Master of the “methode champenoise”, Claude Thibaut moved to Charlottesville, Virginia in 2003, joining a local winery as a consultant to spearhead the creation of a sparkling wine. In 2005, he started his own label in partnership with Manuel Janisson, producer of the Champagne Janisson & Fils. The first vintage was released in November 2007 under the brand: Thibaut-Janisson “Blanc de Chardonnay”.
Thibaut’s career spans 25 years of expertise in all aspects of winemaking with valuable years spent in major wine markets including his native France, Australia and California. Since he graduated over two decades ago from the University of Reims in the heart of France’s Champagne region, Thibaut has demonstrated superlative ability in the production of premium sparkling winemaking in regions outside of France. Using his skill with the “methode champenoise”- a double fermentation process that creates the bubbles found in Champagne and sparkling wines- Thibaut has developed a reputation for his commitment to excellence and professionalism, making outstanding wines and receiving numerous local, regional and international awards. Thibaut has worked at some of the most exciting emerging wineries around the globe, including the Kendall-Jackson, Jordan and Iron Horse wineries in California as well as Champagne Vve Devaux, Bar sur seine, France and Yarra Bank, Victoria Australia, where his wines were voted “Best of the Best” in the 1995 Australia and New Zealand Wine Guide.
Thibaut notes that in America, unlike in other parts of the world, Champagne and sparkling wine is reserved for special occasions. He encourages that it should be enjoyed not just for celebrations and noteworthy events, but also as a highly versatile wine that pairs well with an assortment of foods and can stand on its own as a daily pleasure and petite indulgence.
The Janisson Family winery started in 1920’s with Manuel Janisson’s grandfather vision to produce his own wines from the vines that he grew in Verzenay, France. Starting with small acreage and buying fruit from his neighbors’ he vision and labor produced a signature style, which stands today as Champagne Janisson & Fils Tradition.
Manuel grew up within the winery and was tutored in all facets of the operation, from vineyard management, winemaking, negotiating for grapes, to selling and delivering of the Champagnes the winery produced. The early 90’s presented Manuel with the opportunity to enlarge his vision to carry on the quality and tradition that he inherited. He invested in more land for vines, built a state of the art winery and put his experience as a negociant and businessman to the forefront, allowing for the expansion of his family Champagne.
The family tradition of winemaking continues, as Manuel and his wife Marie-Eve’s three children are learning the heritage, tradition and the business of Champagne.
Today Champagne Janisson is proud to present a range of quality Champagne’s that are recognized and greatly enjoyed internationally from Europe, Great Britain, Asia and the United States.
Thibaut-Janisson Blanc de Chardonnay is made from 100% Chardonnay
Appellation 100% Virginia
Winemaking Notes The grapes are handpicked in small baskets late August and are gently pressed as whole clusters. After a settling of 24 hours, the juice is inoculated with selected Champagne yeast and ferments in stainless steel tanks at low temperature. Once the fermentation is over, the wine ages on the fine lees until the spring of the following year. The blend is then put together and cold-stabilized prior to bottling. The bottling occurs in the spring when the cellar temperature is conducive to a second fermentation in the bottle. The now sparkling wine will age on the yeast for over 24 months. At disgorging, a small amount of dosage liquor is added in order to balance the natural acidity.
Clean, crisp and refreshing! With scents of white flowers, apples and pears. This sparkling wine is elegant and complex with vibrant aromas, and fine active streamers. The depth of complexity is elegant and the intricate nuances of the terroir fill the nose and stimulate the palate. It’s full of youthful, bright and alert acidity.
Thibaut-Janisson Blanc de Chardonnay is made from 100% Chardonnay
Appellation 100% Virginia
Winemaking Notes The grapes are handpicked in small baskets late August and are gently pressed as whole clusters. After a settling of 24 hours, the juice is inoculated with selected Champagne yeast and ferments in stainless steel tanks at low temperature. Once the fermentation is over, the wine ages on the fine lees until the spring of the following year. The blend is then put together and cold-stabilized prior to bottling. The bottling occurs in the spring when the cellar temperature is conducive to a second fermentation in the bottle. The now sparkling wine will age on the yeast for over 24 months. At disgorging, a small amount of dosage liquor is added in order to balance the natural acidity.
