Lovely golden yellow hue. Steady lively bubbles. Bouquet of yellow fruits (nectarine) and ripe, concentrated citrus (lemon) complemented by sweet notes of petals, pollen, sugared almonds and wheat. We find an impressively ripe, complex and intense fruit which elevates the pure and intense bouquet interwoven with smoky overtones. The palate is velvety, unctuous, rich and juicy. The bubbles have an almost saline character to them and coat the palate with a broad and concentrated texture. The wine reveals an exceptional balance between structure and a crisp, powdery, saline chalky freshness. Smoky and slightly oaky notes linger on a deliciously well-honed finish.

Collection 245 therefore offers us a complex symphony in a wine of remarkably generous and flavorful intensity.

Champagne colored with bright, luminous reflections. Very fine, even bubbles. The bouquet reveals yellow fruits (mirabelle plum and nectarine) and candied citrus (lemon), complemented by toasted, oaky notes (vanilla) which come from the 24% of wines vinified in French oak foudres. The fine reductive notes (shellfish) weave their spell, giving the wine a very chiselled character sculpted by the Chardonnay. The palate is very light and delicate with fruity (peach) and floral (pollen) flavors. The gently releasing bubbles are soft and creamy, creating a mouth-watering impression thanks to the savoury and dry-chalk sensations created on the tongue and lips. The texture on the mid-palate is fresh, oily, powdery and vibrant. The finish is serene and graceful, and lifted by some smoky and toasty reductive notes that are very definitely from the Perpetual Reserve.

Collection 246 is a precise, soft and lively champagne. Its thirst-quenching lightness comes from the exceptional proportion of Chardonnay, which creates finesse, elegance, chalkiness and salinity. It is not unlike the character of certain Blancs de Blancs.

Brilliant yellow with light amber highlights. A beautiful mousse with fine cordon of persistent and regular bubbles. The nose is intense and delicate. Revealing a clean and well-blended mixture of flavors of honey, cocoa, lightly toasted hazelnuts, candied citrus fruit… without exuberance, but luxurious simplicity. On the palate, a savory explosion of ripe fruit on the attack, revealing red fruit, white chocolate, caramel and Danish pastry, typical of Cristal. Silky, concentrated texture, leaning on intense, powerful and vinous structure, but maintaining refinement. The palate builds up to attain a delicious sensation of a well-blended harmony of flavors. A fresh finish with a hint of bitterness making it almost crunchy. All the exceptional characteristics of the 2002 vintage have literally been captured in this 2002 Cristal, which is generous and lush, revealing perfect balance between concentration and finesse, freshness and vinosity, intensity and refinement. In three words: proud, rich and luxurious.

It is always fascinating to re-discover vintages of Cristal that have been left to mature in the cellars after being disgorged. 9 years after its disgorgement date, this Cristal has taken on a whole new dimension and the finish reminds one of a fine white from neighboring Burgundy. Impressive and extremely seductive! The nose is flawless, aromatic, intense, deep and dense. It reveals an exceptionally rich and complex bouquet dominated by fruity, zesty and roasted aromas combined with enticing notes of vanilla and a hint of truffle. This wine coats the palate with its texture and volume on entry to the palate and offers a concentrated mouthfeel underpinned by a smooth effervescence. But there is definitely a little extra something on the finish: exceptional finesse, a chalky freshness and a menthol touch which give it such intensity on the finish, the signature of a fine white wine.

Brilliant yellow color displaying light amber nuances, combined with an ultra-fine, persistent, soft effervescence. Intense, highly expressive bouquet on the first nose. The aromatic elegance and precision of chardonnay is apparent: white fruit, sweet pollen, fine citrus fruit and very pure minerality. After a few minutes, the aromas move on to more confit, lightly grilled hints. The bouquet is rich and sweet, almost generous, remaining precise and impeccably refined. The bite in the mouth is full and creamy, revealing an incredible concentration of juicy fruits: yellow peach, apricot, mango and others. This silky, meaty concentration, which is both dense and soft – and typical of great pinot noir – is immediately combined with a sophisticated touch of acidity, bringing the wine alive with minerality. The overriding impression is one of a true harmony of flavors, senses and silky textures... absolute sensuality.