Tarlant L'Etincelante 2002

"This vintage bottling comes from six lieu-dits: “L’Enclume”, “Les Bouleaux”, “La Perchape” in Œuilly, “Mocque Tonneau”, “Monts Martin” and “Haut du Four à Chaux” in Celles-lès-Condé. They were each vinified individually (as are all the parcels at Tarlant) and these six plots were chosen in a blind tasting to be blended and released as a "snapshot" of the vintage. 2002 was Benoît's first vintage fully at the reigns in the cellar. The growing season went so well it inspired him to make a vintage bottling (a tradition that has since been upheld). He called it "L'Étincelante" which loosely translates "the sparkling one." ... "In my mind, 2002 is my first "fireworks" vintage. Every grape (Meunier-Chardonnay-Pinot Noir), every bunch received at the press were just so pretty. So it is really the idea of starting with a sparkle that ends with wonderful fireworks. And it is also for me the sparkling year that began my career.""--Louis/Dressner