Il etait une fois...
⏳ Drinking Window
Designed for immense longevity, this wine is highly stable and can be enjoyed now or cellared for 20 to 30 years.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
foie gras, blue cheese, tarte tatin
✨ Technical Specifications
An ultra-rare, almost mythical creation from Anselme Selosse, 'Il était une fois...' (meaning 'Once upon a time...') is a sweet dessert wine that pays homage to the historical, pre-sparkling heritage of the Champagne region. Crafted from Chardonnay grapes harvested in the Grand Cru village of Avize, this cuvée is produced using a solera system where multiple vintages are blended and aged in oak casks. Selosse allows some botrytis to develop on the grapes, concentrating the sugars and flavors, resulting in a wine of immense complexity. It bridges the gap between the oxidative, mineral-driven style of Selosse's Champagnes and the rich, honeyed depth of noble rot, showing notes of dried apricots, toasted nuts, and exotic spices, all framed by the signature chalky acidity of the Côte des Blancs.
🍾 About the Producer
Founded in 1949 by Jacques Selosse in the Grand Cru village of Avize, Domaine Jacques Selosse emerged as the spiritual vanguard of the grower Champagne revolution under the leadership of Jacques’ son Anselme, who took control in 1980, and grandson Guillaume. Spanning roughly 7.5 to 8 hectares across prime terroirs in Avize, Cramant, Oger, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Aÿ, Ambonnay, and Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, the estate champions low yields and chemical-free viticulture rooted in organic and biodynamic principles aligned with lunar cycles. Selosse redefined Champagne vinification by applying Burgundian techniques, fermenting base wines with indigenous yeasts in oak barrels, extending lees contact, and embracing intentional oxidative maturation with minimal dosage. Renowned for its singular solera-aged Blanc de Blancs 'Substance' and parcel-specific Lieux-Dits collection (including Les Carelles and Sous le Mont), the domaine crafts vinosity and textural authority that capture pure, uncompromising chalk-driven minerality.
🍇 Base Material
Chardonnay