Clandestin : Triologie KM1

Characteristics and Tasting Tips for Triologie KM-1 by Clandestin

Tasting Notes

Appearance

The colour is a bright straw-yellow, occasionally with a hint of gold, enlivened by a fine, steady and persistent mousse that forms a ribbon of creamy foam.

Nose

The nose unveils aromas of citrus and green apple, accompanied by notes of pear and white flowers. Herbaceous touches and an almost fleshy fruitiness blend with nuances of toasted bread, brioche and delicate almond, derived from ageing on the lees. In the background, mineral notes of wet stone, chalk and flint bring a saline dimension characteristic of the Kimmeridgian terroir.

Palate

The attack reveals a broad, full-bodied, almost creamy texture, carried by a fine bead. The fruit is ripe, close to fleshy white fruit, underpinned by a linear acidity that brings tension. The mineral framework expresses itself through marked salinity and a wet-stone sensation, leading to a long, dry and precise finish, lightly lifted by a noble bitterness.

Food and Wine Pairing

This Champagne pairs beautifully with free-range poultry, such as a poularde, or with lightly pink white meat such as duck. It also works very well with delicate offal such as sweetbreads, a matured hard cooked-curd cheese such as Comté, or umami-rich dishes such as mushroom risotto.

Serving and Cellaring

For a livelier, more incisive expression of the terroir, Triologie KM-1 NM is ideally enjoyed chilled, in its early years. To reveal a more mature complexity, a slightly higher serving temperature is recommended. The wine has good ageing potential, thanks to its structure, texture and acidity.

A Blanc de Noirs from the Côte des Bar, a full-bodied expression of a Kimmeridgian terroir

The Estate

Champagne Clandestin is a négociant house based in Landreville, in the Côte des Bar, in Champagne. Founded by Benoît Doussot, in close collaboration with Bertrand Gautherot of Vouette & Sorbée, it draws on grapes sourced mainly from organically farmed vineyards, selected from committed growers in the region. Clandestin stands out for its parcel-by-parcel vinification inspired by Burgundy and a deliberately limited production.

The Vineyard

Triologie KM-1 comes from a hillside in the Côte des Bar, an essential terroir of Champagne, planted with Pinot Noir. The vines, organically farmed and harvested by hand, are rooted in Kimmeridgian soils, Upper Jurassic limestone formations rich in marls and marine fossils, which give the wine breadth and minerality.

Vinification and Ageing

The grapes are vinified with indigenous yeasts, then aged in oak barrels before the second fermentation in bottle. Triologie KM-1 then benefits from extended maturation on lees in bottle, following the traditional Champagne method, before being disgorged with no dosage, in keeping with the House's Brut Nature style.

Grape Variety

100% Pinot Noir (Blanc de Noirs).