First Taste: Clos des Goisses 2014 & new Philipponnat releases

The boutique Champagne house of Philipponnat is in the village of Mareuil-sur-Ay in the ‘Grande Vallée’ of the Marne river, home to one of Champagne’s most remarkable vineyards. A rare monopole – an entire vineyard owned by one producer, in this case by Philipponnat – the walled Clos des Goisses contains 5.5ha of vines that tumble down towards the river, on a startlingly steep slope, catching more sun than almost any other site in the region with its directly southern exposure.

Presenting the new 2014 release of Clos des Goisses in London on 5 September 2023, Charles Philipponnat had half an eye on the next morning’s Eurostar back to Champagne to begin the year’s harvest, which is earlier than his neighbours are permitted to harvest to thanks to a special authorisation granted to the Clos des Goisses vineyard.

Scroll down to see Tom Hewson’s tasting notes and scores for Philipponnat’s new releases

The exceptional vineyard

The site is planted with approximately one third Chardonnay (relatively rare in this part of Champagne) and two thirds Pinot Noir. The Chardonnay is in the eastern part of the vineyard which is ‘a little cooler; Chardonnay doesn’t like to get too hot,’ says Philipponnat.

Yields are low and the blend tends to remain fairly consistent in reflecting the balance of planting. Annual production can be anywhere between 3,000 and 30,000 bottles, depending on the quality of the harvest.

The tasting

Alongside the 2014 release were a number of other wines, including the new 2012 vintage of the single-plot cuvée Les Cintres, from a selection of the ‘steepest, chalkiest’ parts of the vineyard, according to Philipponnat.

From Philpponnat’s archive, and released alongside the new vintages, was the LV (Long Vieillissement or long ageing) – cuvée, which is a late-disgorged edition of the 1998 Clos des Goisses, disgorged in March 2023. 1998 was the last vintage before Charles began working the vinifications, and the style was rather different. ‘The wines were all made in small foudres, without temperature control,’ he says, pointing out that they sometimes show a more oxidative character which he describes as ‘animal’ – a deeply characterful, wild side that is part of the personality of some old vintages. Since 1999, though, this has been tamed by the introduction of stainless steel tanks and the avoidance of oxidative winemaking.

The 2014 vintage

Philipponnat says 2014 is ‘the second cold vintage in a row’ in Champagne. ‘2013 was small and concentrated, but 2014 is lighter, more classical,’ he says, referring to the fact that in 2014 yields were large and the berries swollen and diluted by the summer’s heavy rainfall.

Offering some clues to the future of the wine, Philipponnat opened a late-disgorged 1982 Clos des Goisses, ‘the first of the generous vintages in Champagne, large but ripe, light and diluted, but not green,’ he says.

It’s rare to find a winemaker that talks so openly about dilution and with some positivity, but as the 2023 vintage looms, with yields the size of which Philipponnat has ‘never seen before – bigger than 2004,’ dilution is likely the question on everyone’s lips this autumn.

Tom Hewson’s tastes and rates Philipponnat’s new releases

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