France · Montagne de Reims

Champagne Forget-Brimont

Ludes Champagne house with Pinot Noir vineyards, Premier Cru blends, and vintage wines aged more than ten years before release.

The producer

Champagne Forget-Brimont is rooted in a family vineyard tradition dating to the early nineteenth century. Based in Ludes, a Premier Cru village in Montagne de Reims, the house works with vineyards renowned for Pinot Noir. Its Premier Cru Brut combines Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay, while reserve wines and extended cellar ageing shape the range. Vintage Champagnes remain in the cellars for more than ten years before release.

Known for

Long aged Premier Cru Champagne

Notable facts

The story

A Ludes Leadership Partnership

In 2000, Michel Forget joined forces with Frédéric Jorez, a native of Ludes. Jorez moved into leadership at the house, continuing the tradition Michel Forget had inherited. The partnership brought a second named person into the modern history of Champagne Forget-Brimont, while keeping the work tied to the village where the Forget family had lived and tended vineyards since the early nineteenth century. The event marked a change in leadership inside the house, with Frédéric Jorez joining Michel Forget at the point when the family tradition passed into a new partnership.

From the atlas

Champagne Forget-Brimont

Ludes Champagne house with Pinot Noir vineyards, Premier Cru bottlings, and extended cellar ageing.

At A Glance

FieldDetail
ProducerChampagne Forget-Brimont
RegionChampagne
StylePremier Cru and vintage Champagne
Named bottleChampagne Forget-Brimont Vintage Brut Premier Cru, 2014
Defining practiceHand harvesting, whole bunch pressing, and cellar ageing

The Producer

The Forget family has tended vineyards since the early nineteenth century. Its vineyards are renowned for Pinot Noir, while the house produces Premier Cru and vintage Champagnes with extended cellar ageing.

Eugène Forget established the brand in 1920. Michel Forget founded the modern Maison in 1978, separating the commercial brand from the older family vineyard tradition.

Place

Ludes is a Premier Cru village in Montagne de Reims. Premier Cru is a village classification, so the term on the label identifies the standing of the village fruit within Champagne's hierarchy.

Wines

The Premier Cru Brut combines Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay, with a composition of 40% Pinot Meunier, 40% Pinot Noir, and 20% Chardonnay. Non-vintage Premier Cru champagnes contain 40% to 50% reserve wines and remain in the cellars for a minimum of two years. Reserve wines are older wines kept for blending, adding roundness and complexity to the finished Champagne.

The non-vintage Brut Premier Cru is pale golden, with a delicate and very fresh nose. Fresh green apple, white flowers, and hazelnut appear first on the palate, which is fresh and supple. Its complexity comes from multiple vintages, multiple grape varieties, and extended ageing of reserve wine components.

Vintage Champagnes are aged for more than ten years in the cellars before release. Their style combines complexity, elegance, and abundance. The Brut Premier Cru also pairs well with entrees served with a white cream sauce.

Grapes are harvested by hand and pressed in whole bunches, keeping intact clusters together as they enter the press. Alcoholic fermentation takes place at 17°C, with malolactic fermentation in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks.

Final Word

Champagne Forget-Brimont joins a long family vineyard tradition to Premier Cru Champagne, Pinot Noir, reserve wine blending, and extended cellar ageing.

Sources

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