So rare are the vintages of Salon Le Mesnil, only 37 have been produced in the past century. Each new vintage celebrates a heralded harvest in the landscape of Champagne.  Now Salon Le Mesnil has reached a spectacular summit, according to Director Didier Depond, with its 1996 vintage. Exploding with aromas and freshness, this new vintage offers breathtaking heights and extraordinary character. The 1996 vintage – at the top of this rare, elite collection – is being compared to the legendary 1928, which is considered one of the greatest vintages in Champagne history – powerful, structured, complex, intensely aromatic – a vintage dreams are made of.

One grape variety, one cru, one year – Salon Le Mesnil was created by Aimé Salon, a passionate gentleman obsessed with perfection. (Monsieur Salon made the first vintage, 1905, solely for his and his friends’ consumption, and the house of Salon was officially registered in 1920.) His idea of Champagne was to fashion a masterpiece of balance and elegance, an explosive Champagne full of seductive aromas, full of character, yet subtle: Thus was born Salon Le Mesnil. Only a few thousand bottles are made in carefully selected vintages and offered for sale a decade later.

Salon Le Mesnil 1996 is a pale yellow wine with hints of green, “as bright as the morning sun light on the highest snow caps” says Didier Depond, director of Champagne Salon Le Mesnil.  With fine, active bubbles, it has both the electricity and impertinence of youth, yet shows complexity and layers of aromas.

On the palate, Salon Le Mesnil displays a remarkable subtlety of flavors with touches of green apples, fresh citrus – lemon and grapefruit – building into mellow hints of ripe pear and kiwi. It is a virile, strongly built wine with restrained power, according to Depond. Taste it lightly chilled (between 13° and 15° – 55-60 F), so it reveals all its power, richness and penetrating aromas.

It really doesn't get much better than this - Salon is the world''s most sought after Champagne. Super precise, restrained and powerful, Salon's purity and grace are what sets it apart from the pack, no one cuts close to perfection! A demanding powerhouse of a Champagne! 100 Points Nick Stock WBM100 October 2007

This great vintage of Salon is beginning to show its full stature, the aroma shimmering with bold spice, the powerfully brisk acidity giving a classic ’96 profile. The flavors are subtle at first, feeling complete, with more refinement than detail. Then air brings out the layers impacted in its youthful fruit, a spectrum of flavor from tangerine zest to hazelnut, sophisticated enough to set the heart racing. Salon is built to evolve for decades; this ’96 will live longer than most. 96 Points Wine & Spirit Magazine December 2007

The only winery in the world that does not produce a wine every year, Salon was first made in 1905, but for personal use, the first commercial vintage being 1921. Only mid-slope vines of at least 40 years’ age are used – the concentrated grapes they provide, and the non-malolactic first fermentation, give Salon its extraordinary power, finesse and longevity. The current vintage 1996, is sleek and sensuous, with electrifying acidity. In the future, the 1997 is golden in colour, with atypically high acidity for the year. Decanter Wines of Year Decembe 2007

Gift pack includes one full size bottle of Taittinger Brut Reserve Champagne with two stylish Taittinger Champagne Flutes presented in a stylish gift box.

Every year, Taittinger produces a But Réserve Non Vintage champagne. Made to a consistently high quality from a blend of 40% Chardonnay and 60% Pinot. This is a carefully balanced and elegant wine of world-renown. Champagne Taittinger Brut Réserve is aged for three to four years in the cellars where it develops perfect maturity and well-developed aromatic potential.

The colour is brilliant golden straw. The bubbles are fine. The mousse is both discreet and persistent. Expressive with aromas of peach, white flowers and vanilla pod. Lively and fresh with excellent balance. This is a delicate wine with flavours of fresh fruit and honey. Excellent as an aperitif or as an accompaniment to light seafood dishes or white meat.

