Philipponnat Cuvée 1522 Grand Cru Vintage '14

- Exclusively Grands Crus. 81% Pinot Noir and 19% Chardonnay.

- Aged for eight years on lees, so expect plenty of body. Give this 10 mins to breathe after opening

- Served with Poached fish like Turbot or a bolder pairing would be caviar.

"An initial hint of Granny Smith apple is soon subsumed into the creamy, salty, powdery and mellow vibe of the nose. The palate counters this immediately with poise and freshness.

Yes, there is that Pinot-body with its toned muscle, but a vivid, pervasive and electric freshness holds against that, supported by creamy, fine mousse, resulting in a delicious counterpoint.

The finish has immense saltiness, hints of oyster-shell and a feeling of salt flake crushed on peppery rye sourdough bread. The length is phenomenal, the freshness is emblematic of 2014." Falstaff online

Its very dry character makes this extra brut cuvée a superb accompaniment to seafood and poached or grilled fish. Its dryness also contrasts well with the fattiness of poultry such as capon. Even bolder matches can be made with caviar or very spicy dishes such as Indian tandoori.

81% Pinot Noir and 19% Chardonnay. The Pinot Noir comes from their vineyard at “Le Léon” in Ay, and in Mailly, and the Chardonnay from Verzy. A portion of the wines are vinified in wooden barrels without malolactic fermentation to preserve the wine’s freshness, allowing it to develop complexity. Both ample and tangy, this cuvée is eminently suitable for low dosage, extra brut, with only 4.25 g/litre, which is just one third of the conventional dosage for a brut champagne.

One of the most underrated champagnes in our humble opinion. Philipponnat is a house of outstanding quality from their entry level Royale Reserve Brut all the way through to their iconic Clos des Goisses Vintages. This premium producer picks fruit with maximum ripeness and focus on pinot noir fruit with power. All this ripeness is balanced with a long, cool fermentation and some wines being blocked from malolactic fermentation, whilst being fermented in oak barrels. Careful blending of base wines complete the work of art on non-vintage cuvees with approximately 30% of reserve wines being added.

Reserve wines are aged in a perpetual Solera system with new wines being added to older wines every year, continuously adding more complexity and depth to young cuvees.