The young Champagne house made just 20,000 bottles of its vintage cuvée, named in honour of Napoleon’s army.
Sabres at the ready: Champagne Frerejean Frères have named their vintage cuvée after the hussards, the light cavalry of Napoleon Bonaparte’s army – apparently these were the soldiers that first practised sabrage: the technique of opening a bottle of Champagne with a sabre (if you do not have a sabre to hand, ceremonial or otherwise, a heavy, large kitchen knife will do).
Brothers Guillaume, Richard and Rodolphe Frerejean Taittinger did not found their house until 2005 – before then they had only made Champagne for their family and friends. While their mother is a scion of the famous Taittinger family, and thus provides proper Champagne lineage, their father's ancestors used to make cannons for the French army – the name is still emblazoned on the shaft of cannons that are now displayed as monuments. It is this connection that explains the military choice of name.
Champagne Frerejean Frères is based in Avize, so it comes as no surprise that 85% of the blend is Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs villages of Cramant, Avize, Grauves and Chouilly – with just 15% of Pinot Noir, harvested also in the Côte des Blancs, in the village of Vertus. The wine spent eight years on its lees before being disgorged with an extra-brut dosage that highlights its vivid freshness.
