Back on Our Shelves: Champagne Boulard-Baquaire

This past May I had the chance to drive all the way up to the very top of Champagne to the village of Cormicy. I was there to visit Christophe Boulard at Champagne Boulard-Baquaire, and it had been too long since I had seen him and visited the winery. Now, his wines have just come back in stock, and I would like to share their story with you.

Cormicy is located on the Massif de Saint-Thierry, about 25 minutes northwest from central Reims. It is about as far north as the Champagne appellation goes and looks out to a big flat plain that stretches out to Lille. Christophe Boulard, the current owner at Boulard-Baquaire, is an eighth-generation farmer here and works mostly with stainless steel and just a few barrels. Since the last time I was here he has invested in a new press, but still also uses his old Coquard at harvest.

This Sunday, Cinnamon and I opened a bottle of his Boulard-Bauquaire "Carte Noire" Brut Blanc de Noirs Champagne $34.99 a an aperitif and paired it with some incredible smoked salmon from Fishwife. It was one of my top Champagne pairings of the year. This half Meunier, half Pinot Noir comes from his estate vineyards in Cormicy and neighboring Hermonville. It has a beautiful white gold color, and is loaded with the savory notes that one would expect from Meunier and Pinot, but what makes it special is the balance brought by the great northern acidity. The old-fashioned straight line of freshness on the back end carries the minerality, the dark fruit, and the concentration of this wine, leaving one wanting more. That zip also cut the excellent quality smoked salmon, making the wine and the appetizer much better together than individually. What a wine!

- Gary Westby, Champagne Buyer