Louise Brison

Pinot Noir de la Côte des Bar 2021 | Bottle 75cl

The colour takes on a golden hue with coppery glints, a brilliance further burnished by the time spent in barrel. The bead is fine, carried by a persistent mousse that plays across the surface of the glass.

The nose opens with bursts of ripe red fruit, quickly joined by spiced and oaky notes from the barrel. Deeper still, pastry-like touches emerge, a brioche and almond richness patiently shaped by extended lees ageing.

The palate opens with a vinous, dense and enveloping texture, rounded by full malolactic fermentation while retaining a lively mineral tension. The texture turns ample, almost nourishing, never losing its freshness thanks to the absence of dosage, which lets the fruit express itself in its purest form. The finish lingers, saline and spiced, with remarkable length.

• Mature comté gougères
• Grilled spicy chorizo
• Spiced beef tartare

• Roast duck breast
• Poultry with morels
• Peppered beef fillet

• Comté aged 24 months
• Thin apple tart
• Mature Brie de Meaux

Your bottle is already travelling in a shipping box specially designed for transporting champagne at Plus de Bulles; once it arrives, a few simple habits are all it takes to keep it in fine condition. Lay it down horizontally: this keeps the cork moistened by the wine and preserves its seal over time. Choose a cellar with a stable temperature, ideally between 10 and 14°C, as temperature swings tire the wine far more than a temperature that is slightly low or high but constant. Good humidity levels (around 70-80%) prevent the cork from drying out. Keep it away from light, especially direct sunlight: this is what's known as lightstrike, a fault of smell and taste caused by prolonged exposure to light. Finally, avoid vibrations, which disturb the wine over time. With these conditions in place, this Pinot Noir de la Côte des Bar 2021 will wait patiently, ready to reveal its full potential when the time comes.

The style of the Pinot Noir de la Côte des Bar 2021 from champagne house Louise Brison will continue to evolve over several years. This is a wine with an ageing potential of around 16 years.

• From 2028 the champagne reveals notes of toasted brioche and yellow fruit, gaining in aromatic roundness.
• Up to 2033 the wine retains a lovely freshness, enriched by pastry notes and a golden patina that envelops the palate.
• Around 2041 the champagne moves towards stewed fruit, honey and sweet spice, offering endless depth.

Serve this 2021 between 10 and 11°C as an aperitif, or 11-13°C alongside a dish. Choose a tulip glass: its narrower shape concentrates the aromas and lets the bubbles express themselves for longer than a coupe would. Take the bottle out of the fridge, open it gently while holding the cork to avoid any loss of pressure, and pour by tilting the glass to preserve the effervescence. There's no need to decant or open in advance: this champagne is ready to enjoy as soon as it's served, straight after opening.

At Louise Brison, every vintage tells the story of a battle with the Côte des Bar climate. Delphine Brulez, who took over the estate founded by her great-grandmother, likes to say that it's the difficult vintages that teach us how to work. 2021, marked by frost and rain, illustrates this lesson well: it demanded the same patient vigilance as that shown in Mémoires de la Côte des Bar 2004.