Why it matters
The producer
The cellar works parcel by parcel at A&C Toullec: each section of vineyard is vinified separately. The lots stay distinct as the wines are made, allowing each component to be assessed in isolation. Anthony and Clémence Toullec are the fifth generation to manage the family run Champagne house.
Place and vineyards
Where the wines begin
Champagne is the region of this house. A&C Toullec belongs to Vignerons Indépendants de Champagne, an association for independent Champagne producers. In sparkling wine, grape blending can balance fruit, acidity and body, while a single variety keeps one grape in the foreground.
Wines to know
The range in view
A&C Toullec Assemblage Brut is a blend of 50% Pinot Noir and 50% Chardonnay, while A & C Toullec Les Hautes Varennes Premier Cru is made from 100% Chardonnay and aged in oak barrels from the Reims mountain region. The Premier Cru wording identifies a Champagne vineyard classification on the label.
Assemblage Brut has intense yellow fruit aromas of apricot and peach, complemented by vanilla pod. It is delicate and aromatically complex, with a full bodied palate and a long finish.