Cazals
Le Mesnil-sur-Oger is a village devoted to Chardonnay, and the Cazals family has long been dedicated exclusively to that single grape variety. Champagne Claude Cazals is located at 28 rue du Grand Mont, right in the heart of the village, and in Champagne, the term grower-producer means that the vineyard and winery are owned by the same person.
Nearly the entire product lineup consists of Blanc de Blancs, that is, white Champagne made from white grapes, using Grand Cru grapes from Côte des Blancs, and they also offer a rosé cuvée. The names of the walled clos (vineyards) located within the family estate have been used as the names for two of the bottled wines. Furthermore, the estate offers a diverse range of styles that one might not expect from a producer focused solely on single varietals. In addition to the vintage-designated Brut and Extra-Brut wines, there are also solera-blended wines, in which harvests from multiple years are blended into a single bottle.
One family, four generations in
Champagne Claude Cazals has been run by the same family since its founding in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger in 1897, and four generations of the Cazals family have worked in the same corner of Côte des Blancs.
Today, Delphine Cazals has taken over the family business and welcomes visitors. This unbroken lineage holds greater significance from a practical standpoint than as a sentimental detail. The Chardonnay produced in the Grand Cru village is bottled under the family name.
Vines in the Côte des Blancs
Le Mesnil-sur-Oger is a Grand Cru village, and this classification is indicated on all Cazals labels. Therefore, the grapes are produced in the Grand Cru vineyards of Côte des Blancs, a region lined with Chardonnay villages south of Épernay.
Within this vineyard are walled plots known as clos. Two cuvées, Clos Cazals and La Chapelle du Clos, are named after this location.
The terroir
The Grand Cru villages of Champagne share one defining characteristic above all others: soil rich in chalk, and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger is no exception.
Chalk acts like a sponge. Because it stores water, the vine roots can draw moisture from deep underground during droughts, and excess rainwater drains away without pooling on the surface. This balance is key. If there is too much chalk and too little topsoil, the vines' growth slows, resulting in thin, high-acidity wines.
The Chardonnay grown in Côte des Blancs is characterized by its acidity and that distinctive salty, chalky sensation that people often mention when describing this champagne.
One grape variety, mostly
Chardonnay is the signature grape variety of Champagne Claude Cazals, and the Blanc de Blancs cuvée is made from 100% Chardonnay. For example, Cuvée Vive is made from 100% Chardonnay and has an alcohol content of 12.5%.
Rosé wines are the exception to this lineup. Among them, the two wines, Cuvée Rosé and Rosé XV, are labeled as Grand Cru rather than Blanc de Blancs, and are therefore excluded from the single-varietal lineup.
The winemaking
Cazals bottles across various sweetness grades. Dosage refers to the small amount of sugar added after disgorgement; since Extra-Brut has a lower sweetness level than Brut, Clos Cazals, Solera, and Rosé XV have a drier finish than Carte Or Millésime.
Millésime refers to a wine from a single vintage, bottled on its own without blending wines from multiple years.
Solera is a particularly interesting product. Solera is not a fixed reserve wine but a constantly evolving blend. Each year, new wine is added to the barrels containing wine from previous vintages, and only a portion of the total is bottled. Older vintages do not disappear entirely; they simply account for a smaller proportion of the blend.
The cuvées
Champagne Claude Cazals offers a product line centred on Le Mesnil-sur-Oger's Grand Cru Chardonnay, alongside rosé wines:
- Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Carte Or
- Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Cuvée Rosé
- Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Cuvée Vive
- Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru La Chapelle du Clos
- Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Millésime, a vintage-designated product
- Brut Grand Cru Cuvée Rosé
- Extra-Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Clos Cazals, produced from a walled vineyard
- Extra-Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Solera
- Extra-Brut Grand Cru Rosé XV
Frequently asked questions
Is Cazals the same house as Champagne Claude Cazals?
Yes. The full name on the labels is Champagne Claude Cazals, and the house is based in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger.
Does the house make anything besides blanc de blancs?
It does. Rosé cuvées sit alongside the white range, though Chardonnay remains the focus.
Can the house be visited?
Delphine Cazals welcomes visitors at the house in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. It is a working grower address in the village, not a show cellar.
