Exceptional Tasting in Chavornay: the 1907 Champagne, ungrafted, at the crossroads of time and science
Events
Exceptional Tasting in Chavornay: the 1907 Champagne, ungrafted, at the crossroads of time and science
On September 3rd 2025, at the TIBIO laboratory in Chavornay, we experienced a truly rare moment: the opening and analysis of Heidsieck & Co Monopole 1907 Goût Américain, a shipwreck survivor acquired during the 2024 Grand Chapitre in Monaco, alongside its contemporary counterpart, Heidsieck & Co Édition Jönköping.
Gathered around Prof. Davide Staedler (CEO of TIBIO, Full Professor at the University of Lausanne), Loïc Pasquet (President of the Francs de Pied Association), Dr. José Vouillamoz (Co-Director of the Association’s Scientific Committee) and Célia Calcagno (Director of the Association), this occasion blended scientific rigor with the emotion of tasting.
Thanks to the new triple quadrupole gas chromatograph–mass spectrometer (GC-MS/MS), it was possible to identify and compare the predominant aromas of both champagnes. The 1907, shaped by more than a century of rest under the sea and in cellar, revealed a strikingly preserved freshness, with saline tension, dried fruits and tertiary nuances. The contemporary edition, in contrast, expressed the vitality of fruit, floral energy and the precision of modern élevage.
This direct confrontation highlighted the impact of time and preservation on aromatic and structural expression, offering a unique perspective on the longevity and resilience of champagne — here even more remarkable as it comes from ungrafted vines (francs de pied).
By bridging science and heritage, this tasting illustrates the mission of the Francs de Pied Association: to preserve, study and transmit the legacy of ungrafted vines, irreplaceable witnesses of our viticultural history.
