From the atlas
Champagne Jean-Philippe Bosser
A Hautvillers family Champagne house carrying five generations into Brut, Premier Cru, Blanc de Blancs, vintage and Ratafia.
At A Glance
| Field | Detail |
| Region | Champagne, France |
| Village | Hautvillers |
| Main grapes | Meunier, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir |
| Core cuvée | Brut Tradition |
| Range | Brut, Demi-Sec, Rosé, Premier Cru, Blanc de Blancs, vintage and Ratafia |
| Defining feature | Five generations of family Champagne production |
The Producer
Champagne Jean-Philippe Bosser is a family Champagne house in Hautvillers. Christelle Bosser represents the fifth generation, taking over to develop the brand while keeping the spirit of a family business.
The family history joins vineyard work with house bottling. Its Champagnes draw on Meunier, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, while the portfolio also includes Ratafia.
Place
Hautvillers is the Champagne village at the centre of the Bosser family history, described there as the cradle of Champagne. Emile and Aline Dutarque operated a family vineyard in the village at the beginning of the twentieth century.
Champagne is a sparkling wine region where the second fermentation takes place in bottle. Lees ageing gives the wine time to develop texture, while dosage sets the final sweetness.
Story
In November 1932, Auguste Dutarque died from tetanus after three days. Pierre Bosser then decided to take over the vineyard. In 1933, he bottled around 800 bottles under the name Pierre Bosser-Dutarque.
Jean Bosser later installed a press and winery to control pressing and vinification. With his wife Thérèse, he marketed the Champagne under the name Jean Bosser.
Jean-Philippe Bosser had studied viticulture and oenology before joining his parents. When his father Jean died in 1977, Jean-Philippe was 30 and took over the family business. With Huguette, he developed the vineyard and sales, modernised the working tools and renamed the Champagne under his own name.
Vineyards And Cellar
Brut Tradition uses 50% Meunier, 30% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir. It contains 25 to 30% reserve wines and ages for a minimum of 3 years in the cellars. Demi-Sec uses the same grape composition, reserve wine proportion and minimum ageing.
Brut Rosé uses 50% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay and 10% Meunier, with 20 to 25% reserve wines and a minimum of 3 years in the cellars. Part of its Pinot Noir is vinified as red wine.
Prestige Premier Cru uses 40% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir and 20% Meunier, with 10% reserve wines and a minimum of 4 years in the cellars. Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru is 100% Chardonnay and ages for at least 5 years. Vintage 2018 uses 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay and has aged for more than 5 years.
Wines
The range starts with Brut Tradition and Demi-Sec, then moves to Brut Rosé and Premier Cru cuvées. Brut Tradition is the standard dry blend, while Demi-Sec offers a sweeter style from the same grape composition.
Prestige Premier Cru and Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru bring Premier Cru labels into the range. Blanc de Blancs narrows the wine to Chardonnay alone. Vintage 2018 comes from a named harvest and is produced in limited quantities. Ratafia completes the portfolio with a separate amber style.
In The Glass
Brut Tradition has lemony and toasted notes, followed by a powerful, robust palate with freshness and length. Demi-Sec moves to fig on the nose, with juicy pear, peach and floral notes through the palate. Brut Rosé shows a salmon pink colour, red fruit and a smooth, fruity palate.
Prestige Premier Cru has a powerful, fruity nose carrying mineral and floral Chardonnay notes. Its palate is delicate, with rich and gourmet aromatic nuances. Blanc de Blancs brings a fine mousse and delicate bubbles, followed by white flowers, verbena, lime blossom, citrus, lime and a long finish.
Vintage 2018 is frank, fruity and tonic on the nose, then lively and juicy with citrus fruit and minerality. Its low dosage creates a stimulating harmony. Ratafia is amber, with dried grapes, vanilla and candied orange on the nose, followed by candied apricot, stewed white fruit and spices.
A Bottle To Understand It
Brut Tradition is the first bottle to open. It brings Meunier, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir together in one dry Champagne, with reserve wines and cellar ageing behind the blend.
Its place in the range makes the other cuvées easy to distinguish. Demi-Sec keeps the same grape composition but changes the sweetness level. Brut Rosé adds red wine to the blend, while Premier Cru, Blanc de Blancs and Vintage 2018 move into narrower categories. Ratafia provides the amber bottle in the portfolio.
Anecdote
In 1911, Sergeant Pierre Bosser arrived in Champagne and attended mass each Sunday in the village church. He noticed Suzanne Dutarque playing the organ, and they married in November that year. Suzanne was the daughter of Hautvillers winegrowers. Their marriage brought Pierre into the Dutarque vineyard family, where Emile and Aline had operated a family vineyard at the beginning of the twentieth century. The connection later led to Champagne bottled under the name Pierre Bosser-Dutarque.
Final Word
Champagne Jean-Philippe Bosser joins Hautvillers family vineyard roots to house bottling, with Christelle Bosser representing the fifth generation.
Sources
1. https://www.champagne-bosser.fr/en/our-history/ 2. https://www.champagnedevignerons.fr/vignerons/champagne-jean-philippe-bosser/ 3. https://www.champagne-bosser.fr/en/our-champagnes/