Champagne Drappier Carte d'Or NV Champagne

Carte d’Or ice cream is really rather good and nobody can deny that their Madagascan vanilla flavour is deliciously creamy. However… this is Oddbins and our Carte d’Or is a Champagne (and, frankly, if we had to choose, it’s fizz over ice-cream every time) made by the family-owned Maison Drappier. It is made with an unusually high percentage of Pinot Noir and, what it lacks in frozen creaminess, it totally makes up for with harmonious white peach, quince and spice. Take that, ice-cream.

Champagne Drappier is dedicated to Pinot Noir. They use natural methods in the vineyard, no sulphur or very little in the cellars and no filtration. They produce fantastically expressive, good value Champagnes. Once occupied by Cistercian monks from Clairvaux Abbey, the seat of the House includes some magnificent 12th century vaulted cellars. They are the former supplier of Charles de Gaulle.

Cultivated in as natural way as possible, the vineyard extends over 100 hectares and is the key asset of the house. Since 1808, the Drappier family has selected particularly exposed and highly calcareous plots, mostly located around Urville, where Pinot Noir is able to achieve its finest expression, producing very aromatic and elegant wines.

When Carte d’Or was launched in 1952, it was its delicious flavours of quince jelly that struck sommeliers, thus the fruit’s rich yellow colour was chosen for the label. With 75% Pinot Noir, 10% Chardonnay and 15% Pinot Meunier, the Carte d'Or is luminous and fresh, rich and invigorating at the same time.

The Carte d'Or cuvée is the very expression of the Drappier style. With its high proportion of Pinot Noir, it is almost like a Blanc de Noirs and has a fine aromatic richness. It opens with aromas of stone fruits such as white peach and a spicy element announces a powerful and complex palate.