Jacques Selosse: A Study of Substance

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | OCTOBER 25, 2017

Anselme Selosse is one of the pivotal figures in the modern history of Champagne. Selosse’s meticulous attention to detail in the vineyards and bold wines inspired a whole generation of younger growers, some of whom spent time working alongside him, and others who were captivated by a vision of Champagne as a wine that is, first and foremost, born in the vineyard. This recent tasting, hosted by Mannie Berk and the Rare Wine Co., provided a remarkable opportunity to check in on a number of disgorgements of Selosse's flagship Substance going back to the early days. All of the wines in this article were tasted over dinner at Jardinière in San Francisco. Wine Director Alan Murray did a fabulous job handling the wines, while the food was absolutely brilliant. It was a tremendous evening all around. Much of the historical background for this article is taken from a conversation I had with Selosse prior to the tasting itself.

Anselme Selosse’s Champagnes are coveted the world over for their unique, bold personalities. Over the years and decades, Substance has arguably become Selosse’s most sought-after Champagne. A rabid core of fans snap up the 3,000 bottles produced annually upon release, while the wines disappear from restaurant wine lists just as fast as they appear. For that reason, very few people have a chance to taste these wines with years of post-disgorgement age. But Substance is also a controversial wine that is often cited as an example by those who believe the Selosse style is too oxidative. I, too, was curious to see how Substance develops in bottle across multiple disgorgements. Moreover, I was intrigued by the concept of a retrospective of a wine whose sole purpose is to negate the effect of vintage. At the end of the night, I could only marvel at how well these wines have aged. With a few exceptions, most of these Champagnes still have a lot to give. 

Historical Background

A young Anselme Selosse studied viticulture in Champagne and then in Burgundy. Selosse worked his first harvest at the family domaine in 1974 and took over the estate formally with his wife, Corinne, in 1980. “At the time, we made about 7,000 bottles under our own label,” Selosse recounted. "We sold the rest of our fruit to Lanson and Roederer.” Selosse lowered yields and work his land in a more natural and non-interventionalist manner than was common at a time when yields and high production were the objectives of most houses. The grower Champagne movement is now in its second generation, but in the 1970s and 1980s, the concept of small, artisan, estate-bottled wines in Champagne was radical. Readers who have tasted some of Selosse's finest wines from this era, such as the 1988 and 1990 vintage Champagnes, know they remain riveting and vivid to this day. Throughout the years and decades, Selosse has always remained a pragmatist. While he generally pursues more natural approach to making wine, Selosse has long rejected some of the more rigid schools of thought that have become all the rage in recent times. The objective is to make the best wines possible rather than being strictly wedded to ideological principles that may not always deliver the most optimal results. 

“Early on I noticed that in Champagne, the prestige of a wine was set by its vintage, in other words, its birth year, whereas in Burgundy, the prestige of a wine was determined by site, where it came from,” Selosse told me recently. “I started to think about how to add a greater sense of place to my wines, to emphasize terroir. Of course, that is not possible beyond a certain point, so I arrived at the idea of trying to completely erase the effect of vintage.”

Casks in the Selosse cellar, Avize

Solera in Champagne

“In 1972 I traveled to Spain and saw a number of producers,” Selosse told me. “I remember we visited López de Heredia. I didn’t even know who they were! Can you believe that? But it was the time I spent in Jerez that planted the early seeds for what would become Substance. In the mid 1980s I decided to adopt the solera style, which is used for the production of Sherry (Jerez) for Champagne. Substance includes all vintages, good, bad and average; hot, cold and normal. In theory, all of those differences should net out in the blend.” Selosse christened his new wine ‘Origine.’ Unfortunately, Selosse did not copyright the name and in 1998 was forced to change it, thus giving birth to Substance.