
“Dosage is one thing, balance is another” could be how Thomas Cheurlin, Champagne Vaucelle, summed up the presentation of his new album, or rather, his new brand of champagne.
The artist who has been practicing the subtle harmonic blending of grape varieties for ten generations can be proud of this creative work, which involved composing an arrangement for ten different wines to get the taste just right, and recording six tracks with different colors.
Behind all new compositions, as behind all improvisations, there is a history, know-how handed down from generation to generation, and a lot of hard work. Thomas Cheurlin‘s family settled in Celles-sur-Ource, a village in the Côte des Bar region, at the end of the 7th century and devoted themselves to growing vines. At the end of the Second World War, the advent of the méthode champenoise, the Bebop of bubbles, turned the Cheurlin family towards champagne production.
So it was with this rich heritage that Thomas Cheurlin decided to create his own label, his own brand, Champagne Vaucelle. Vaucelle as in small parcel. Vaucelle as in Celles-sur-Ource, the family’s home village. Vaucelles as in the Cistercian abbey, daughter of the Abbaye de Clairvaux and sister to the Abbaye de Mores in Celles-sur-Ource, with links to the history of the Champagne vineyards and the Côte des Bar. Nothing is left to chance.
To introduce us to the six titles of this new brand, Thomas Cheurlin invited us to the Bistrot du Sommelier for a food and champagne pairing created by Philippe Faure Brac – the world’s best sommelier – and his team. Philippe Faure Brac, a regular at the Rue des Lombards and New Morning jazz clubs, was off to Jazz à Vienne. Jazz was there.
First title, Terre Nacrée. A deep, gourmet Blanc de Blancs 100% Chardonnay to accompany a blanquette de la mer of cod, mussels, whelks and prawns on a beurre blanc.
Second title, Terre Natale, a Blanc de Noirs 100% pinot noir with a very rich nose and a long, subtly mineral finish to underline the richness of a pâté en croute with foie gras.
The third title is Le Suchot, a 100% pinot noir rosé champagne whose flowery nose and delicacy harmonize with the astonishing éclair au chaource, with strawberries and raspberries.
The next three titles will benefit from a Jazz and Champagne pairing.
Les Vallons, a brut with a majority of Pinot Noir and a touch of Chardonnay. Its finesse, softness and harmonic freshness make me want to listen to Daybreak by Israeli flutist Itai Kriss, where improvisation becomes a link between musical traditions.
Terre de Nuance, my favorite. An ephemeral, numbered and limited cuvée, it will change every year according to the work done in the vat-house, hence the term Nuance. Its spicy, exotic approach and the promise of change remind me of the many versions of Nuages performed by Django Reinhardt. In the land of jazz, the harvest is never the same.
And to round off this album, the Cuvée des Ambassadeurs. This is the benchmark for this brand-new champagne. The wines are selected according to the harvest and, here too, the blend may vary according to the year. This champagne is only produced in good harvest years. François Poitou also selects according to the zeitgeist, the terroir and the best years of inspiration. Let’s listen to Scarborough fair to accompany this prestigious champagne, since it’s in folk music that the double bassist has done his harvesting this year.
Champagne Vaucelle, an album that delivers on the promise of dosage and balance. A new brand from Thomas Cheurlin, where history and tradition are fully reflected. A new brand made up of six champagnes adapted to all the colors of jazz.
CHAMPAGNE VAUCELLE, Maison Thomas CHEURLIN
17 Grande Rue, 10110 Celles-sur-Ource – +33 (0) 03 25 38 50 26
contact@cheurlin.fr – champagne-vaucelle.fr
© photos CHRISTIAN CASCIO
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