The Philipponnat style is a dynamic paradox of intensity, mineral tension and purity.
Vines and Wines
The style of the House of Philipponnat springs from its roots in the heart of the Champagne region.
It is supported by three mainstays. Firstly, the intensity of the Pinot Noir from the southern slopes of the Grande Vallée de la Marne, which forms the heart of the House’s cuvées. Secondly, the mineral tension of the chalky soils of the Premiers and Grands Crus. Lastly, precise know-how, delivering wines that reflect the purity of their origin.
Meticulous viticulture, based on the fruit’s ripeness and concentration, is central to this know-how. The resulting acidity, which varies in intensity, is balanced by the presence or absence of malolactic fermentation, depending on the cuvée and the vintage.
The aromatic quality of the wines is enhanced by a constant quest for purity, starting with the exclusive use of the first press or ‘cuvée’, and continuing throughout every stage of vinification.
The ‘Réserve Perpétuelle’ Cycle
Our art of blending ‘non-vintage’ cuvées is based on a very special skill: that of the Réserve Perpétuelle. This practice, which transcends time, has become the House’s philosophy: constant renewal, perpetual motion.
Every year since 1946, Champagne Philipponnat has blended wines from the new harvest with a proportion of the previous year’s blend. This Réserve Perpétuelle process consists of a cycle of successive blends that are perpetually repeated. The term thus refers to both the new blend and the part of it that is retained for subsequent blends. The wine put into reserve is itself processed in two complementary ways: part of it is incorporated into the following year’s cuvée, and another feeds the slower-rotating ‘Réserve Essentielle’.
The Réserve Perpétuelle and Réserve Essentielle are both aged in wooden barrels. Successive blends give the resulting patina a cumulative character while preserving the freshness of the wines: the oldest ones are constantly rejuvenated and become increasingly complex.
“The Réserve Perpétuelle Brut, Non Dosé and Rosé cuvées reflect Philipponnat’s mastery and know-how. They illustrate the virtuosity and quest for perfection that drives all those who work for the House.”
