Presentation
Born from the union of two historic winemaking families, Champagne Collard-Picard is the fruit of Olivier Collard and Caroline Picard’s shared passion for excellence. The estate brings together tradition and innovation to craft expressive champagnes with strong character. The vineyards, spanning the Marne Valley and the Côte des Blancs, benefit from diverse terroirs suited to Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay. Eschewing chemical fertilizers and herbicides, the estate uses natural practices to promote soil health and vine vitality. In the cellar, traditional barrel fermentation is preferred over stainless steel, lending depth, structure, and a rich aromatic profile to the wines. The resulting champagnes are elegant and complex, offering notes of dried fruits, brioche, and a fine mineral backbone that speak to the house’s authenticity and savoir-faire.
Location
Champagne Collard Picard Racine Brut is crafted from parcels ideally located in the heart of Champagne, primarily in the Vallée de la Marne and the Côte des Blancs, two regions renowned for the quality of their terroirs. The vineyards lie on well-exposed slopes, often facing south and southeast, capturing sunlight throughout the growing season to promote consistent and optimal grape ripening. This geographical positioning also allows for natural ventilation, protecting the vines from excessive humidity and minimizing disease pressure. The combination of site and favorable microclimates enhances the aromatic precision and balance of this distinguished cuvée, which reflects a rich viticultural heritage.
Terroir
The terroir of Racine Brut is rooted in rich, well-drained clay-limestone soils typical of Champagne’s hillside vineyards. This complex geology provides excellent water balance, allowing the vines to absorb nutrients deeply while ensuring effective drainage. The interplay of chalk and clay supports slow, steady ripening—crucial for aromatic concentration and mineral tension. These conditions lend the wine delicate minerality, fine structure, and great clarity, forming the backbone of its fruit-forward and floral character. It is this profound connection to the soil that gives Racine Brut its elegant and balanced identity.
In the vineyard
At Champagne Collard-Picard, the approach to soil management focuses on preserving vine health and well-being while respecting the natural balance of the plant. Methods include light pruning, shredding vine shoots, tying canes, and shallow soil preparation beneath the rows. These stages are essential for planning the next harvest while maintaining the plant’s balance. Vine health is also managed through sustainable, reasoned disease control practices, while canopy lifting and trellising ensure optimal grape aeration and support balanced ripening.
Harvest
The harvest at the Collard Picard estate is a key moment in the year, marked by meticulous care and rigorous selection of the grapes. Located in the Champagne region, the estate benefits from an exceptional terroir where each bunch is harvested by hand, in accordance with tradition and respect for the environment. The winegrowers ensure that each grape variety, whether Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, or Pinot Meunier, reaches perfect maturity before being picked, in order to guarantee wines that are both balanced and expressive. This meticulous harvesting process is essential to the quality and finesse of the champagnes produced by the estate, revealing all the richness and diversity of the Champagne terroir.
Winemaking
The winemaking methods combine tradition and modernity, with aging in oak vats and temperature-controlled tanks. Indigenous yeasts are used for alcoholic fermentation, which takes place in large oak vats. The estate offers a wide range of cuvées, from classic to exceptional, each reflecting the richness and generosity of the Champagne terroir.
Ageing
Racine Brut is matured using the traditional Champagne method, spending 36 to 48 months on fine lees in bottle. This controlled aging process enhances the wine’s persistent, refined mousse, harmonious texture, and layered aromatic complexity. Lees aging imparts subtle notes of brioche, toasted bread, and ripe fruit, while preserving the wine’s freshness and purity.
Varietal
Pinot meunier : 100%
Specifications
Production volume : 9 000
Serving
Serving Temperature: 10°C
Ageing potential
3 to 5 years
Tasting
On the palate, Racine Brut displays a brilliant pale gold hue, animated by fine, persistent bubbles. The nose opens with a fresh and elegant aromatic profile, blending notes of candied lemon, juicy pear, and white flowers, with a delicate hint of brioche. As it evolves, more complex layers of green apple, citrus zest, and toasted bread emerge. The palate begins with a lively, precise attack, structured by a subtle saline tension. The mid-palate offers balance, combining vibrant fruit, freshness, and a creamy, smooth texture. The finish is long and expressive, extending into notes of citrus and toast, delivering elegance and a lasting impression of aromatic purity.
Food pairings
This Champagne is an exceptional accompaniment to refined and delicate food and wine pairings. Its liveliness and aromatic precision enhance the freshness and finesse of sushi, while highlighting the marine flavors of a crayfish casserole with Champagne sauce. With more noble fish dishes, such as sole meunière or turbot fillet accompanied by venere risotto and clams, its tension and purity structure the whole, balancing the silky textures and iodine notes. Each bite interacts with the finesse of the bubbles, revealing the elegance and complexity of this cuvée, for a gastronomic experience that is both harmonious and refined.
