93+ Points — Jeb Dunnuck
92 Points — James Suckling
Pure Chardonnay. Ninety months on the lees. Two grams of dosage. Champagne Geoffroy's 2017 Volupté Millésime is a refined and deeply expressive Blanc de Blancs from two chalk-rich lieux-dits in Cumières Premier Cru — Tourne Midi and Les Chênes — parcels prized for the mineral precision and white-fruit character they bring to Chardonnay. Fermented in equal parts oak and enamel-lined steel, aged without malolactic fermentation and disgorged in November 2024, it is a silky, chiseled Champagne with a long, chalky and beautifully defined finish.
The Place
Cumières is a historic Premier Cru village in Champagne's Vallée de la Marne, situated west of Hautvillers and overlooking the Marne River. Although the village is more commonly associated with Pinot Noir and Meunier, its chalk-rich lieux-dits of Tourne Midi and Les Chênes are especially well suited to Chardonnay, producing wines with mineral precision, white-fruit clarity and the freshness to support extended lees aging.
The Grape: 100% Chardonnay
Chardonnay is Champagne's most mineral-expressive variety and the sole grape in Volupté. In the chalk-influenced soils of Tourne Midi and Les Chênes, it develops white peach, ripe lemon and green apple character alongside a pronounced chalky minerality and the hazelnut complexity that emerges with extended lees contact.
Winemaking
The grapes are harvested by hand at optimum ripeness and carefully sorted. Vinification is conducted in an equal combination of oak barrels and enamel-lined stainless-steel tanks — oak contributing texture and breadth, steel preserving freshness and aromatic precision. Malolactic fermentation is avoided, retaining the vintage's natural acidity and mineral tension.
After assemblage, the wine undergoes secondary fermentation in bottle and spends approximately 90 months aging on its lees — gaining exceptional texture, aromatic complexity and finely integrated bubbles. It is disgorged in November 2024 with a dosage of just 2 g/L, keeping the finish dry, focused and distinctly mineral.
Tasting Notes
The 2017 Volupté displays a bright straw-gold color with an elegant, persistent stream of fine bubbles. The bouquet opens with white peach, ripe lemon, green apple and smoky wet stone, joined by raw hazelnut, subtle mocha and a delicate reductive tension that lifts and focuses the nose.
The palate is medium-bodied and silky, with a creamy mousse, polished texture and bright, persistent acidity. Candied citrus, white fruit and toasted nuts lead into a long, chalky and beautifully defined finish. Spicy and overt, with lanolin and exquisite green apple and lemon interplay, the wine shows chewy acidity and polished phenolics that give it both energy and elegance.
Professional Ratings
93+ Points — Jeb Dunnuck: Bright straw/yellow color with notes of mocha, ripe lemon balm, smoky wet stones, white peach and raw hazelnut. A slight reduction, but not pronounced. Medium-bodied with a silky texture and clean, bright acidity. Disgorged November 2024 with 2 g/L dosage. Drink 2025–2040.
92 Points — James Suckling: An overt and spicy wine full of toasty aromas with an exquisite mix of green apples and lemons. A bit of lanolin. Medium-sized bubbles with long chewy acidity and polished phenolics. Drink now.
The Producer
The Geoffroy family has cultivated vineyards in Cumières since the 17th century. Today, Jean-Baptiste Geoffroy produces distinctive grower Champagnes emphasizing individual vineyard expression, ripe fruit, indigenous-yeast fermentation, long maturation and restrained dosage. The estate farms approximately 14 hectares, with most vineyards in Cumières and additional parcels in neighboring Vallée de la Marne villages.
Food Pairing
An excellent match for roasted or grilled white fish, langoustines, lobster, scallops, goat cheese, aged Parmesan and seared foie gras. Equally compelling as a sophisticated aperitif.
Serving and Cellaring
Serve at approximately 48–52°F in a white-wine or tulip-shaped Champagne glass. Delicious now for its freshness and complexity, but structured to develop further through approximately 2040.
Producer: Champagne Geoffroy
Cuvée: Volupté Millésime
Vintage: 2017
Country: France
Region: Champagne
Subregion: Vallée de la Marne
Village: Cumières Premier Cru
Classification: Premier Cru
Style: Vintage Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut
Grape: 100% Chardonnay
Vineyards: Tourne Midi and Les Chênes
Farming: Practicing organic and sustainable
Harvest: Hand harvested and sorted
Vinification: 50% oak barrels, 50% enamel-lined stainless steel
Malolactic Fermentation: None
Lees Aging: Approximately 90 months
Disgorgement: November 2024
Dosage: 2 g/L (Extra Brut)
Wine Type: Dry sparkling wine
Bottle Size: 750ml
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