Caze Thibaut 2017 Le Chemin des Plants Blanc de Blancs Champagne

Extra Brut 2.2 grams dosage. Disgorged March 16, 2022. The families behind this tiny producer have been in the Champagne region for 10 generations. Most of those generations worked for others until Roger Cazé struck out and began to sell Champagne under his own name in 1953. A handful of generations later, Fabien Cazé has fully taken over the leadership and direction of the estate. Before coming back to the family holdings, Fabien worked with Alexandre Chartogne, and has adopted the new French wave of winemaking as his own. He is also a part of the up and coming grower society Terre et Vins de Champagne, being welcomed into the select few after only a handful of compelling vintages.

Fabien’s aim as he grows as a winemaker is to focus on and promote the terroir of his single plots as distinctive wines. His home is located in Chatillon-Sur-Marne with his various plots located in Châtillon, Vandières and Reuil, all on the northern bank of the Marne river. Most growers that we bring to you are small: Fabien is positively tiny. His parcels only cover 5.5 acres, and he makes only around 14,000 bottles per vintage. In the vineyard, they promote ground cover with limited hoeing to promote vine growth; he has stated that he prefers to “scratch” the soil. Fabien does not use herbicides or insecticides on any of his plots, and has been certified organic since 2016. This approach is much more labor intensive but Fabien states that the extra work in the vineyards allows him to make the best wine in the cellar. Michael Kennel, D&M