N.V. Jean Vesselle "Oeil de Perdrix" Blanc de Noirs, Champagne, France (750ml)   

About the Icons
The lovely and sweet Delphine Vesselle now runs the estate with her husband, David, after her father Jean's passing. She takes great pride in her family's 300 year history in Champagne and she strives to honor her father's memory and the wonderful domaine he established.

The Vesselles own 15 hectares of mostly Pinot Noir, with a little Chardonnay, vines in the Grand Cru village of Bouzy. They produce 12 different cuvées including two still wines for a total production of 10,000 cases, which is still miniscule compared to the big houses. This Oeil de Perdrix or "eye of the partridge" refers to the amber color which was how Pinot Noir Champagne used to be in the early 1900s, not white or pink but in between. When the big houses starting exporting Champagne it was always either white or a distinct pink color, as the amber color wasn't apparently appealing to the market. In 1972, Jean Vesselle discovered some old bottles of "eye of the partridge" his grandfather had made underneath an old press. To his amazement and that of the others tasting that day, the wine still had vibrant aromas and flavors and that delicate color. So he decided to start bottling an Oeil de Perdrix again and it has been one of Vesselle's most successful wines. It is 100% Pinot Noir and 100% delicious!