Spotlight: Sublime Champagne Collet
The Art Deco front entrance of Collet, located in the center of France’s Champagne region in the town of Aÿ, “one of Champagne’s most important grand cru villages,” says Champagne expert Tom Hewson.
Let’s get #holidayready and explore bubbly options with one of Champagne’s founding producers: Champagne Collet.
FINDING THE RIGHT CHAMPAGNE FOR YOU
You’ll find that Champagne Collet utilizes its 100+ years of making Champagne to its best advantage, with a list of cuvées for every occasion. Thanks to its grower collective, COGEVI, Collet has access to the best villages and vineyards featuring Grand and Premier crus, and the highest standards in aging.
In Champagne-label reading, “Dry” Champagne has sweetness: Style classifications on naming help identify the level of sweetness which includes calling a dry wine “Brut” and a sweeter wine “Dry”, and an even sweeter wine “Demi-Sec”. Extra Brut is a very dry bubbly, while Extra Dry, Sec, Demi-Sec are sweeter wines (in increasing order – see below*).
Collet Brut: A trusty companion for cocktails and mimosas, the Champagne Collet Brut vintage is also an aperitif champagne par excellence. Brut is the base level of a dry wine (not sweet at all) – this sparker provides an impression of freshness as delicate as the bubbles are fine with notes of pear, quince and apple. SRP $55
Collet Brut Art Déco Premier Cru: Level up your Brut with the Art Déco. This is Collet’s signature champagne – frank and elegant, with exceptional charm. Also dry on the palate, it provides a first impression with floral notes, and a palate with more pronounced fruit flavors subtly enhanced with smoky notes, anise and a lavender honey finish. SRP $60
Collet Brut Rosé: Ahh – Pink Champagne! Delightful as an aperitif, but also serves as a wonderful accompaniment to shellfish dishes and desserts. This Brut is a dry wine made with red grapes – see “Rosé Dry” for a sweeter version of pink bubbles. SRP $70
Collet Rosé Dry Collection Privée – Here is rosé with a touch of sweetness. Created with luscious aromas to accompany desserts, it’s beautifully presented as an aperitif too. This is round, supple and delicate with a fine effervescence. SRP $70
Collet Blanc de Noirs Premier Cru – This wine is the pure expression of the black-skinned grapes of Champagne, exclusively made of Pinot Noir and Meunier from 10 villages, with 50% Grand Cru and 50% Premier Cru. It’s lower dosage puts it in the Brut category, with white fruit and a creamy expression on the palate. SRP $70
Collet Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru – This champagne of rare finesse is produced exclusively from the best Crus of Chardonnay. Makes a sophisticated aperitif, and pairs with fine, lighter fare. This is airy, vivacious and soft with a kaleidoscope of flavors and finesse. SRP $70
Collet Demi-Sec: An opulent and fruity off-dry champagne, on the sweet side. Notes of candied citrus and candied strawberry with a warm touch of white pepper deliver a wine without heaviness, and a lingering finish. SRP $60
Extra Brut Premier Cru: The superlative aperitif champagne and is the essential pairing to oysters and caviar. The wine leans toward minerality with a subtle richness, shows a fine bead and is bright in appearance with pale golden hues. SRP $70
Brut Vintage 2014: This “Vintage” brut – all wine comes from the best Grand Crus and Premiers in the same remarkable vintage year – is vinified in oak barrels. Complex aromas of brioche, envelope bright notes of citrus and crunchy apple. SRP $82
Grand Cru Aÿ Collection Privée 2012: This is a focused and elegant selection, made from the singular Aÿ Grand Cru Pinot Noir vinified in 2012, taking you on an elegant, sensory journey with roundness, fruity aromas. SRP $132
Esprit Couture 2014: The hand-made prestige cuvée of Maison Collet is a sparkling interpretation of Haute Couture and makes a stylish aperitif. Using champenois oak barrels in aging, Collet fosters the development of Champagne’s signature brioche aromas and a softer wine. SRP $150
*Dosage is is also known as liqueur d’expédition – an amount of pure cane sugar blended with vintage Champagne wine added in the Champagne-making process after disgorgement, and is the qualifier for each style classification by EU regulation.
| Category | Dosage |
| Brut Nature | Zero dosage and less than 3 grams of sugar per litre |
| Extra Brut | 0-6 grams of sugar per litre |
| Brut | less than 12 grams of sugar per litre |
| Extra Dry | 12-17 grams of sugar per litre |
| Sec | 17-32 grams of sugar per litre |
| Demi-Sec | 32-50 grams of sugar per litre |
| Doux | more than 50 grams of sugar per litre |
