“An elegant Champagne, with bright acidity buoying a well-integrated range of ripe pear and white cherry, almond skin, fleur de sel and apple blossom. It's fine and seamless, with a lingering, spiced finish. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier. Drink now through 2028.”

“For the warm and dry vintage this has tremendous freshness and elegance. The complex nose of citrus blossom, mint, lemon and lime zest opens up slowly as this aerates in the glass. The wine’s ample structure is still quite firm, which is a vintage characteristic, the mousse very fine but also very lively for an eight-year-old champagne. Cristal fans will love this as it is, but a year or two more in the bottle will do a lot for the very long mineral finish of this youthful masterpiece. A cuvee of 60% pinot noir and 40% chardonnay, picked from all 45 Cristal vineyard plots. Tasted at the Cristal vertical tasting at the champagne house on July 6th, 2023. Drink from release.”

“This is a beautiful, peachy pink in color. This smells like macerated strawberries and raspberries. The attack is eye-opening with slicing dryness and a delightfully heady amount of beautifully developed fruit. Dried apricot and peach take the lead followed by whole wheat croutons and roasted almond slivers. The mousse is miniscule—truly, remarkably refined. The finish is punctuated by bright lift with the pop of the bubbles and the integrated acidity. The harmony is impressive. This hails from the La Rivière vineyard in Cumières. The Pinot Noir is “infused” for color and aromas for five days then the blend of 20% Pinot Noir and 80% Brut Nature. A small, 11% of the wine was aged in oak barrels prior to the prise de mousse. This was disgorged in April 2022 then aged four months before release.”

This is a cool, mineral and even austere white, showing notes of apricot stones, chalk, wet clay, white ash, grapefruit and sandalwood. It’s medium-bodied, sharp and alert, with spiciness and tension. Chardonnay from lieu-dit Volibarts in Le Mesnil-Sur-Oger. Mostly vinified in ceramic with 25% in new oak. Better from 2024.

This is so fragrant and spicy, brimming with aromas of cloves, balsamic, blood orange, rust, dried flowers and burnt rosemary. And then silky on the palate, medium-bodied, with supple and gorgeously sleek tannins, complementing the ethereal and lightly estery character. Long and elegant. Pinot noir from lieu-dit Charmont in Mareuil-Sur-Ay. Vinified with 40% stem inclusion. Delightful already but better after 2024.