Franck Pascal Harmonie

Tatler Champagne Guide 2024-2025

Grape Makeup:

100% Meunier

Sweetness Level:

Extra Brut

Ageing on Lees:

~Eight years

Price:

$$$

Cellar:

Five to ten years

Category:

Culinary

What

The family estate, taken over by erstwhile chemical engineer and biodynamics advocate Franck Pascal in 1994, specialised in Meunier-dominant cuvées and, more recently, Côteaux Champenois.

Where

Baslieux-sous-Châtillon, Vallée de la Marne; 7ha, mainly Meunier, then Pinot noir and Chardonnay.

Why

This pure Meunier from the cool-leaning 2014 vintage, while giving strong biodynamics vibes (no added sulfites, very low dosage, lots of savoury aromas), is one of Pascal’s more cohesive cuvées. It starts as a bit of a dialectical, but soon its bipolar nose comes to a beautiful synthesis on the palate.

What Else

Pascal’s Coteaux Champenois Confiance is, indeed, a very confident entry in this category, made from a blend of ’14, ’15, ’17 and ’19 vintages and the three main champagne grapes, it is a very strong argument for why dry table wines might be a key part of this region’s future, with its sensuous beeswax, orange peel and ginger aromatics and luxuriant, glycerol charged texture.

Tasting Notes

This shades from savoury and forthright–with a sweaty, natto and rye bread pungency–to lush and indulgent, with candied plum, barley sugar and marzipan, to mercurial, intriguing effect. There’s less clear definition on the palate, with the savoury running straight into the sweet. The fruit has a honeyed quince quality edging towards candied orange peel, with acidity providing support from beneath. The structure remains round until the finish, where a sharp astringency jolts the palate awake.

Try It With

Savoury, umami-rich seafood dishes like baked oily fish

When To Drink

Hot entrées or main course

Perfect For

The friend who introduced you to your acupuncturist

Tatler Tip

This is super savoury to begin, give it a moment in some big glasses to shed some of its muskiness and replace it with fruit.

TL/DR

Forthrightly savoury but honeyed and round

Supplier

Champagne Asia