- Fairly new Maison, established in 1981
- The very best cuvée from Bruno Paillard aged for 12 years in the cellar
- Pair with ...
Made only in truly great vintages, the first ever N.P.U – Nec Plus Ultra, a 1990 vintage, was released in 2002. Only five have followed since, each of different temperaments: 1995, 1996, 1999, 2003 and now 2002.
Expect a beautifully complex and refine aromas of matured fruit and iodine. As this was fermented and aged entirely in small oak barriques for ten months and then twelve years on the lees in bottle, this an oxidative quality seen in richer wines with perfect ripeness and depth. The 2002 NPU combines the famous freshness of the vintage with the complexity of the composition and the bottle aging. The finish is very long, tight, rich and complex but stimulatingly dry, pure and mineral. Stephen Reinhart.
What is NPU?
"At the top of the range, Paillard's prestige cuvée is called N.P.U., or Nec Plus Ultra. First made in the 1990 vintage, this is a selection of the finest wines of the cellar, exclusively sourced from grand cru villages and vinified entirely in barrel.
It's aged on its lees for an exceptionally long period of time, up to 12 years, and then aged further after disgorgement for another several years before release: the 1990 wasn't commercialized until 2002, and the 1996 was held even longer, first appearing on the market in the latter part of 2011. A powerful, complex champagne of regal character, N.P.U. demonstrates the heights of what this superb house can achieve." - Peter Liem
Technical details
50% pinot noir from Verzenay, 50% chardonnay from Chouilly, Oger and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger; fermented and aged 9 months in small oak barrels; aged 12 years on lees; 4g/L dosage.
