Solessence represents nearly half of the total house production, coming in at some 3,000 cases. It also roughly mirrors the house plantations, orginating in all seven communes where Jean-Marc grows vines. 

The grapes for this wine come from the domain’s younger vines, which average 40 years of age (that, it must be said, would constitute the old vine selection for most Champagne properties!) Half the blend comes from a perpetual reserve, so-named because half of this older wine goes into the blending tank with the new harvest, and then half of that new blend is returned to the 20-hectoliter foudre to replenish the perpetual reserve. 

The new wine is raised primarily in steel with some in wood, and then time on the lees in bottle depends on the bottle size: three years for 375ml; two years for 750ml; four years for 1.5L; and five years for 3L. The lot number on the back label is the base vintage.