Vazart-Coquart & Fils Cuvee Club Tresor Blanc de Blancs Brut 2016

Vazart-Coquart & Fils Spécial Club Cuvee Club Tresor Blanc de Blancs Brut 2016

The 2016 Vazart-Coquart & Fils Cuvée Club Trésor, released as Spécial Club, is a vintage Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs from Chouilly in Champagne’s Côte des Blancs. Made exclusively from Chardonnay, it combines the depth of extended lees ageing under natural cork with the clarity of stainless-steel vinification. Lemon, pear, almond and sourdough notes unfold across a silky, creamy palate, finishing with impressive energy and a distinctly dry, mineral character.

Technical Details

• Producer: Champagne Vazart-Coquart & Fils

• Cuvée: Spécial Club

• Country: France

• Region: Champagne, Côte des Blancs

• Village: Chouilly

• Appellation: Champagne AOC

• Vineyard classification: Grand Cru

• Vintage: 2016

• Grape variety: 100% Chardonnay

• Blend: Exclusively the 2016 harvest

• Vinification: Temperature-controlled stainless-steel vats

• Malolactic fermentation: Completed

• Tirage: May 2017

• Bottle ageing: On lees under a natural cork stopper

• Disgorgement: By hand, à la volée

• Dosage: 1 g/l

• Dosage category: Extra Brut

• Bottle size: 750 ml

The Producer

Vazart-Coquart & Fils is based in Chouilly, one of the Grand Cru villages of the Côte des Blancs. The estate’s vineyard covers approximately 11 hectares, with an average vine age of 45 years. Chardonnay lies at the heart of its identity, and Spécial Club represents a prestige expression of the house’s work with this variety.

The cuvée is conceived for extended cellar maturation and gastronomic drinking. Its distinctive feature is ageing under natural cork from tirage, a deliberate choice that contributes additional complexity during the wine’s development on lees.

Vineyard and Terroir

The Chardonnay comes exclusively from Chouilly Grand Cru, where chalk-rich soils provide the foundation for the wine’s mineral precision. This is a single-village Champagne, expressing the character of Chouilly through ripe fruit, freshness and a finely textured palate.

The 2016 bottling contains no reserve wines from other harvests. Its composition is entirely vintage-specific, allowing the Chardonnay and the individual growing year to define the wine’s expression.

Winemaking and Ageing

Vinification takes place in temperature-controlled stainless-steel vats, preserving the definition of the Chardonnay without introducing an overt oak signature. Malolactic fermentation is completed, contributing roundness to the wine’s naturally fresh structure.

The wine was bottled for its second fermentation in May 2017 and matured on lees under natural cork. This extended period of bottle ageing develops the pastry, bread and almond nuances that complement its citrus and orchard-fruit core. Disgorgement is performed manually, à la volée, and the final dosage is just 1 g/l.

The result is a Champagne whose richness comes from fruit, fermentation and lees maturation rather than sweetness: creamy in texture, yet dry and energetic on the finish.

Tasting Profile

The bouquet is complex and expressive, combining lemon, sourdough bread, blanched almond and gingerbread with a subtle touch of pineapple. Further layers of pear, quince, tangerine and brioche broaden the aromatic register.

On the palate, the wine is silky and creamy, with fine effervescence and a generous, harmonious texture. Citrus freshness brings drive and definition, carrying the flavours into a long, dry finish. Mature fruit and pastry richness remain balanced by an energetic, mineral backbone.

• Aroma and flavour: Lemon, pear, quince, tangerine, blanched almond, sourdough, brioche, gingerbread and a delicate pineapple note.

• Texture: Silky and creamy, with fine, integrated bubbles.

• Structure: Generous and concentrated, balanced by lively freshness.

• Finish: Long, dry and mineral, with lingering citrus, almond and yeasty nuances.

Drinking and Serving

The 2016 Spécial Club is ready to enjoy, with the depth and balance to reward further cellaring. Its extended lees maturation gives it developed complexity, while its energy and dry finish preserve a sense of freshness.

As a serving recommendation, begin at approximately 10–12°C in a tulip-shaped Champagne glass or a medium-sized white-wine glass. Allow the wine to unfold gradually in the glass, revealing the progression from citrus and orchard fruit to almond, bread and spice.

Food Pairing

This is a gastronomic Champagne, with sufficient texture and intensity to accompany a substantial meal. Its creamy palate, citrus definition and savoury lees character suggest the following pairings:

• Seared scallops with beurre blanc.

• Lobster or langoustines with a delicate butter sauce.

• Turbot or sole with lemon and herbs.

• Roast chicken with morels.

• Mushroom risotto.

• Aged Comté or Beaufort.

These serving suggestions emphasize the wine’s balance of richness and freshness, allowing its almond, pastry and mineral nuances to remain clear alongside the food.

Collector Note

The 2016 Spécial Club brings together Chouilly Grand Cru Chardonnay, a single-harvest blend, extended ageing under natural cork and traditional manual disgorgement. Its restrained 1 g/l dosage preserves a particularly clear expression of the wine’s fruit and mature lees complexity.

For a Champagne collection, it offers a distinctive combination of vintage character and cellar-developed depth: a generous, finely textured Blanc de Blancs with the freshness to remain compelling at the table and the structure to develop further in bottle.