CHAMPAGNE PIERRE BAILLETTE

 

It may not be a world-famous Champagne-producing village, but don’t be fooled by Trois-Puits relatively low profile. Located 7km south of Reims, directly above Rilly-la-Montagne, it’s home to one of the most delicious grower domaines going – Champagne Pierre Baillette.

 

Run by Périne Baillette, Champagne Pierre Baillette is the micro-domaine founded by her grandfather, Maurice, and named after her father. She took over the winemaking in 2012 and, in addition to having her own family heritage to help her along, she is also married to one of the most influential figures of the burgeoning grower movement – Alexandre Chartogne of Chartogne-Taillet, whose own winemaking lineage traces goes back to the fifteenth century.

 

Périne makes intensely mineral, detailed wines, all at around 5g/l dosage. The majority of her land is  in Trois-Puits 1er Cru (2ha), planted with Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier (the latter a 65-year-old parcel). These grapes go into her signature non-vintage ‘Le Village’ cuvée, which has fabulous salinity and grip that she attributes to the 15cm of chalk in the Trois-Puits soils. 

 

This points to a broad theme, with Périne’s ‘Coeur de Craie’ cuvées produced from all 3 of the estate’s sites translating literally as “heart of chalk”. As well as Trois-Puits, there is Pinot Noir covering 1ha in Rilly-la-Montagne 1er Cru and 0.28ha of Verzenay Grand Cru (a birthday present from her husband, the resulting Blanc de Noir is deliciously rich yet poised).

 

Champagne Pierre Baillette is a small enterprise with an organic approach, ploughing done by horse and riddling done by hand in the chalk caves underneath the winery. The wines boast an unmistakable personality and charm, harking directly back to their terroirs.