Highlights: Champagne Bruno Paillard Blanc de Blancs 2015
Champagne Bruno Paillard Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut 2015 France
12% alcohol. From the warm, dry vintage of 2015 this is 100% Chardonnay from the first pressings of grapes from Grand and Premier Cru vineyards in the Côtes des Blancs. It’s aged 7 years on lees, disgorged in June 2023 with a 3 g/l dosage. This is really harmonious, with some rich yellow fruit (plum, peach) as well as a touch of apple, and then some brioche and honey on the nose. The palate has some of this richness, but also some fresh crystalline citrus fruit and good acidity, together with a hint of structure. The solar vintage makes its mark: this has concentration and mineral extract, as well as some ripeness of fruit. But there’s no undue bitterness or harshness: everything works together really well. A beautifully complex Champagne. 95/100
