First taste: Delamotte Blanc de Blancs 2012

Delamotte has marked its 260th anniversary with the release of its 2012 vintage blanc de blancs, a triumph over adversity in the context of the apocalyptic weather conditions that Champagne suffered until the summer of that vintage.

The first vintage release since 2008, the wine is one of just four cuvées in Delamotte’s range – the others being the Brut NV, the blanc de blancs NV and the rosé NV.

Scroll down for the tasting notes and scores of Delamotte’s Blanc de Blancs 2012, 1999 and NV

Blend of grands crus

A blend of six Chardonnay grands crus, there are grapes from Oger, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Avize, Cramant, Chouilly and Oiry. ‘It was always my dream to blend these grands crus,’ says Delamotte’s Didier Depond, who created this blend for the first time in the 2008 vintage.

Le Mesnil is the heart of the blend, contributing chalky acidity, minerality and a saline hint. Avize gives balance and structure to Oger’s ripe fruit, while Cramant gives smoky minerality. Chouilly adds structure and length, Oiry roundness and acidity.

Oiry is probably the least known of the six, but Depond insists it plays a valuable role: ‘It’s not a famous, trendy area – it has a fairly low profile – but I love the grapes, which are similar to those from Le Mesnil,’ he says.

Vinification took place in stainless steel tanks, with the wine going through malolactic fermentation before the second fermentation in bottle. The wines were left on their lees in the cellar for seven years before disgorged in October 2019 with a dosage of 5g/L.

Vintage style

When asked to articulate the character of the 2012 vintage release, Depond describes it as ‘linear, precise, fresh and clean – a Champagne for Champagne lovers.’

2012 has similarities with 2008, he comments, but is more feminine in style than either the 2004 or 2008 releases. Around 70,000 bottles of the vintage blanc de blancs are made, modest compared with the output of the larger houses in the region.

Founded in 1760, Delamotte is the fifth oldest Champagne house. The current chapter in its history opened in 1988, when it was integrated into Laurent-Perrier group. A few months later, Laurent-Perrier acquired Delamotte’s neighbour in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, the tiny Champagne Salon. Both have been managed since 1997 by Depond, who is president of both houses.

See the tasting notes and scores of Delamotte’s Blanc de Blancs 2012, 1999 and NV

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