Lieux-Dits Les Carelles RP05
⏳ Drinking Window
2012 - 2025
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted turbot, creamy mushroom risotto, aged Comté cheese
✨ Technical Specifications
Hailing from the legendary chalk soils of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Les Carelles is one of Anselme Selosse's highly coveted single-vineyard lieu-dit Champagnes. The vineyard itself is situated on a steep, south-facing slope where the topsoil is incredibly thin, forcing the vines to dig deep into the pure, powdery Cretaceous chalk. To capture the absolute essence of this terroir, Selosse utilizes a solera-style fractional blending system, creating a continuous liquid memory of the site. The RP05 release signifies a base from the 2005 harvest. In the cellar, the wine undergoes wild yeast fermentation and extensive aging in oak casks, resulting in a breathtakingly complex Champagne. It beautifully juxtaposes the natural, razor-sharp acidity and intense chalky minerality of Le Mesnil with Selosse's signature oxidative richness, offering notes of toasted brioche, dried citrus, and exotic spices.
🍾 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.
🍇 Grapes
Chardonnay