Geoffroy "Empreinte Millesime" 2016

In 2006, Jean-Baptiste and his wife Karine made a major purchase. They bought a  historical House and facility in Aÿ. Located on the same street as Deutz, it was built in the late 1880s and has five levels: three levels for winemaking and two levels of Caves. This facility (and by the photos, gorgeous house) allows Jean-Baptiste to work entirely by gravity. The top level of the cellar houses two traditional Coquard vertical presses that feed into the settling tanks on the level below, with enameled-steel fermentation tanks and wooden foudres located on the level  below that. After exploring their deep commitment to their vineyards and a world class facility to realize their vision, let’s turn to what you have in the bottle. The Geoffroy Empreinte 2016 is made up entirely of Pinot Noir from their home village of Cumières, all from the 2016 harvest. It was aged in used large oak barrels for six months before going through the Champagne process. It spent 66 months in bottle before being disgorged in November 2022 with a dosage of 3 grams per liter. 

The nose opens with red apple, kirsch, red plum, clotted cream, spice, white pepper, clay, and a light suggestion of barrel. On the palate this is moderate in weight with persistent acidity, and flavors of early season apple giving way to cream, clay and a mix of white cherry and plum with cherry blossoms and a mixed spice on the finish.