Roland Champion
Champagne

The Estate
This small grower is located in the Grand Cru Village of Chouilly, in the `Côte des Blancs`. The vineyard of Chouilly has a south, southeast sun exposure, which gives the chardonnay its delicate aromas.
Founded in 1951 by André Champion, his son Roland expanded the company by purchasing some new land, and gave his name to the family house of Champagne. François is the third generation of the family and continues in his father’s footsteps. He is the enologist and currently runs the company. He farms their 18 hectares (44.5 acres) and blends wines resulting from different parcels and various vintages to elaborate his Cuvées.
The property consists of 40 different parcels planted with the following grape types:

• Chardonnay: 70%
• Pinot Meunier: 22%
• Pinot Noir: 8% in the commune of Verneuil

The grapes are harvested manually, which is the rule in Champagne. Then, the grapes are immediately pressed in-site to avoid oxidation and preserve the quality of the grapes.
The wine is aged in their cellar made of chalk where the constant temperature is 10\12°C (50/54°F).

Production is 85,000 bottles (7,000 cases) yearly, part of which is sold “sur latte” to negociants. The remaining 35,000 bottles are sold under their own name.

They produce the following wines:
NV Brut, Blanc de Blanc: 25% of production
Vintage Champagne, Speciale Club Carte Noire: 70% of production
Rosé Brut: 5% of production

Currently, all wines are 100% pre-sold to an adoring French clientele. Daughter Carole Champion represents the fourth generation to continue with the property.

Champion family: Ginette, Francois and their daughter Carole

The wines

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#F4EE890000CHM
UPC code: 7 84585 01026 4
N.V. Champagne Roland Champion, Brut, Blanc de Blancs, Chouilly Grand Cru 12/750ml
The NV Brut is aged for minimum 30 months (the minimum for NV is 15 months). This cuvee is made from 100% Chardonnay and is produced from the free run juice only. The current release is the result of the blend of the 2005, the 2006 and the 2007 vintage.
Fresh and delicate, its fine bubbles and wide range of aromas will be perfect as an aperitif. This Champagne will also match very well with seafood and shellfish.

dosage : 8 grams per liter
ageing : 30 months on laths
Even if it doesn't say on the label, 100% of the production is RD (Recently Disgorged)


"Medium gold color with very attractive aromas of yeast and lemon tart. A lovely and very flavorful palate of yeast and nuts gives way to a long, long finish. This is a crowd pleaser!"
- International Wine Review (Dec 08), 91 pts

"Graphite, bread dough and citrus aromas segue to lemon, apple and floral notes as this remains focused and crisp. There's a nice chalky feel on the long finish. Drink now through 2014. 1,800 cases made. –BS"
- Wine Spectator (Sept 30, 2010), 90 pts

"(65% 2005 juice and 35% from 2004; L40) Light gold with a fine bead. Highly floral bouquet displays pear, green apple, honeysuckle and chamomile, with a suave mineral undertone. Begins tight but gains weight and richness in the middle palate, offering pliant orchard fruit and baking spice flavors and a tangy bite of lemon zest. Nicely balanced and pure blanc de blancs with strong finishing cut and floral persistence. This is all grand cru juice, from Chouilly."
- Tanzer's International Wine Cellar (Dec 2009), 90 pts

"Small grower. Autumn fruits dominate the aromas of this wine, which is blatantly more like a wine than we normally expect a champagne to be. Some may find that unexpected and even off-putting, while others will find it intriguingly delicious."
- Washington Post (Dec 08) - EXCELLENT

"Roland Champion is a small family-owned producer, now with the fourth generation, in the village of Chouilly (”shoo-ee”), which has only Grand Cru vineyards. Made from 100 percent chardonnay grapes, this Champagne offers ethereal grace and poise and harmony; if I were fighting a duel tonight, I would ask for this Champagne as my last beverage. The nose here is about the richness of warm biscuits and hazelnuts, dried fruit and spice, like a Platonic, ineffably light fruitcake; in the mouth, however, it’s about a structure that encompasses an incredible marriage of power and elegance, like the delicacy and strength of the finest bone china. And there’s something porcelain-like about this Champagne, in its notable crisp, lively character, its transparency and its slightly chalky, shale-like mineral elements. Forget the Champagnes that come on with heavy toasty, caramel qualities; here, instead, is a wealth of subtlety and nuance touched with a racy, dynamic edge. Exceptional."
Biggerthanyourhead.net (Jan. 09)

National Retail Price: $54.00 / bottle

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#F4EE890004CHM
UPC code: 7 84585 01027 1
2003 Champagne Roland Champion, Blanc de Blancs, Chouilly Grand Cru 12/750ml
The 2003 Vintage is aged for 6 years (instead of the minimum 36 months required by law). This cuvee is made from 100% Chardonnay (this grape ages very well) and is produced from the free run juice only. The grapes used result from parcels that have the best maturity.
This Champagne, with its delicate brioche-like notes, shows a flawless balance. Very nice vintage. It matches magnificently with foie gras!

