Franck Pascal, Coteaux Champenois “Confiance” (rouge), 6 Bottle Case 75cl

Equivalent to £44.00

Coteaux Champenois Confiance Franck Pascal, 100% Pinot Meunier, Rare Red wine from Champagne, Strawberries, Cranberry, Pomegranate & Bramble. Loose minerals and gentle tannins. Red wine from the Champagne region is pretty rare stuff, particularly from the north where the climate has always been right on the edge for getting red grapes fully ripe. But Pinot Noir likes cool climates as it maintains its acidity and nervousness and yields a vibrant, fresh, tense style of red. The most famous reds of the region are probably from the aptly name village of 'Bouzy', called Bouzy Rouge and made from Pinot Noir 100%, another is from the village of Cumiere. Frank Pascal's Coteaux Rouge Champenois is a blend of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier and a rare delight from this region. It is made with no added sulphites and can age very well, the current 2014 is superb and still a baby, slightly sour on the finish, a function of it cool climate origins, with lip smacking acidity yet velvety fruit and texture, simply lovely, my kind of Pinot.

In a past life, Franck Pascal trained soldiers on the topic of chemical warfare: what to expect from those types of attacks and how to counteract their effect. What a shock it was, when he took over the family estate in 1994, to realize that farming products were derived from the very same chemical compounds used to harm humans. Needless to say, those were the first to go. After a few trials, he opted for biodynamic farming as he loved what it brought to his wines, specifically that strong mineral character. Frank and Isabelle are driven by a desire to preserve life and create wines that are as healthy as they are delicious.