Clean, crisp and refreshing! With scents of white flowers, apples and pears. This sparkling wine is elegant and complex with vibrant aromas, and fine active streamers. The depth of complexity is elegant and the intricate nuances of the terroir fill the nose and stimulate the palate. It’s full of youthful, bright and alert acidity.
This 100% Chardonnay blend is made from Tête de Cuvée, or first pressing of the grapes, considered superior in quality, with a high percentage of reserve wines for extra complexity, depth and richness, and a low added dosage to preserve purity and freshness.
Thibaut-Janisson Virginia Fizz is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Virginia Fizz is a fun and festive sparkling wine, great for all life’s celebrations. It is cremant style made of 100% Chardonnay. Packed with apples and peach flavors, the wine has a very creamy and smooth texture. The myriad of tiny bubbles will tickle your taste buds.
Refreshing on its own, but perfect mixed as a cocktail!
Paradigm Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc
20 months in French oak (only about a third of that is new oak) and for 20 more months in bottle before release
Our winemaking "style" is solely determined by this place or terrior we call "Paradigm." Winemaking is agriculture when you own your vineyards and are able to farm them to promote the very best Earth will give you. All of our selections of wines are made from five varietals on the estate. Every wine is 100% farmed and grown by us.
Complexity in our wines supported by luscious fruit and acidity is our hallmark. Our efforts during harvest and barrel cellaring concentrate on maintaining the freshness from the first day we handpicked each vineyard block. Simple winemaking protocols are employed while crucial “timing” oriented winemaking decisions rule each day.
Dark Cabernet color with beautiful aromas of black cherry, cassis, plus 5-spice, vanilla. Big, ripe and mouthcoating across the palate. The flavors are similar to the aromas with ripe fruit, berry/cherry pie, moderate tannins, and nice length. This wine shows enough structure to be age-worth, yet soft and balanced enough to enjoy upon release. Flavors linger in this tasty, dense wine. Tastes like Oakville. -Heidi Barrett
In 1992 the Hill-Smith family counted themselves amongst those fortunate enough to own a vineyard upon the famous Coonawarra terra rossa soil over limestone. Experimentation, innovation, minimalist intervention and small batch winemaking has resulted in The Menzies’ reputation as a wine of longevity, elegance and structure.
Situated in the heart of Coonawarra’s terra rossa strip, The Menzies Estate vineyard lies on a flat plain, approximately 70km from the coast. Given the terrain and influence of the cooling Bonney upwelling, Coonawarra is an ideal location to grow premium Cabernet Sauvignon. Our soil is red sandy loam over limestone, which is classic Cabernet Sauvignon country. The grapes for The Menzies 2017 are from vines planted in 1994 and 1996. Bunches are usually small with small berries, giving concentration via an ideal skin to juice ratio favouring the making of fullbodied reds.
Experimentation, innovation, minimalist intervention, and small batch winemaking has resulted in The Menzies' reputation as a wine of longevity, elegance, and structure.
Aromas of fresh rosemary, mulberry, violets and exotic spices. Take a sip and you will feel the poise and tension for which great Cabernet is renowned. A wine of great complexity with flavors of blackcurrant, bitter chocolate, and mulberries, wrapped in divine tannins and a lovely sweet, dark fruit finish. With decanting in its youth, it is enjoyable as an elegant full-bodied red wine.
Review:
The 2017 The Menzies Cabernet Sauvignon is looking good next to the 2016 tasted beside it. It is fresh and vibrant, with layers of complexing dark earth characters, with cigar box, black olive brine, cassis, bramble, milk chocolate and cracked black pepper. This is very good, and it has what I am coming to recognize as a "Yalumba red character": dried herbs, particularly oregano. The juicy splay of fruit through the finish is a highlight.
-Wine Advocate 95 Points