Leclerc Briant

Blanc de Blancs 2019 | Bottle 75cl

The colour is a pale straw yellow with golden glints, and a touch of silver shimmer on the surface. Fine bubbles rise in a steady, persistent stream, a sign of a well-mastered, harmonious mousse.

The nose opens on fresh citrus and juicy white orchard fruit, before giving way to a delicate floral touch. A subtle oaky whisper adds depth, a legacy of the time spent in barrel. With aeration, pastry notes emerge, a generous brioche character with a hint of almond, the fruit of a long rest on the lees.

The palate opens with a bright mineral tension, carried by a very measured dosage that lets the fruit speak for itself without ever being masked. The texture reveals itself as full-bodied and creamy, rounded out by the time in barrel, which brings volume and a silky feel. The fruit stays fresh, hovering between citrus and white orchard fruit, underlined by a saline edge on the finish. The finish itself is long and precise, leaving a delicately toasted impression that lingers well after the last sip.

• Fine de Claire oysters
• Comté gougères
• Salted fresh almonds

• Seared scallops
• Creamed chicken
• Turbot in beurre blanc sauce

• Lemon meringue tart
• Almond financier
• Comté aged 24 months

Your bottle travels in a shipping box designed specifically by Plus de Bulles for transporting champagne, so it arrives already well protected from the knocks of the journey. Once home, keep it lying down: this way the wine stays in contact with the cork, which keeps it from drying out and lets it continue to protect the cuvée properly. Store it somewhere with a stable temperature, ideally a cellar around 12°C: big swings in temperature tire the wine out and speed up its evolution. A touch of ambient humidity is welcome too, as it stops the cork drying out over time. Keep it away from light, especially direct sunlight, to avoid "lightstrike", that faintly unpleasant wet-wool smell that light exposure can cause. Finally, steer clear of regular vibration, such as from a fridge or a busy walkway: over time this can disturb the wine. With these few simple steps, this Blanc de Blancs 2019 will wait very happily until you're ready to enjoy it.

The style of the Blanc de Blancs 2019 from Leclerc Briant will keep evolving for several years to come. This is a wine with an ageing potential of around 18 years.

• From 2027 the citrus and freshness give way to the first notes of toasted brioche, a sign of a lovely evolution under way.
• Up to 2034 pastry and yellow-fruit notes take the lead, offering a burnished texture and a fine harmony between freshness and roundness.
• Around 2043 stewed fruit, honey and sweet spice come to the fore, revealing a rich, generous profile.

Serve this Blanc de Blancs 2019 at 9-11°C as an aperitif, or 11-13°C alongside a meal. Choose a tulip glass rather than a coupe: its narrower shape concentrates the aromas and lets the fine bubbles breathe without dispersing too quickly. Open the bottle by holding the cork firmly and gently turning the base, without jerking it, so the gas doesn't escape too fast. There's no need to decant or open it ahead of time: serve it straight away, it's ready to show all its freshness the moment it's uncorked.

Before joining Leclerc Briant in 2008, Hervé Jestin spent twenty-four years as cellar master at Duval-Leroy, where he built a reputation as a pioneer of biodynamic viticulture (a way of growing vines that rules out any chemical treatments). The same hand is also behind Abyss 2016, another cuvée from the house. In this Blanc de Blancs 2019, he applies the same rigour: letting Chardonnay alone speak, without artifice, as a statement of his vision of champagne.