My first try-out with this vineyard from this excellent producer. 13.5 % A/V and cork sealed.

Transluscent medium ruby with a distinct rusty/pink meniscus. Opened with a gorgeous floral perfume (mostly violets) eventually picking up quite impressive sappy, musky undertones with extended breathing to the solid core of black cherry and plum fruit. The initial rush on the palate was of a sexy, light, feminine pinot but, again with time, displayed a more boisterous, masculine personality, highlighting the serious need for this excellent fruit-driven wine to be left in the cellar for some years yet. An abundance of furry, puckering tannin delivers a long and quite assertive departure. 90 points. Drink now-2015+

This bottle bears testimony to the great vintage and this most talented producer. An infantile colour of bright straw green with streams of very fine, aggressive beading is followed by a lovely full nose of charred toast, gorgeous yeast autolysis, quite “biscuity” but with undertones of Chardonnay “florals” and freshly picked strawberries. The palate raises the bar to another level! Delivering a tightly-coiled, power-packed explosion in the mouth, this exceptional sparkler could easily pass as a prestige cuvee in a blind tasting. Wonderfully fresh with incredible reserves of crisp green apple, strawberry and green melon fruit tinged with more of that incredibly complex, yet subtle, autolysis character, one would expect this wine to live for at least a decade, more likely, two! A superb creamy mouthfeel, invigorating swirling mousse, plenty of residual acidity on a monumentally long finish provide the credentials for an exceptionally complete Champagne that ekes class, poise and controlled power. 96 points (equal to my take on the Dom Perignon!) Wow! I wonder how this house did with their 96 Grande Siecle?

Footnote - another bottle opened some weeks later was outstanding but no better than 93 points - just lacking some of the “wow” factor of the above bottle.