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Serge Mathieu

This little Champagne house, if I can refer to these récoltant-manipulant growers in such a fashion, is located in Avirey-Lingey, a tiny village in the Aube, a couple of hours drive south of the Champagne heartland of Épernay and Reims. Distance is just one reason why the Aube has long been regarded as Champagne's poor and perhaps embarrassing cousin; the predominance of Pinot Noir and Meunier (according for over 85% of the vineyard), over the perhaps more elegant Chardonnay which is more widely grown further north on the Côte de Blancs, is another. But such generalisations should not concern the savvy Champagne drinker, as the Aube has much to offer. At least one famous name - Drappier - is located here, and many household names, Billecart-Salmon for instance, source their Pinot Noir from this region. And there are some brilliant growers too, which is where Serge Mathieu comes in.

Serge Mathieu once sold all his grapes to bigger names, and indeed some of the fruit is still sold in this way today. Since the 1970s, however, this family concern has been bottling and selling Champagnes under its own name. Serge has long since retired, and son-in-law Michel Jacob now leads the team, with wife Isabelle firmly in control of marketing. Michel Jacob chants the quality mantra, inter-planting with grass, using natural fertilisers only and eschewing chemicals in the vineyard, although it is extremely difficult (but not impossible) this far north to go completely organic. The portfolio of wines produced naturally features Pinot Noir most of all, with Chardonnay a bit-player.

The cuvées produced are as follows:

The entry level cuvée is the Brut Tradition Blanc de Noirs, made with 100% Pinot Noir. This non-vintage bottling is aged for three years before release. It is, in my experience, a classic example of Pinot Noir in Champagne, rich and full bodied, with very typical Pinot character.
The Brut Prestige is another non-vintage bottling, but this is two-thirds Pinot Noir blended with one-third Chardonnay, aged for four years before release.
For fans of all things pink there is one such wine in the Serge Mathieu portfolio, the Brut Rosé. Again this is 100% Pinot Noir, made using the addition of red wine rather than saignée.
The Brut Millésimé is the only single vintage wine here. It follows the encépagement of the Brut Prestige, this being two-thirds Pinot Noir blended with one-third Chardonnay: Aged for five years before release.
Finally the Brut Sélect, Serge Mathieu's prestige cuvée, if you will. A blend of equal parts Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, using only the first and finest pressing, and aged for four to five years before release. (25/4/06, updated 25/6/08)

Contact details:
Address: 10340 Avirey-Lingey
Telephone: +33 (0) 3 25 29 32 58
Fax: +33 (0) 3 25 29 11 57
Internet: www.champagne-serge-mathieu.fr

Serge Mathieu - Tasting Notes

Click to locate stockists. Most recent notes:

Serge Mathieu Brut Tradition Blanc des Noirs NV: Current release. This has a very clean and fresh nose. showing mineral, calcareous, seashell aromas. The palate has a similarly fresh style, and is imbued with a welcome, defining acidity. There is an appealing texture, a touch lean but there is some weight here, along with a youthful and foamy mousse. A chalky character, too. Good. 16/20 (March 2008)

Serge Mathieu Brut Rosé NV: Current release. A pale, salmon pink hue on inspection. The nose, however, is currently heavily dominated by sulphur, and this is also the case on the palate. It absolutely swamps any other character, leaving just a full mousse and fresh, structural acidity. Light in style, but the flavour is very difficult to judge with this heavily treated wine. The sulphur here is so marked I can not judge this. Not rated. (March 2008)

Older notes:

2000

Serge Mathieu Brut 2000: Quite a nice colour here, and an appealing Pinot-dominated nose, full of cheese, apples and biscuits. There is a rather mineral edge to it, and perhaps a trace of sulphur too? Full, very gentle mousse, soft and welcoming, but again there is evidence of a little residual sulphur here. Rather low acidity, perhaps even rather unfocussed. But it has some appeal. For current drinking, if you can see past the sulphur. From the annual Champagne Information Bureau Tasting. 15.5/20 (March 2006)

Non-Vintage

Tasting notes are ordered by date of tasting, most recent first. I have tried to indicate whether it is a tasting of a new release, or of a wine I have cellared.

Serge Mathieu Brut Rosé NV: Purchased Autumn 2005. A salmon-pink hue, with a rather fat and youthful bead. A creamy red fruit nose, with a biscuits and some mint nuances too. But the palate is dominated by a depth of apple and raspberry fruit flavour, with quite a firm presence in the mouth. It has grip, although this hides behind a frothy, effervescent mousse. Good, but I suspect would sure much greater finesse with six to twelve months in the cellar. 16+/20 (April 2006)

Serge Mathieu Cuvée Tradition Blanc des Noirs NV: Purchased Autumn 2005. A fairly rich, mid-gold hue. Deep, biscuity nose, with the apple and cheese nuances that come with Pinot Noir in Champagne. Quite stylish, but full and obviously pleasing. Fresh mousse, and a flavour-packed palate, with piles of creamy, biscuity, honeyed fruit leading the way. Fine acidity gives a lively feel. This is a BdN with plenty of impact, and a good length. Very good. Likely to improve with short term - one to two years - in the cellar. 16.5+/20 (April 2006)

Serge Mathieu Brut Rosé NV: Current release. A fairly bright, salmon pink wine. It is really closed in tight on the nose though. Despite this, the palate displays a soft, accessible style, with some dry red fruit flavour spiced with a little bitter quinine. Bone dry, and good enough. From the annual Champagne Information Bureau Tasting. 15/20 (March 2006)

Serge Mathieu Demi-Sec NV: Current release. This wine is closed for business on the nose, which displays, well, nothing. It lacks much in the way of impact on the palate, too, where there is a soft mouthfeel, rather flat mousse, although some decent acidity. Very much in the same vein as the preceding wines; decent at best. From the annual Champagne Information Bureau Tasting. 14/20 (March 2006)