'Elegance over power' PETER LIEM

Organic viticulture has become something of a catch cry in the modern wine world, but never have I seen a more profound statement of its impact than in Eric Rodez’s magnificently positioned vineyard of 6.5 hecatries on the glorious mid slopes of Ambonnay….The fanatical approach of this eight generation winegrower permeates every detail of his work, which embraces vinification in barriques, light dosages and a colossal resource of reserve wines spanning 20 years….salty mineralty and generous expression of one of Champagne's greatest grand crus sing through every cuvee. And sing they do. TYSON STELZER.  

These are decisive but never heavy, showing Ambonnay’s skill at finding a balance between the two. JON BONNE

Éric Rodez’s champagnes feel crafted in the best sense of the word: they display a vinous intensity that obviously comes from quality work in the vineyards, yet they also demonstrate a sophisticated complexity and refinement that indicates a sure hand in the cellar…Anyone who thinks that monocru champagne is incapable of complexity and completeness, or that grower champagne is rustic and lacking in finesse, needs only to taste Rodez’s wines to see that neither of these need necessarily be true. PETER LIEM

Eric Rodez is mayor of the famous Pinot Noir-growing village of Ambonnay and a highly opinionated eighth-generation vine grower currently handing over to his son Mickael. This is a wine that’s rather like the popular (though probably inaccurate) Bollinger stereotype, providing lots to chew on with great density and a bone-dry finish but no shortage of refreshment. JANCIS ROBINSON MW

Éric, who started making his own Champagnes in 1984, is very much a terroiriste, creating complexity in his mono-cru wines by vinifying numerous different parcelles separately and using different winemaking techniques, including oak and a high amount of reserve wines from several years. ESSI AVELLAN MW

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Rodez only has 6.5 hectares of vines in the Grand Cru village of Ambonnay. It’s a heavenly cru, where you’ll find big names like Krug (Clos d’Ambonnay), Egly Ouriet, Heidsieck and Selosse. Pinot is the main grape, nourished (or perhaps malnourished) by the chalky soils and meagre top soils.

While pinot takes the lead, 20% of the cru is planted to chardonnay, mostly by the older families of the area. The Rodez family has been here since 1757, so not surprising they also make a cuvee with chardonnay (Crayeres, more on this below).

There’s richness and incredible depth to these wines. Before Champagne, Eric Rodez worked in Burgundy and before working for his family he was at Krug. He's well known for being a protagonist of biodynamic farming, fermenting in oak and using a large dose of aged and  reserve wines in his non-vintage cuvees to amp up their depth and velvety luxurious. He keeps his dosages low, walking that fine line between elegance and power. Oh, and he used to be the Mayor of Ambonnay too.

Today his son, Mickael is on board. Having started in the vineyards for the last few years, he has slowly been handed the key to the cellar. The fastidious vineyard work at this estate is carried into the winery too. In order to preserve the vineyard characteristics, from their 36 parcels of vines, they usually vinifiy 60 different wines, separated according to both parcel and vine-age!

Does Crayeres sound familiar? Egly Ouriet’s famed blanc de noir comes from this lieu-dit, it’s a stunning ambassador, but it sells for $1000 a bottle. Rodez’s Crayeres sells for $200. Same turf and both are fanatical farmers (Rodez adds chardonnay to his blend). Both share an intense chalkiness and soil-driven complexity.

Champagne critic, Peter Liem sums up the cuvees nicely:

Rodez’s 6 hectares are all in Ambonnay, and lie others, he sees Ambonnay’s terroir as one of elegance over power. His excellent nonvintage Cuvee des Crayeres demonstrates this, as does the silky, chalk-driven Blanc de Noirs. Particularly compelling is his full-bodied, sleekly shaped Blancs de Blancs, as it’s rare to see a pure chardonnay from Ambonnay. Rodez’s blending reaches its apogee with the Cuvee des Grands Vintages, which blends multiple vintage-quality wines together, some of which can go back a decade or more….His newest project, initiated in 2010  is a pair of single vineyard champagnes, both 100% pinot vinified in barrel without malolactic fermentation. Les Beurys comes from a parcel of near forty year old vines, and it feels elegant and lithe, emphasizing its finesse. In contrast, Les Genettes  is larger in body with more concentrated flavors, reflecting its deeper soils.

These are riveting champagnes that combine delicacy and power effortlessly. They’re dry and salivating and showcase the Grand Cru slopes of Amobonnay beautifully. Best of all, they’re not crazily priced.

Cheers

Gabrielle Poy