JEAN FILLIOUX Lot 63 Grande Champagne TTG 5.0, 44% ABV

Domaine de la Pouyade, located in Juillac-le-Coq, encompasses 25 hectares in the prestigious Grande Champagne terroir and has been owned by the Fillioux family since 1894. This expression, crafted from Ugni Blanc and Colombard grapes, like the 1975 vintage featured in the Cellar Book catalog, has been aged in Limousin oak casks. It beautifully embodies the house's motto, "Prendre de la hauteur pour voir loin" ("Climb higher to see further"). Full-bodied and complex, it showcases vibrant fruity and floral notes throughout its aromatic and flavor profile.

Tasting Notes

Color: Deep orangey copper.

Nose: Full-bodied and elegant. The initial bouquet is heady with iris, peony, and carnation, accompanied by inviting aromas of toffee and wildflower honey. With time, vibrant notes of blood orange and mixed red and black fruits (raspberry, strawberry, blueberry, bramble) emerge, adding depth. Polish-like fragrances of walnut stain and dark varnish provide further complexity, while rose and peony petals delicately grace the profile.

Palate: Lively yet velvety. The rich attack delivers fleshy flavors of apricot, mango, and orange zest, transitioning into sophisticated layers of fig jam and heather honey. The mid-palate takes on warm, autumnal tones of chestnut, sweet chestnut, porcini mushrooms, and grapes. The finish is nuanced with powdery cocoa and exotic fruits like mango, banana, and persimmon.

Finish: Long and full. A warm opening (Espelette pepper) leads to rock candy, lime blossom, and dark chocolate, seamlessly connected. A peppery flourish is enlivened by refreshing fruity acidity (orange, kumquat). On the retro-nasal olfaction, balsamic vinegar adds a distinctive layer. The empty glass reveals intense notes of licorice, roasted coffee, and a rich rancio character (prune, melon, ripe grape).