Today on New Years Eve we celebrate one of the most popular Champagne brands that you will find in America. Nicolas Feuillatte was born in Paris in 1926 into a family of wine and spirits importer-negociants. After the Second World War, he decided moved overseas and in 1960 became the USA's leading importer of African coffee. He later went on to invest in the vineyards of Champagne and the first grapes are sold to negociants. In 1976, he created and produced the eponymous champagne for a close circle of "American friends". Its commercial success is immediate. He sold his brand in 1986 to the Centre-Vinicole de la Champagne. Today Nicolas Feuilette is imported to the United States by Chateau Ste. Michelle Estates.
By far one of the most popular Champagne brands in the United States, you can find Feuilette Brut anywhere from a posh wine shop to a local supermarket. They make a range of entry level, vintage and tete de cuvee wines.
Cellar master Guillaume Roffiaen has been at the helm at Nicolas Feuilette since 2014, formerly being at Champagne Drappier. Roffiaen Roffiaen studyed agricultural engineering and agribusiness at the Institut Superieur d’Agriculture in Lille and then oenology in Reims, where he gained a national diploma in winemaking. His new wines are gorgeous across the board. I loved the 2015 Nicolas Feuilatte ‘Blanc de Blancs’ Champagne (OB, 93) which is big and bold, with loads of citrus oil flavors and a soft texture. Evne better is the incredible new 2008 Nicolas Feuilatte ‘Palmes d’Or’ Champagne (OB, 95) which is the finest edition of this wine that I have tasted. Very bold, with serious weight and tension, this beauty is already drinking marvelously. Learn more about this famed house at https://www.nicolas-feuillatte.com and here are my reviews of the great new Nicolas Feuilatte wines.
NV Nicolas Feuilatte ‘Reserve’ Champagne- The NV Nicolas Feuilatte ‘Reserve’ Champagne is hugely popular in the United States. Fairly lean and linear, this displays stony minerals with kumquat rind, white peach and suggestions of green apple on the palate. Enjoy this good value now and over the next five years. Drink 2022-2026- 90
NV Nicolas Feuilatte Rose Champagne- Soft on the mouth, and showing a good degree of astringency, the NV Nicolas Feuillatte Rose Champagne offers pomegranate and cranberry notes on the palate, with orange peel and copious minerals. Enjoy now and over the next five years. Drink 2022-2026- 91
2015 Nicolas Feuilatte ‘Blanc de Blancs’ Champagne- The great NV Nicolas Feuilatte ‘Blanc de Blancs’ Champagne is a 100% Chardonnay wine from this warm vintage made by cellar master Guillaume Roffiaen. This sat on the lees for five years before disgorgement. On the nose this takes on shades of honeysuckle and pink grapefruit blossom alongside ripe baked apple and citrus rind dusted brioche tones. The palate is ripe and fat, showing a smooth texture and silky mousse. This is very well-priced vintage BDB that is already nicely evolved. Drink now and over the next eight years. Drink 2022-2030- 93
2008 Nicolas Feuilatte ‘Palmes d’Or Champagne- The brilliant 2008 Nicolas Feuilatte ‘Palmes d’Or Champagne comes from this cool vintage and is showing marvelously now at the fourteen year mark. A blend of equal parts Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, this wine was first made back in 1983. Stored on the lees for ten years, the champagne was sourced from 95% grand cru vineyards, as this opens with a dizzying bouquet of toasted hazelnuts, apricot, nectarine and Gravenstein apple, with shades of white truffle. The palate is deep and concentrated with a downright unctuous texture. Showing serious weight and underlying finesse, this offers lemon oil and pastry crust flavors alongside candied ginger and allspice notes on the palate. A complete wine, this is a marvelous showing now and will provide drinking enjoyment for at least another decade. But why wait? Drink 2022-2038- 95
2008 Nicolas Feuilatte ‘Palmes d’Or Rose Champagne- You will adore the 2008 Nicolas Feuilatte ‘Palmes d’Or Rose Champagne which is a stunning new wine from this storied vintage. The Rose Champagne is made from 100% Pinot Noir grapes from grand cru sites in Bouzy, and Riceys, as the wine was given 72 hours of skin contact and was stored on the lees for ten years before disgorgement. The nose shows off bright Yakima cherry notes with Linzer torte and potpourri notes, with a dash of citrus blossom. The palate shows good richness with a beautiful melange of red fruit flavors with enoki mushroom, white grapefruit and hints of dragonfruit. Complex and delicious now, this beauty has another fifteen plus years to go. Drink 2022-2038- 95