Always in the "A Team" of NV Champagnes, Taittinger is an effortless culmination of the fine, zesty citrus fruits of youth and the toasty maturity of age. With a fine bead, textured minerality and great line and length, it's as on form as it has ever been. Rating: 94 Points; Tyson Stelzer

Blend of 1/3 each of CH, PN and PM, from 2003 and reserve wines with no added dosage. An intense aromatic style, with hints of grapefruit, minerals, smoke and real purity. There is honey and brioche on a very very long palate. Very approachable and just so perfectly balanced. The mousse is ultra-fine and persistent. Has amazing richness with weight and complexity and in a masked line up it is difficult to detect that this is a Brut Zero. Critics agree that this is the ‘benchmark’ Brut Zero. Always a speciality of Benoit and one of his favourites. Regularly acclaimed as being a perfect food match and features in many Michelin starred restaurants.

Quite aromatic and punchy with citrus, dough, spice and white flowers. On the palate good weight and impact, although fairly dry, with citrus, brioche, yeast and minerally soda water flavours. It has fine persistent bubbles and penetrating bright crisp acidity. Finishes dry and minerally. Perhaps it lacks a little finesse but more than compensates with an abundance of character and interest. Lovely wine. Rated : 93 Points; Drink : 2007 - 2015; Gary Walsh; Winorama

Like Moet & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot is also owned by LVMH, but no-one would suggest this has led to any confusion between what are radically different styles. Most obviously, a few extra years of bottle-age for the Veuve allows the wine to add nuances of toast or biscuit. This bottle is halfway, so it seems, with lots of citrus and stone fruit, backed by good acidity, and a hint of toast. $90; 94 points & Halliday’s Top 100 Wines for 2009 – The Weekend  Australian November 14-15, 2009

A champagne House is eventually judged on the quality of its Brut non vintage. It is in the making of such a wine that the true Art of Champagne blending reveals itself. This is an art in which the House of Veuve Clicquot excels. Our Brut Yellow Label reflects the superb vineyards we own and the consistent nature of our House style. The predominance of Pinot Noir provides the structure that is so typically Clicquot, while a touch of Pinot Meunier rounds out the blend. Chardonnay adds the elegance and finesse essential in a perfectly balanced wine.

Grapes from as many as 50 to 60 different Crus go to the blending of Brut Yellow Label. Traditionally, the proportion of each grape variety used is: · 50 to 55% Pinot Noir · 15 to 20% Pinot Meunier · 28 to 33% Chardonnay. These figures vary slightly from year to year according to conditions. The Cellar Master has to achieve the total consistency of taste, which makes Brut Yellow Label so immediately recognisable, so utterly reliable both in terms of quality, colour and bouquet. He will draw on priceless reserve wines for the blend: from 25 to 35%, sometimes as much as 40% to ensure the continuity of the House style. Each of these older wines - perhaps nine years old - is kept separately to preserve the unique qualities of the vineyard and the vintage.

First, Brut Yellow Label looks beautiful: golden-yellow, with a foaming necklace of tiny bubbles. Next it is so  pleasing to the nose: initially reminiscent of white fruits and raisins, then of vanilla and later of brioche. Note the fine balance between the fruity aromas coming from the grape varieties and the toasty aromas following the ageing in the bottle. The first sip delivers all the freshness and forcefulness so typical of Yellow Label with asymphony of fruit tastes following on. Here is a true member of the powerful Brut family, well structured, admirably vinous. The lingering aromas echo and re-echo, with each fruit or spice note distinct. Veuve Clicquot Brut Yellow Label manages to reconcile two opposing factors - forcefulness and finesse - and to hold them in perfect balance. This consistent power to please makes it ideal as an aperitif, and perfect as the Champagne to enjoy with a meal.

This is our most popular Champagne gift line and it is not hard to see why. A beautifully presented carry case comes with two Veuve Clicquot flutes and a bottle of Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label. What is more, the case will keep the bottle cold for a couple of hours. When the wine is finished, the case closes to convert into a stylish bag ready to be used again when you next require chilled Champagne on the go!

