Cazals Carte Or
A brilliant pale gold robe with a lively effervescence. The nose, forthright and expressive, opens with candied orange, orangette and dried flowers, with the brioche notes from three years on lees; as it opens up, it moves towards pineapple and exotic notes. The palate is harmonious and balanced,…
ALL CHAMPAGNES FROM CAZALSThe expert verdict
The structure of this champagne
TASTING NOTES
A brilliant pale gold robe with a lively effervescence. The nose, forthright and expressive, opens with candied orange, orangette and dried flowers, with the brioche notes from three years on lees; as it opens up, it moves towards pineapple and exotic notes. The palate is harmonious and balanced, carried by a lovely roundness, with citrus fruits and white flowers. On the finish, a hint of lemon revives the freshness and underlines the length. Serve it between 8 and 10 °C, in a tulip glass rather than a flute. You may open it today or keep it in your cellar for another two to four years.
The composition
Terroirs
Carte Or draws only on the house's grands crus: parcels of chardonnay from Le Mesnil-sur-Oger and Oger, two neighbouring villages in the Côte des Blancs, set on chalk. The vines are grown using sustainable farming practices, with the Haute Valeur Environnementale and Viticulture Durable en Champagne certifications obtained in 2019. The wine is vinified in temperature-controlled tanks, with malolactic fermentation completed, then rests for three years on lees in the house's vaulted cellars. The current edition is based on the 2021 harvest, a difficult year marked by frost and disease, saved by September sunshine and rigorous selection, complemented by 20% reserve wines. Dosage: 6 g/L.
About this house
It all began in 1897, when Ernest Cazals, a cooper from the Hérault, settled in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger and married a woman from Champagne there. Olivier, then Claude succeeded him; it is to Claude Cazals that we owe the gyropalette, the machine that replaced hand riddling. Since his passing in 1996, his daughter Delphine has run the house: 10 hectares, exclusively chardonnay and exclusively grand cru and premier cru, spread across Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Oger, Vertus and Villeneuve-Renneville-Chevigny, with one of Champagne's very rare clos in Oger, the Clos Cazals.
Carte Or is what the house calls the "flagship" of its range: a fresh, pleasant and elegant cuvée that sets the tone for everything else. Gault&Millau awarded it 93/100 in its 2022 guide. Its blend also serves as the base for the Années Folles cuvée, the demi-sec version.
The perfect pairing
Aperitif
The wine's brioche notes echo the choux pastry of the gougère, and its lively effervescence cuts through the melted cheese.
Starter
The candied orange and roundness of the wine accompany the richness of the foie gras and the sweetness of the fig; the lemony touch on the finish refreshes the palate.
Main course
The roundness born from three years on lees complements the butter of the sole, and the lemony finish plays the role of a squeeze of lemon on the plate.
