J. Vignier’s Silexus Sezannensis is a distinctive single-parcel Chardonnay Champagne that highlights the unusual flint-rich soils of the Côte de Sézanne. Its Latin-inspired name refers directly to its origin: a Champagne shaped by the silex soils of the Sézannais.
The Côte de Sézanne lies south of the better-known Côte des Blancs and shares its deep Cretaceous chalk subsoil. Here, however, the Chardonnay often develops a broader, more generous expression while retaining the freshness and mineral character associated with Champagne’s chalk-based vineyards.
Silexus Sezannensis comes from the Chatet parcel near the village of Saudoy. Four of the Vignier family’s twelve hectares in the Côte de Sézanne are located in this vineyard. Its south-facing vines grow in a complex mixture of flint and sand over Cretaceous chalk, with marl, clay and silica contributing additional texture and character.
The dark silex stones absorb warmth from the sun during the day and gradually release it around the vines, encouraging even ripening. The underlying chalk helps preserve freshness and acidity, creating a Champagne that combines ripe Chardonnay fruit with precision, tension and a pronounced mineral profile.
The wine is vinified and aged in stainless steel to protect the purity of the fruit and clearly express the character of the vineyard. It undergoes full malolactic fermentation and is bottled in May following the harvest. The Champagne then spends a minimum of 84 months aging en tirage before disgorgement, gaining greater depth, complexity and a finely integrated mousse.
Expressive and mineral-driven, Silexus Sezannensis offers aromas of ripe citrus, yellow apple, white peach and delicate flowers, complemented by subtle notes of brioche, almond and crushed stone. The palate is generous yet focused, with fine bubbles, bright acidity and a distinctive flinty character carrying through the long, dry finish.
This terroir-focused Champagne is excellent as an aperitif and has enough depth to accompany a meal. Pair it with oysters, caviar, scallops, lobster, sushi, roasted white fish, poultry, mushroom dishes or aged cheeses.
Wine Details
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Producer: J. Vignier
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Cuvée: Silexus Sezannensis
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Base Vintage: 2016
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Region: Champagne, France
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Appellation: Côte de Sézanne
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Village: Saudoy
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Vineyard: Chatet
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Grape Variety: Chardonnay
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Orientation: South
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Soil: Silex over Cretaceous chalk, with sand, marl, clay and silica
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Farming: Certified Sustainable by Socofret
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Vinification: Stainless steel
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Élevage: Stainless steel followed by extended bottle aging
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Malolactic Fermentation: Yes
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Lees Aging: Minimum of 84 months en tirage before disgorgement
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Residual Sugar: 5.3 g/L
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Acidity: 4.6 g/L
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pH: 3.07
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Alcohol: 12.5%
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Bottle Size: 750ml
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