60% Pinot Noir in the mix. Medium full colour. Rich mainstream champagne flavours. Nice lift and breadth on the palate with a great long finish. Lovely drinking with nice underlying complexity. Quality: Excellent - MA; StarPanel© October 2003

Clicquot's signature brut non-vintage is loved the world over for its crisp, full flavors, consistent quality and celebratory yellow label. This classically-styled, dry Champagne is a blend of two-thirds black grapes (Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier) for body, balanced with one-third Chardonnay for elegance. It has a fine persistent sparkle and golden Champagne color. Its complex nose of apple, citrus and caramel is followed by full flavors with elegance, crispness and a slightly spicy finish.

Veuve Clicquot has re-released the first selection of vintage Champagnes in the Cave Privée Collection. For the last 35 years, limited stocks of Veuve Clicquot’s vintages have been kept in the house’s private cellar, the Cave Privée.

The inaugural offering includes the Brut Millesime 1990, the 1980 Vintage and the three rosés from 1989, 1978 and 1975.

The Cave Privée label has been designed to recall the original Veuve Clicquot vintage label dating from 1893 - each bottle comes in a wooden box with a yellow ribbon woven through it. The bottles are also individually numbered on the neck collar, and the back label carries disgorgement details including the date, the total number of bottles disgorged and the g/l of residual sugar in the dosage liquor.

Veuve Clicquot only makes vintage Champagne in years of exceptional quality and individuality. After two such years in 1988 and 1989, the 1990 gave Champagne a series of three consecutive great vintages, a unique sequence in its history. For the true connoisseur, the 1990 Clicquot is a Champagne to keep. Already with a wonderfully refined bouquet, it is drinking beautifully. But those with sufficient patience will be further rewarded, as it will develop even greater character.

Climatically, the year was similar to 1989. After a damp, mild winter, the buds burst almost a month early. The vineyards were therefore at risk from spring frost, which came in two waves on the 5th and 19th April, affecting almost 12,000 hectares. The flowering came in the first two weeks of June, in cooler weather. With July, summer came to last. If temperature and rainfall were normal, the hours of sunshine were by comparison, quite exceptional: almost 2,100 hours, a record for the last 30 years. As the harvest drew near, sugar content rose rapidly while acidity maintained a good level. Picking started in the second week of September for Chardonnay, a week later for the Pinot Noir and Meunier. The balance of the must was remarkable, with an average degree above 10°5GL and acidity of 8 g/l. Save for a few areas of Chardonnay affected by botrytis, the quality of all three grape varieties was uniformly superb.

Vintage Reserve 1990 is made of a blend of 17 different crus, all classed as Grands or Premiers Crus. Black grapes account for two thirds of the blend: 56% being Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims and the Grande Vallée de la Marne, with 11% of Pinot Meunier drawn from the Premiers Crus of the western Montagne de Reims. The remaining third of the blend is Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs and to a lesser degree, from the Montagne de Reims.

Veuve Clicquot has re-released the first selection of vintage Champagnes in the Cave Privée Collection. For the last 35 years, limited stocks of Veuve Clicquot’s vintages have been kept in the house’s private cellar, the Cave Privée.

The inaugural offering includes the Brut Millesime 1990, the 1980 Vintage and the three rosés from 1989, 1978 and 1975.

The Cave Privée label has been designed to recall the original Veuve Clicquot vintage label dating from 1893 - each bottle comes in a wooden box with a yellow ribbon woven through it. The bottles are also individually numbered on the neck collar, and the back label carries disgorgement details including the date, the total number of bottles disgorged and the g/l of residual sugar in the dosage liquor.

Further limited numbers from the Cave Privée will be re-released to the market in the future.

1989 was a warm , sunny year, comparable to such legendary vintages as 1945, 1959 and 1964. After an unusually early budburst, the vines suffered a cold spell. On 27 April a severe Spring frost hit a large area of Champagne’s vine-growing region. The Vallée de la Marne and the Eastern part of the Montagne de Reims suffered significant damage, while the Côte des Blancs escaped. Due to their sheltered position in the heart of Champagne’s finest Crus, the vineyards of Veuve Clicquot were largely unaffected.

