould’s own 1955 he used the amount of sugar authorized for 1 recording of Bach’s Goldberg Variations: “There is hectare only. With the family split and the a lot of piano playing going on here, and I mean reduction in size of his domaine he ought to be that as the most disparaging comment possible.” able to eschew chaptalization altogether. Of course this is Fred’s way of illustrating his own

NATIVE YEAST: For the past two years Hugues has desire to erase as much winemaking signature as vinified only with native yeast. When necessary, he can from his wines. And though Godme does

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village Verzenay is definitely the genuine star of the Montagne de Reims. Admittedly the wines of the village never acquire the soft aromatic opulence of Aÿ, but they gain greater weight with age, and are extremely important base wines for great vintages such as R. D. and Roederer Cristal, for example. Vezenay Champagnes betray a very strong and individual fragrance. Pepper and iron notes mix with the aroma of the grape. It is persistently long and hard for many years before it settles down to utter perfection. Tastings at the barrel of Bollinger or Krug are simply majestic.”

VERZY, GRAND CRU: is planted 80% to pinot noir and only 20% to chardonnay. Richard Juhlin: “The of Verzy is made up belemnite chalk and two varieties of micraster chalk. Verzy’s plantations form an extension of the famous vineyards at Verzenay on the northern slopes of the Montagne de Reims (…) Oddly enough, Verzy was formerly a Chardonnay village.”

Vizetelly, in 1882, writes that the vineyards of Verzy “are almost exclusively planted with white grapes, the only instance of the kind to be met with in the district.” Godmé has a lot of chardonnay in Verzy, including a parcel called have a signature, we think Gould’s quote applies current size because he has vines from his wife.) called les Bussets which plays an important part in to his wines too, for he has such magnificent There will be a somewhat lesser proportion of several of his cuvées. restraint in dealing with the undeniable Chardonnay.

profoundness of his terroirs, specifically Verzenay. VILLERS-MARMERY, PREMIER CRU: an oddity in the VERZERNAY, GRAND CRU: Richard Juhlin: “As I’ve Montagne de Reims, as it is nearly entirely planted already mentioned, , Sillery, and to Chardonnay, futhermore, with a selection that is The terroirs Beaumont-sur-Vesle obtained their grand cru to be found nowhere else in Champagne. Brad status thanks to their proximity to Verzenay. The Baker writes that “This wasn’t always the case: at The Godmés own 80 parcels, totaling a little more 420 hectares (1038 acres) In the village provide the than 11 hectares, and located over 5 communes: the beginning of the twentieth century, the village blackest grapes in Champagne. How the northern was split fairly equally between Chardonnay and the three grand crus of Verzenay, Verzy and slopes in one of the most northerly wine-growing Beaumont sur Vesle, and the two premier crus of Pinot Noir vines. One theory says this is the chief villages in the world produces such rich, peppery, reason that the village is classified as a Premier Villers Marmery and Villedommange. The first four and virile Pinot wines is one of the great mysteries communes neighbor each other, while Cru rather than a Grand Cru like neighboring of viniculture. The majority of the northern sites in Verzenay and Verzy. Had Villers-Marmery been at Villedommange is 30 minutes west. The the village actually lie more to the northeast, and encepagement is 55% chardonnay (in Villers- least 90% Chardonnay at the time of the thus enjoy the sun’s rays for a substantial part of classification, its terroir, much more suited to Marmery and Verzy), 35% pinot noir (in Verzenay the day (…) Some of the most illustrious vineyards and Beaumont sur Vesle), and 15% pinot Meunier Chardonnay, would have ensured it Grand Cru belong to Bollinger, Mumm, Roederer, and status.” (in Villedommange). After the split, Hugues will Heidsieck and Monopole, and are located below have 7.6 hectares (more than half the domaine’s the historic Moulin de Verzenay (…) As a pinot Terry Theise: “Chardonnay evidently came to

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Villers by accident. Around the turn of the century one grower happened to try it and lo, it General Kudos

was good. Others followed.Now we have “Godmé is one of the finest estates in the something unusual and actually gorgeous (…) northern Montagne de Reims, producing The village expresses a new face of Chardonnay champagnes of uncommonly vinous depth and and expands the range of possibilities for expression. The wines can be a little severe for Champagne. Or so I opine. There’s evidently those who are unaccustomed to an intensely quite some debate about the particular clone of soil-driven style of grower champagne, but for Chardonnay planted in these vineyards. those who appreciate champagnes that I think you’d have to have a schoolmarmish emphasize their viticulture, Godmé’s are well palate to object to Champagnes such as these. worth seeking out. They are also some of the In fact there’s some chit-chat about Villers (and best examples of the terroir of Verzenay and its neighbor Trépail) being ideal for Chardonnay the surrounding villages in the northeast sector because its eastward exposition guards against of the Montagne.” spring frosts, to which the Chardonnay is prone.” - Peter Liem, www.champagneguide.net The Chardonnays produced at Villers-Marmery are striking. They are as zippy but taste less of “Long on expression of terroir, with great fruit chalk than the Côte de Blancs, perhaps because purity and absolutely exemplary focus, balance there is hardly any topsoil in the latter. And there and refinement, Godmé Père et Fils is clearly is a vinous, yellow stone fruit character to them, one of the superstar domaines amongst the sometimes a hint of tropical. It’s at times Grower-Récoltants.” reminiscent of . - John Gilman, View From The Cellar VILLE-DOMMANGE, PREMIER CRU: Concurring with Vizetelly, Juhlin says that along with Sacy, “Godmé‘s wines are all about the battle of Villedommange is the best terroir in the Petite power vs finesse, fruit mixing with acidity, and Montagne de Reims. The encepagement is 65% baked bread interlaced with minerality. The Meunier in Villedommange. Jerome Prevost who wines are extremely complex and develop very makes some of the best Meuniers in well. In fact, the Champagne that Godmé Champagne is not far in Gueux, and so is Egly- reminds me most of is the one and only Dom Ouriet’s vielles vignes de Vrigny. The Petite Pérignon. Both manage impeccable balance Montagne is obviously very serious Meunier between Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and each territory. develop slowly and blossom over time.

Whether you agree with me or not, I think you should take this as the compliment it is, especially when considering the price of admission – you can buy multiple bottles of Godmé’s vintage wine for the price of one bottle of Dom.”

- Brad Baker, Champagne Warrior