This one of my favourite non-vintage Champagnes. The mastery of the blending by Didier Mariotti is truly impressive. So too the quality, and complexity, of the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay reserve wines, all Grand Cru: Verzenay, Bouzy and Aÿ from the Montagne de Reims, and Avize and
Cramant from the Cotes des Blancs. I don’t know which is the particular
batch this is from (I had bought four bottles from Cave le Vigneron in Draguignan), but there is considerable bottle-age as revealed by the shrunken cork. Bright light gold. Lemony, grapefruit, unripe pineapples, and a honey-ish note. A hint of nuttiness. Impressive intensity and densityof fruit. Firm, ripe, rich but also very elegant.