Afterwards, a period of almost summer-like weather allowed the vines to return to their normal cycle. A few colder days, coming when the vines were at their vulnerable flowering stage, made us doubt for an instant if we would achieve a quality vintage. But our fears were ungrounded; a period of exceptional weather quickly followed, and came to stay. From mid-June through to the vintage, one warm sunny day followed another.

The first grapes, ripened in these perfect conditions, were harvested from the 4th September onwards, in our Grands Crus in the Côte des Blancs. A few more days of ripening for the Pinots Noirs and Pinots Meuniers allowed us to gather top quality grapes in a perfect state of health. Overall, an average of 10 degrees on the Gay-Lussac scale was achieve accros the area, with certain Crus even attaining 11 degrees.

Rosé Reserve 1989 is based on the blend used for Vintage Réserve 1989: 67% Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims and the Vallée de la Marne, and 33% Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs. The addition of 12.8% of Pinot Noir from Bouzy, vinified as a red wine, and of the same 1989 vintage, completes the blend.

On the nose this wine is exceptionally elegant. Dominant floral notes (mint and white flowers) mingle with hints of fresh fruit (citrus fruits, fresh almonds). As it undergoes aeration, riper notes of vanilla and nougat come to the fore, giving a pleasant roundness to the wine. At this stage a typical Chardonnay characteristic, crisp elegance, clearly prevails over aromatic strength. In the mouth, the Pinot Noir reveals its true personality.Fruity notes (white peaches, grapefruit and bergamot) dominate an energetic attack on the palate, which is prolonged by the structure and roundedness of the wine. The balance, a combination of freshness and vigour, is ideal. With a finish that is extremely persistent and clean, mineral notes add force to this noble wine. Although La Grande Dame is still a long way from its peak, this wine constitutes an apTritif of exception. True connoisseurs will arm themselves with patience and take great pleasure in drinking this champagne in a few years' time, once it has come to full cellar maturity.

I highly recommend the Veuve Clicquot 1990 La Grande Dame. It is exquisitely rich and accessible, yet bursting with potential. 95/100; Robert Parker; Wine Advocate # 119

96/100 Wine Spectator!

First made in 1969 to honour Nicole-Barbe Clicquot Ponsardin, the 27-year-old widow (veuve) who had to take control of the House after the sudden death of her husband. It is a blend of two-thirds pinot noir, one-third chardonnay, almost entirely sourced from the 382 hectares of estate vineyards (dwarfed by the grapes supplied each year by 1200 growers). Full gold, it is still remarkably youthful, reflecting its long time on lees. There are plenty of brioche and dried fruit undertones, but it is its vibrantly fresh, lilting finish and glorious aftertaste that inspires. Rating: 97 points, $250; James Halliday Top 100 for 2011; The Weekend Australian, November 19th

The Cuvee - Uncompromising quality. The Star of La champagne is composed by only the best crus: 64% Pinot Noir grapes from the Grands Crus at Ay, in the Grande Vallèe de la Marne, and at Verzenay, Verzy, Ambonnay and Bouzy in the Montagne de Reims. 36% Chardonnay grapes from three Grands Crus: Avize, Oger and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger in the Cote des Blancs.

La Grande Dame 1998 has a pale gold colour with jade glints. The wine is crystal clear, with unbelievably fine bubbles. On the first nose, typical Chardonnay characteristics come to the fore, with the arrival of floral and mineral aromas (acacia, ferns, chalk). By agitating the wine, scents of candied fruit (citrus fruits, apricots, quince) and sweet almond emerge, to reappear later in the mouth. After rotating the wine for a few minutes more, rare notes such as peaty malt, tobacco and delicate herbs, are gradually unveiled. This aromatic, impressively complex bouquet is confirmed in the mouth. On the palate, the wine is clear-cut and pure, perfectly balanced with a delightful silky smoothness.

