Philipponnat Cuvée 1522 Grand Cru Extra Brut 2009 – Five Centuries of Champagne

The Winery: Five Centuries in Champagne

The Philipponnat family settled in Aÿ in 1522. The family ancestor, Avril de Philipponnat, was a soldier in the service of King Francis I of France, who granted him lands in Aÿ following the Battle of Marignano. SA Champagne Philipponnat was formally incorporated in 1912. In 1935, the Maison, then under the direction of Pierre Philipponnat, acquired the Clos des Goisses — a 5.5-hectare hillside vineyard, south-facing and overlooking the Marne valley.

Charles Philipponnat, a scion of the fifteenth generation of this Champagne dynasty, took charge in 1999 and ushered in a period of renaissance that has propelled the house to its current standing. Philipponnat is distinguished by a characteristic style that emphasises vinous depth, minimal dosage and extended ageing in the house’s deep, cool cellars.

The Cuvée 1522: The Name and Its Meaning

This Grand Cru takes its name from the year the Philipponnat family arrived in the village of Aÿ — a direct tribute to more than five centuries of winemaking history. It is a blend of 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay, drawn entirely from Grand Cru plots and produced exclusively from first-press juice.

The 2009 Vintage in Champagne

2009 was an exceptional vintage in Champagne: warm and sunny, with unusually high fruit ripeness for the region, yielding Champagnes of great richness, breadth and ageing potential. For the Cuvée 1522, this vintage produced a wine of remarkable generosity and structure, its complexity shaped by long years of ageing on the lees.

Winemaking

The wine ages for eight years on its lees and is disgorged with an extra brut dosage of 4.5 g/l. This extended ageing period is one of Philipponnat’s hallmarks, ensuring a depth and complexity that sets it apart within this range.

Tasting Notes

This 2009 Grand Cru is complex and citrus-driven, offering notes of lemon peel, juicy peach, blackcurrant, honeysuckle and toasted hazelnuts. It presents a pale golden colour, with a nose of alpine, herbal butter, limpid brioche, yeast, cream and Pinot Noir structure, alongside aromas of red fruit, lemon zest and lemon tart. On the palate, medium-high acidity brings great freshness to the Pinot Noir, with fine, persistent bubbles and a long, autolytic finish of milk and lemon curd.

Critical Acclaim

The 2009 vintage of the Cuvée 1522 received 92 points out of 100 from specialist critics. Across all its vintages, this cuvée has consistently earned high scores, ranging from 91 to 94 points.

Food Pairing

It is recommended alongside seared scallops, risotto or fresh berries. Its extra brut character and complexity also make it an outstanding match for shellfish, fish in sauce, firm-rinded cheeses and refined haute cuisine.

In short, the Philipponnat 1522 Grand Cru Extra Brut 2009 is one of the most characterful and ambitious Champagnes from a house steeped in history: an exceptional vintage wine, aged at length, kept to minimal dosage, and expressing all the nobility of Pinot Noir from the Grand Cru vineyards of the Montagne de Reims. A Champagne for very special occasions, and for those who value complexity above all else.