Karine Prelat
Coteaux Champenois and Champagne
Be sure to check out Julien Prelat's bottlings as well!
In 2019, Karine inherited 2 plots of vines from her parents, from which wine had never been produced by the family. The oldest vines dating back to 1971, the grapes had been sold to a Maison previously, but the vineyards, though small, were immediately put to work by Karine.
In the vineyard, the vines are green-harvested, limiting the number of clusters to 5-7 per plant; only in the warmest, sunniest vintages will wine be made from these vineyards, which are cool and planted to hard, kimmeridgian soils. South-facing plots provide decent exposure and good ripeness in the warmer years.
The Rosé will undergo a light carbonic maceration with whole clusters, fully vinified in stainless for maximum freshness. The Coteaux Rouge, entirely Pinot Noir as well, will be de-stemmed and pressed into neutral oak barrels for fermentation. The Coteaux Blanc, which is equal parts Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc & Petit Meslier is fermented in stone eggs, which provide a natural suspension of the lees.