The Lenoble Champagne Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Extra Brut 2012 is produced from 100% Chardonnay from the Grand Cru village of Chouilly. The base wine was aged in both tanks and 228-litre barrels before the cuvee aged for over 10 years on lees in their historic cellars prior to disgorgement. In fact, this wine is probably more like 12-13 years aging as this disgorgement is ‘fresh’ though there is no disgorgement date on the bottle.

The nose first reveals a lovely toasty undertone, before delicate hints of honey and candied fruit, notably apricot, round out its aromatic complexity. Gradually, subtle accents of fresh hazelnuts emerge, adding extra depth and elegance to the whole. On the palate, this wine is just now starting to emerge from it slumber, showing the richer profile of Chardonnay form this northerly village in the Cote des Blancs while still retaining intense minerality, focus, precision and structure. The dosage in this vintage is properly metered at 3 g/l and the wine is in pinpoint balance. It’s just, like, wow.