Bruno Paillard Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru NV
(Champagne, France) 750mL - [WE 93] [JS 92]

About the winery:
This small, family-owned Champagne house was only founded in 1981. Despite its youth, it has gained an excellent reputation, a testament to the passion, knowledge, skill and drive of Bruno Paillard. Paillard's vineyards cover 32 hectares (79.5 acres) of land over the best Crus of Champagne: Le Mesnil sur Oger, Oger, Cumières and Verzenay, for example. Altogether it represents over 100 plots, each with a different terroir. From these few acres of land, 12 hectares of Paillard's vineyards are classified as "Grand Cru" which is remarkable knowing that grands crus represent only 17 of the 320 villages of Champagne. Using sustainable viticulture, he also grows 50-60% of the grapes used in his wines himself.

About this wine:
Made exclusively from the chardonnay grape variety, this wine was once nicknamed the «lace» of Champagne because of its fine and persistent white mousse. Made from first pressing chardonnay, sourced exclusively from Grands Crus «Côte des Blancs» vineyards. Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru is composed of reserve wines: 25 vintages, going back to 1985. A very old winemaking method is used where fermentation in the bottle is less powerful than traditional Champagne. Ageing of four years sur lie, then ten months further ageing after disgorgement. Like in all of our Champagnes, the dosage is very low and it is an Extra-Brut (5 g/l).

Tasting Notes

APPEARANCE
Very pale and shiny with green tints. The effervescence is lighter than in the other Champagnes thanks to a less powerful bottle fermentation.

NOSE
First aromas are citrus – lime and grapefruit – followed by white flowers. While opening in the glass, a touch of almond and toast appears.

PALATE
After a lively attack, this wine reveals complex notes ranging from citrus to white flesh fruits, marked by the distinctive minerality of the chalk. Fresh and lingering finish.

Like all very fine wine, our Champagnes are also relatively fragile and should be stored carefully, and within its UV protective cellulose film until serving. Never leave a bottle in the refrigerator for more than a few hours; the cold may «break» the wine.

Ratings and Reviews:

93 Points - Wine Enthusiast: 
"Produced exclusively from Grand Cru fruit grown on the Côte des Blancs, this is a crisp, textured Champagne. Rich in white fruits and structured with minerality, the wine has good potential for further aging, although it is deliciously refreshing now.” – Roger Voss (10/1/2021)

93 Points - James Suckling:
"Freshly squeezed lemon, green apples, oyster shell and white apricots with subtle brioche and exquisite yeastiness. A fruity entry followed by a medium to full body where you find the fine perlage carrying the intense chalky flavors to a nicely dry but approachable finish. Lovely length with spot-on balance between chalky fruit and autolysis. Disgorged in March 2022. Drink or hold. (Apr 2023)