RUELLE-PERTOIS
This small firm was founded in 1970, combining the efforts of Michel Ruelle and
Martin Pertois. They have about 6 hectares of vines, three each in Moussy
and Chouilly.
Both Michel and Martine are from wine-growing families.
The total production amounts to about 40,000 to 50,000 bottles annually.
This is probably a half a day's work on the bottling line at Mumm's or Moet, if
that!
Michel dragged us out into his vineyards during our January 2003 visit, hoping
to show us temperatures about as below zero as the freezing solution they plunge
their Champagne bottles into before disgorgement.
As the calendar said it was January and the thermometer was but one degree below
zero, we were there during a veritable January "heat wave" !!!
Having visited a number of large Champagne houses, I can tell you they try to
hide these "gyro pallets" and show you only the more labor intensive
riddling racks. Michel Ruelle is very happy with the efficiencies afforded
him by the gyro-pallet!
Here's Michel, working up an appetite by rotating the hundreds of bottles in the
gyro-pallet.
Michel holds up a bottle of bubbly to show the sediment that's collected, by
gravity, and is resting against the "bidule," a plastic
"thingamajig" that sets between the wine and the crown cap bottle
closure.
Michel has just whisked this out of the freezing bath, so the sediment is frozen
solid.
After showing us the nuts and bolts method of disgorging Champagne and adding
its dosage, Michel took us outside to view him disgorging a bottle by the
"methode ancien".
Watching this spectacle are Alan Fischer (of the Famous French Alsatian Brewing
"Fischer Family Fortune"), importer Charles Neal and Vagabond Wine
Sales Rep, Eric Entrikin-san.
Now that the Champagne was ready to drink, we went inside and had a lovely
home-cooked lunch!
Martine Pertois preparing lunch Per-Huit!
Here's Martine assembling a
lovely salad with Pâté en croute for a starter.
Coq au Champagne with some sort of Pommes "Gratin Dauphinois"
preparation.
Michel brought out a Rosé Champagne which we enjoyed, followed by a bottle of
1995 Armand Rousseau Charmes Chambertin.
Their Champagnes are great as an aperitif, but are flavorful enough to
actually taste good with food. Many Champagnes and sparkling wines are
fine for cocktail service, but often get "lost" when paired with
flavorful foods. Ruelle-Pertois' wines can be served either as a cocktail
wine or with something good on the dinner table.
Martine served an apple tart for dessert.
These guys will be making fine Champagnes in about 20 years.
DINNER in Winter 2011
We find the idea of decanting
Champagne to be curious...after all, it took so many years to incorporate the
bubbles into the wine, why 'lose' them in a decanter?
But a number of Champagne producers find their wine shows better, sometimes,
when it's decanted and given a bit of air.
A nice winter salad with some coarse pâté.
And Ruelle Pertois Champagne!
And the
main plate on this cool, winter evening was some "soul food" that's
perfect in cold weather...
A Champenoise version of Baeckeoffe.
This is a stew featuring several kinds of meat, sausages, along with carrots and
potatoes.
After
the main plate, a selection of cheeses...
A really nice Burgundy was placed on the table to accompany the cheese...
More
Champagne, then, with desserts...
And then, after dessert, a nice little digestif, some Marc de Champagne.
Many thanks to the entire Ruelle-Pertois team!
RUELLE-PERTOIS
11 rue du Champagne
51530 Moussy
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