La Grande Dame 1998, with its lace-like construction, has a long, lively, and structured finish. This wine has unbelievable ageing potential. The1998 vintage of La Grande Dame, the quintessence of the Veuve Clicquot style, reaches a peak of refinement, without losing its legendary strength produced by a blend including nearly two-thirds of Pinot Noir.

Light gold. Rich, smoky aromas of buttery pear, peach and smoked meat, complemented by exotic spice accents and a hint of white flowers; seems livelier on the nose than the deep, rich 1996 version. Weighty citrus and orchard fruit flavors are framed by juicy acids, and come across as a bit youthfully stunted right now. With air a note of poached pear emerged, along with a suggestion of toffeed hazelnut. Give this a few years. Stephen Tanzer 92 points Dec/06

It was no more than a toss of a coin to choose between this and the similarly priced '98 Perrier Jouet Belle Epoque: both are majestic wines with an impeccable pedigree. La Grande Dame comes exclusively from eight grand cru vineyards owned in 1805 by the 27-year-old widow Nicole-Barbe Clicquot-Ponsardin, who drove the business to the top tier of champagne. The wine named in her honour was launched in 1977 to mark the bicentenary of the company. A glorious, glowing yellow-green, it is wonderfully rich, textured and layered, yet has finesse and a finish that goes on forever. Pure class from start to finish. 97 POINTS, $250; James Halliday Top 100, 2007

Credited as the first Champagne House to produce a rosé, this is a house specialty since the 1775. The robust fruit flavors of Veuve Clicquot's Rosé Réserve results from adding still Pinot Noir wine from Veuve Clicquot's grand cru vineyards in the village of Bouzy. This wonderful, dry Champagne with its light rose glow and copper highlights is an ideal companion for dishes like salmon or poultry and also as an apéritif.

The nose is expressive, with aromas of red fruit (wild strawberry, raspberry and gooseberry) that develop into more complex aromas (fig, fresh almond and bergamot). On the palate, the wine is round and balanced with a lingering finish. The wine has great structure and a strong “vinous” character, derived from superior quality pinot noir grapes. This wine can be classified as a mythical vintage as far as its maturing potential is concerned.

Vintage Rosé 1999. Assemblage : Chardonnay: 26 %, Pinot Noir: 48 %, Pinot Meunier: 26 %. Salmon pink. Wild Strawberry and cherry aromas; nuances of citrus fruits, combined with smoky and sweet spice notes. A wine with an assertive, complex and fulfilling character. It is at the same time ample, solid and round. The fruit is creamy, the succulence combines a prolonged fullness, density and vivacity.

The Vintage Reserve 2002 is made up of 60% Pinot Noir, 7% Pinot Meunier and 33% Chardonnay.The choice of grape classification is of vital importance. The blend includes 17 crus only, which are either Grand or Premier Crus. These are located in the Montagne de Reims including Pinot Noir from Verzenay (Grand Cru) and Pinot Meunier from Ludes (Premier Cru), in the Grande Vallée de la Marne with Pinot Noir from Aÿ (Grand Cru) and in the Côte des Blancs where Le Mesnil / Oger constitutes one of the best Chardonnay (Grand Cru) vineyards.
 
Veuve Clicquot manages to combine very large production with very high quality wine, with a well-recognised and much admired vintage brut style, based on one-third chardonnay and two-thirds pinot noir. Take in the excellent 2002 vintage, and you have a glorious wine with utterly seductive texture from masses of sweet white fruits, cream and a hint of toast, supported by chalky acidity and a racy core; the finish is extremely long and focused. Arguably the best value wine in the selection. 96 points & Halliday’s Top 100 – The Weekend Australian November 8-9, 2008
 
One of the best from Veuve for ages. Cashews, hazelnuts and stone fruit dominate. A brilliant champagne that lingers with intensity and will age gracefully for many years. 96 Points; Ken Gargett, Courier Mail, 10 October 2009

