Val Frison, Ville sur Arce
Valerie Frison is not only genuinely charming and cool. This sparkling lady also makes some really tasty bubbles. She started growing grapes in 1996 when she got the possibility to take over 1 hectare from her family estate.
After a few years in the world of grapes she took a trip to Alsace to visit some other winemakers and quickly realized that you can make better wine if you take good care of your soil. So in 2003 she went back, got herself some more land and converted her vineyards into organic farming. In 2007 Val decided not to sell her grapes to ’the bigger guys’ and made her first own wine.
2023 marks a significant change as Thomas de Marne, Val’s son, is taking over operations together with his girlfriend Florie Pilares. He returned to the family estate in 2018 to work together with his mother and has since 2020 been running the domaine. Val has now taken a step back to start her well earned retirement
Ville sur Arce is in the south part of Champagne. Here Thomas runs 6 hectares of vineyards planted with 93% of Pinot Noir and 7% of Chardonnay. The wines are made with ripe grapes and low yields (in relation to the region). No blending takes place, making each cuvée reflect the vintage and they are also made without dosage. Thomas is extremely careful to ensure that the wines are able to express the typical terroir of this place.
The wines are elegant, fruity and pure, showing what the region has to offer.
Therewith a lot of small, very fine bubbles.
2019 Goustan Blanc de Noirs (2015 & 2018 in magnum bottles)
Soil: Portlandian limestone
Grape: Pinot Noir
Appellation: AOC Champagne
Age of Vines: Planted in 1985-2000
Vinification: Direct press before fermenting and aging on old oak barrels before bottling with a bit of yeast and sugar in summer 2020 to start a second fermentation. It was then left on the lees 18 months before disgorgement.
2018 Holistic (2014 in magnum bottle)
Soil: Portlandian limestone with a high proportion of chalk.
Grape: 70 % Pinot noir 30 % Chardonnay
Appellation: AOC Champagne
Age of Vines: Planted in 1985
Vinification: Direct press before fermenting and aged in old oak barrels, before bottling with a bit of yeast and sugar, in summer the year following harvest, to start a second fermentation. It was then left on the lees for 24 months before disgorgement.
2015, 2017 Portlandia
Soil: Portlandian limestone with a high proportion of chalk.
Grape: 75 % Pinot noir 25 % Chardonnay
Appellation: AOC Champagne
Age of Vines: Planted in 1985
Vinification: Direct press before fermenting and aged in old oak barrels, before bottling with a bit of yeast and sugar, in summer the year following harvest, to start a second fermentation. It was then left on the lees for 24 months before disgorgement.
2017 L’éclos de la Côte
Soil: Deep Kimmeridge clay
Grape: 100% Pinot Noir
Appellation: AOC Champagne
Age of Vines: Planted 1973
Vinification 2017: Direct press before fermenting and aging on old oak barrels 8 months before bottling with a bit of yeast and sugar in summer 2019 to start a second fermentation. It was then left on the lees before disgorgement November 2020.