Fleur de Craie Extra-Brut Champagne Chardonnay

lemon yellow, exuberant mousse; lemon, chalk, floral; very linear and mineral driven on the palate, focussed acidity, 12.5% ABV; made from 100% Chardonnay, 2014 vintage, no dosage, disgorged May 2018

Barrat Mason nv

@Patrick Cappiello thanks for the bubbles. Xxxx pruners love Pearl & Ash

Soft stone fruit. I want to curl up with a bottle of this on my patio.

First release ever from a young couple Aurelie and Loic. 100% Chardonnay from the closest Champagne vineyards to Paris, farmed organically since they took over in 2011.

Great on a hot summer day with refreshing acidity and minerality.

Pure gold in the glass. Bubbles are small but sparse in the Winewings Chardonnay glass. The nose opens up so fruity and inviting. It’s like that nice older lady who always stops to chat with you. Apricots are abundant, as are lemons and custard. Gun flint and minerals, with the rumor of pineapple. Plenty of autolytic notes going on here. Freshly baked bread begins to really take precedence eventually after quite a bit of time. A bit of butter and pepper for good measure.

100% Chardonnay from the Côte de Sézanne. From the 2016 harvest and disgorged in February of 2021 with zero dosage. The acidity is well toned and robust instead of bracing. This is an uber fresh champagne. Tastes so young but not infantile or undeveloped at all. So chalky on the palate. Remarkably so. Definitely the star of the show. Pears and green apples with stone fruit. Long, immaculately dry finish. This is so much fun.

Even better a year+ later. Nose still reminds me of chenin blanc but palate is more complex. It’s tropical, salinity, just ripe stone fruit, herbs, and enough citrus to cook fish. Amazing and a huge favorite at Christmas Eve dinner because it cut through the rich food in a really nice way. 2014, 2018 disgorged.

Biting! This is saline, limestone, some anise, a hint of stone fruit. I’ve never had a bland de blancs like this. There is no bread or yeast. It reminds me of chenin bland mixed with Chablis. Definitely awesome with food. It opens over time with a tiny bit more fruit (green apple) and herbs, but man is this razor sharp. Perfect over many hours on a warm afternoon/evening. 2014 base, disgorged 2018. Nondosage.

Zero dosage. Bright, crisp, stoney minerality, citrus and green apple. Focused. A bit more roundness would have made this even better.