Karine Prélat
Coteaux Champenois and Champagne
Be sure to check out Julien Prélat'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 wines are a unique proposition for Champagne—they aren't sparkling. Karine makes sparkling wine with her husband under the Julien Prélat label, but her's is reserved for the still wines the duo make. The Rosé undergoes a light carbonic maceration with whole clusters, fully vinified in stainless for maximum freshness. The Coteaux Rouge, entirely Pinot Noir as well, is 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.
