Shop Producers Selosse About Selosse

Selosse Logo

“No champagne grower is as renowned or as influential as Anselme Selosse. Whether directly or indirectly, he has inspired an entire generation of young winegrowers in the region, and among consumers, his champagnes have become some of the most sought-after wines in the world.”- Peter Liem

selosse-3

“It is hard to thinkof a single individual in Champagne today whose work ... is more influential than that of Anselme Selosse ... if the future of Champagne truly is going to be one in which terroir plays more of a role then the region as a whole will have to pay more attention to Selosse and less to its accountants and brand managers.” - Andrew Jefford's, The New France

“I’ve mentioned the name of Anselme Selosse on several occasions ... partly because he’s my favorite grower and partly because he’s the most original winemaker in all of Champagne ... Selosse’s wines have given Champagne a new dimension, with their unique, vinous, Chardonnay style ... Despite this fame, his wines cost nothing compared to Pétrus, Romanée-Conti, or Krug Clos du Mesnil.” Richard Juhlin, 4000 Champagnes

selosse-bw - Copy

There is no producer in Champagne who has caught the public's attention as much as Anselme Selosse. Whether referred to as a visionary, heretic, iconoclast or revolutionary, his focus and vision cannot be ignored. As a wine merchant I have always sought out his wines but due to the overwhelming global demand and the tiny volumes produced, this is the first time the wines have been made available to me in more than two decades! anselme and Guillaume selosse

Anselme took over the family estate in 1980 after completing his degrees at the Lycée

Viticole de Beaune. Selosse's study and work in Burgundy was to have a profound impact on his approach to winemaking. His fundamental belief was simple - in order to make great wine great fruit is required. A fastidious approach to viticulture with low yields, organic/biodynamic practices and the pursuit for expression of terroir were not the normal views of that time in Champagne. In the vineyard, no pesticides or herbicides are used with minimal SO2 sprays. Fruit from the 7.5ha family estate is harvested as late as possible giving the highest physiological ripeness levels of the region. In the winery, only indigenous yeasts are used and malolactic is avoided, with dosage levels kept low to give the best expression of each individual plot. All parcels of fruit are vinified separately in oak barrels (with less than 20% new) sourced from some of Burgundy's top estates such as Leflaive. The practice of extended ageing on the lees with battonage being performed regularly has led many critics to describe the wines as 'Burgundy with bubbles'. These are unique, individualistic wines which sometimes divide a room, as they walk a razor-sharp line between oxidative/oxidised in their style. However, no one can deny the purity, expression and power that these wines deliver. Champagnes that every serious wine lover has to try once in their lifetime if ever the rare opportunity should present itself!

In 1994, Gault-Millau named Anselme 'France's best winemaker' across every category, an unprecedented honour but fitting for both what has been achieved and his profound influence over many of the upcoming generation of young

winemakers.