dosage : 6 grams per liter
ageing : 8 years on laths
Even if it doesn't say on the label, 100% of the production is RD (Recently Disgorged)

"Pale gold. Pungent aromas of lemon curd, anise and honeysuckle, with a mineral overtone. Very fresh and precise for the
vintage, with good energy to its orchard fruit and citrus flavors. Shows good vivacity on the finish, leaving behind notes of honey and minerals."
- Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar (Josh Raynolds, December 2011), 91 pts

#F4EE890001CHM
UPC code: 7 84585 01027 1
2000 Champagne Roland Champion, Blanc de Blancs, Chouilly Grand Cru 12/750ml
The 2000 Vintage is aged for 7 years (instead of the minimum 36 months required by law). This cuvee is made from 100% Chardonnay (this grape ages very well) and is produced from the free run juice only. The grapes used result from parcels that have the best maturity.
This Champagne, with its delicate brioche-like notes, shows a flawless balance. Very nice vintage. It matches magnificently with foie gras!

dosage : 6 grams per liter
ageing : 10 years on laths

Even if it doesn't say on the label, 100% of the production is RD (Recently Disgorged)
"The finesse and creamy texture in this bubbly are as much a part of the experience as its peach, ripe apple, coffee and mineral flavors. This is vivid and long, with a savory aftertaste. Best from 2012 through 2025."
- Wine Spectator (Dec 2010), 92 pts

"The golden color shows the maturity of this 2000, a concentrated and powerful wine based on nutty richness and leesy minerality. It's not overt, and it needs food to bring out its flavors. Serve with boudin blanc."
- Wine & Spirits Magazine, 90 pts

"Bright yellow-gold. Fresh, lightly toasty citrus and apple aromas are complicated by jasmine, chamomile and subtle grain and herbal qualities. Finely etched orange and poached pear flavors gain depth with air while maintaining vivacity. Dusty minerals add grip and focus to the long, juicy finish. Quite complex today."
- International Wine Cellar (Nov 08), 92 pts

"Bright deep gold with a very creamy mousse and an autolytic nose of rich yeast, dried apricots, and a touch of crème caramel. The elegant and silky but intense palate shows flavors of toasted nuts. Can hold up to strongly-flavored food."
- I-Wine Review (Dec 08), 94 pts

National Retail Price: $66.00 / bottle

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#F4EE890002CHM
UPC code: 7 84585 01096 7
2004 Champagne Roland Champion, Special Club, Chouilly Grand Cru 6/750ml
The Special Club concept started in 1971.
A dozen of wine growers from some old families of Champagne had an idea to familiarize people with the originality of the “Champagne de Vigneron” (Champagne of wine grower), thanks to prestigious vintages.
In the beginning, they created an association called the “Club des Viticulteurs Champenois” and chose a bottle with a special shape created only for them.
In 1988, they changed the bottle and the label. The current packaging has been the same since 1988. In 1999, the Club changed its name to “Club Trésor of Champagne”.
To be a member of this Club, Champagne producers have to elaborate their Cuvées in their own facility, meaning the pressing, bottling, ridding, disgorging, etc., have to be done at the domaine/estate. Then, only the Recoltants-Manipulants are accepted.
Everybody has to respect the Club’s rules to ensure the quality. These rules include:
* Only vintages
* Two tastings to control the quality: the first one after the blending, when the wine is still “Vin Clair” (juice) and another after the 3 years (or more) of ageing “sur lattes”.
There are 26 members, each of whom can produce his Special Club with his own techniques: 
* blending or “monocru” (only one grape variety)
* “blanc de blancs” or “blanc de noirs”; ageing from 3 to 10 years, brut or extra-brut.

dosage : 6 grams per liter
ageing : 6 years on laths
Even if it doesn't say on the label, 100% of the production is RD (Recently Disgorged)

"(all chardonnay from the grand cru Chouilly) Light yellow with a faint green tinge. Spicy, mineral-driven aromas of Meyer lemon, orange, toasted grain and white flowers, plus a hint of anise. Dry, sharply focused citrus and orchard fruit flavors are complemented by talc and honey, with zesty mineral lift and back-end grip. Very young but lively and easy to drink, with gentle finishing fruitiness and excellent length. (I retasted the 2000 Blanc de Blancs Brut and it is showing very pretty, mineral-driven citrus and floral character, with good finishing cut and grip. It is evolving slowly and looks set for a long life in a cool cellar.)
- Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar (Dec. 09), 92 pts

"A tightly knit, vivid Champagne, with a supple texture and vibrant acidity buoying its apple, yeast, lemon and savory flavors. This has substance and class, if balanced on the sharp side. Give this time or enjoy with shellfish and oysters. Best from 2011 through 2018. 300 cases made. –BS"
- Wine Spectator (Web Only 2010), 90 pts

National Retail Price: $80.00 / bottle