Comme Autrefois
A new attitude taken to its logical conclusion
Back in 1982, Françoise Bedel, a wine producer in the Marne Valley in Champagne, was distraught to find that her son's illness could not be cured by traditional medicine. This lack of a solution led her to seek out alternative methods. She was finally able to cure her son using homeopathy and this caused her to completely rethink her attitude towards modern medicine, and, with it, her attitude towards her winemaking.
Thus began the revolution in her then-seven hectares of vineyards, where she took her new attitude to its logical conclusion, illustrating her new identity and understanding of the rhythms and energy of nature. Between 1996 and 1999, she gradually converted all her vineyards to biodynamic growing, allowing the energies found in nature, the moon, the heavens and the earth to work together.
Biodynamics is about having total respect for the environment and our relationship with nature. It is about understanding how the energies in the universe affect the earth. With her Marne Valley vines, Françoise showed how adapting to nature can bring out the best in the vine (Coincidently, eight out of ten of her old vines, 50 years old on average, are of the Pinot Meunier variety, the most humble of the region’s three main grape varieties, although she also grows the other two).
This understanding of nature’s processes has made Françoise Bedel a strong advocate of oxydation as a revelation, rather than a degeneration. She believes that her wines must be oxydized to fully express themselves. The entire fermentation process therefore takes place in oak barrels, rather than stainless steel, to allow a controlled oxydation to take place. The champagne spends 11 years on its lees. This is an exercise in patience and commitment, allowing the wine the time it requires to reach its peak and express its identity to the full.
Comme autrefois (“like in the old days” in French), she continues to seal her bottles in the old-fashioned manner which means that, instead of covering the cork with a metal cap, it is sealed with natural wax and string. In an era of cutting-edge technology and innovation, being one of only a handful of winemakers who preserve methods dating back to 1685 is another way of breaking the rules. It preserves the region’s traditional identity, and turns the past into the present and future. It is a homage to the past that is avant-garde.
A mature, powerful nose gives way to an explosive palate, letting you know, in no uncertain terms, that Françoise’s talent lies in her bottles.
Uncork the bottle and enjoy. Chin chin!