By all accounts (including the highly authoritative Tom Stevenson) the 2002 Champagne vintage is supposed to be a rip snorter (is that one word?) and I was surprised to see one available so soon. I had to buy it (at full retail mind you..shock horror) because I was curious, but more importantly, in possession of a very large bag of fresh seafood..Open and spicy with subtle peach, starfruit, pastry dough, marzipan and floral aromas. Nice and fresh. On the palate fresh and invigorating with peach, real lemonade, mineral and spiced pastry flavours. It has a little sweetness that is cut with beautiful clean acidity and a soft persistent foamy mouthfeel. Gentle and delicate with no grating or harsh characters – a Champagne that quietly encourages the next sip. Finishes long and clean with a spice and bitter lemon aftertaste. I think we are in for a bit of a treat with this vintage. Rated : 94+ Points Tasted : Jan08 Alcohol : 12% Price : $110 Closure : Cork Drink : 2008 - 2016+ Gary Walsh; The Wine Front

As the name suggests, the Veuve Fourny Blanc de Blancs Brut Vertus Premier Cru is 100% Chardonnay and a pure expression of this variety from Vertus. Slightly broader than the Grande Reserve, it shows some honeyed characters and fruit purity, finesse and elegance. Which do I prefer? I’m not sure perhaps after working through a six-pack of each I could make a clearer call, with a gun to the head I would take the aperitif perfect Grande Réserve, though seasoned Champagne connoisseurs may go the Blanc de Blanc.

Emmanuel and Charles-Henry Fourny craft wines of great purity from their old, organic vines in the premier cru village of Vertus at the southern end of Champagne’s Cote des Blancs. Beach-fresh, linear and very fine, with white peach, crunchy apple, taut lemon fruit and salty minerality. 94 Points; Tyson Stelzer

Passionate about their land which has been cultivated by their ancestors since 1856, the Fourny family produce Champagnes from grapes grown in the premier crus of Vertus, a village located in the south of the prestigious Cote des Blancs.

Champagne Veuve Fourny & Fils has been an active family domain since 1856. The estate is located in the prestigious Côte des Blancs, in the premier cru village of Vertus. Brothers Charles-Henry and Emmanuel Fourny sustainably farm over nine hectares of vineyards and have been carrying on the family wine growing tradition since 1993.

Veuve Fourny produces classic grower Champagne, raising pedigreed fruit, adhering to high standards, and hand-crafting wines that showcase the chalky terroir of Vertus. All of the Fourny vineyards are farmed according to the same meticulous practices and principles, and each parcel is vinified separately. Over 30 parcels!

The Veuve Fourny Grande Réserve Brut Vertus Premier Cru is made from 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir. It features fine but complex and funky aromas typical of Vertus. Quite chalky and creamy with some biscuit like characters from the Pinot Noir. Traditional ‘house’ style. Excellent combination of fruit and subtle biscuit aromas, a lovely balance of breadiness and freshness.

Plenty of forest berry pips and granny smith apple fruit in this: deep and complex-smelling but also full of sea-spray vitality. Lipsmacking, complex and pippy fruited in the mouth, with corella pear crispness and a long dry finish. Mouth-sucking and moreish to close. 9/10 - how much I like it. 94 Points; Tim White, The Australian Financial Review, October 2011

Passionate about their land which has been cultivated by their ancestors since 1856, the Fourny family produce Champagnes from grapes grown in the premier crus of Vertus, a village located in the south of the prestigious Cote des Blancs.

Champagne Veuve Fourny & Fils has been an active family domain since 1856. The estate is located in the prestigious Côte des Blancs, in the premier cru village of Vertus. Brothers Charles-Henry and Emmanuel Fourny sustainably farm over nine hectares of vineyards and have been carrying on the family wine growing tradition since 1993.

Veuve Fourny produces classic grower Champagne, raising pedigreed fruit, adhering to high standards, and hand-crafting wines that showcase the chalky terroir of Vertus. All of the Fourny vineyards are farmed according to the same meticulous practices and principles, and each parcel is vinified separately. Over 30 parcels!

50% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir, 10% Pinot Meunier. This wine has an intense earthiness intermingled with pear and citrus fruit notes. Pierre Rovani [Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate, Dec 2005] 92 points, Outstanding "The rich, toasty aromas of de Sousa's non-vintage Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Reserve (23.02.2005) lead to a yeasty medium to full-bodied personality of impressive weight and concentration. A deep, spicy Champagne armed with impressive depth of fruit, it regales the palate with peppery pears, toasty spices, and yeast dusted apples."

Serious wines these. Serious wines produced in exciting times for Champagne. Times when a handful of small, high quality grower producers are challenging the hegemony of the large Champagne brands by encouraging drinkers to judge their Champagne as a wine first and a Champagne second. These renegades crop low and vinify naturally minimizing dosage and shunning fining or filtration. They produce wines of genuine richness and depth (vinosity you sometimes hear). Wines that taste of fruit, not of simple oxidation, lees, and dosage. Wines with persistent length rather than a faint, sweetish finish. Wines that go with food (and not just finger food). Wines that taste of the place they were grown; not "Champagne" (a vast, diverse area) but rather of the local area, the village or the vineyard. In a region that has based its marketing on the "blenders art" and the "house style" this is quite a revolution.

100% Chardonnay from 50 year old Avize vineyards that are today managed biodynamically. The wine is vinified entirely in oak barrels and then aged and assembled via a "solera method", with the final blend now incorporating 9 vintages (only the finest vintages are added). The unusual term "Caudalie" is the name given to de Sousa's top cuvee's. The word denotes the persistence of the aromatic expression of a wine on the palate measured in seconds - 1 Caudalie equals approximately 1 second. A stunning wine, highly complex as you would expect from a wine made this way, with piercing intensity and great length. Once it settles it will show a rich texture and layers of pastry, ground nuts, vanilla and citrus flavours. A wine of tremendous concentration and a chalky, lingering finish.

Serious wines these. Serious wines produced in exciting times for Champagne. Times when a handful of small, high quality grower producers are challenging the hegemony of the large Champagne brands by encouraging drinkers to judge their Champagne as a wine first and a Champagne second. These renegades crop low and vinify naturally minimizing dosage and shunning fining or filtration. They produce wines of genuine richness and depth (vinosity you sometimes hear). Wines that taste of fruit, not of simple oxidation, lees, and dosage. Wines with persistent length rather than a faint, sweetish finish. Wines that go with food (and not just finger food). Wines that taste of the place they were grown; not "Champagne" (a vast, diverse area) but rather of the local area, the village or the vineyard. In a region that has based its marketing on the "blenders art" and the "house style" this is quite a revolution.

The Chardonnay grapes come from five Grand Cru terroirs: Avize, Oger, le Mesnil, Cramant and Chouilly. Vinification takes place in 400-litre oak barrels with frequent bâtonnage. Once bottled, the wine is aged for two and a half years before release. This is minerally and floral with a punchy citric structure.

Bruce Sanderson: [Wine Spectator, Nov 2005] 91 points, Outstanding "Textbook blanc de blancs. Aromas and flavors of toast, pencil shavings, hazelnut and honey with hints of candied fruit ride a vibrant structure. It's balanced and well-integrated, with energy and a long, refreshing finish."

Serious wines these. Serious wines produced in exciting times for Champagne. Times when a handful of small, high quality grower producers are challenging the hegemony of the large Champagne brands by encouraging drinkers to judge their Champagne as a wine first and a Champagne second. These renegades crop low and vinify naturally minimizing dosage and shunning fining or filtration. They produce wines of genuine richness and depth (vinosity you sometimes hear). Wines that taste of fruit, not of simple oxidation, lees, and dosage. Wines with persistent length rather than a faint, sweetish finish. Wines that go with food (and not just finger food). Wines that taste of the place they were grown; not "Champagne" (a vast, diverse area) but rather of the local area, the village or the vineyard. In a region that has based its marketing on the "blenders art" and the "house style" this is quite a revolution.