Chaillots Premier Cru Extra Brut 2013

The vineyard of Geraldine Lacourte and her husband Richard Desvignes is located in Ecueil in the heart of the Petit Montagne de Reims. They concentrate entirely on the 1er Cru sites in this village, which means they have short distances and spend a lot of time in their vineyards. They switched to organic viticulture in 2016 and their vineyards are bursting with vitality. Both of them have seen a lot of the world and only decided to take over the parental estate from Geraldine at a late stage. Geraldine worked in marketing in Germany for years! The style is therefore not dusty, but rather modern. The base wines are fermented in stainless steel and do not necessarily make the BSA. Only a part is aged in barrique. Very clear, precise and tight, they reflect their origin beautifully, never aggressive, always with a fine fruit and elegant depth.

Light golden yellow with bright reflections.

The nose arrests you on first sniff The attack shows citrus notes of orange peel, orange blossom water and zest, white bread and brioche as well as autolysis notes along with wet blackboard chalk, green banana and mango peel. The 100%ige Pinot Noir from 55-year-old vines from 2013 aged on its lees for four and a half years and was disgorged in October 2018.

The 2013 Chaillots 1er Cru Extra Brut from Lacourte-Godbillon is equipped with a dense, fleshy mousseux with a pithy bite despite long yeast storage. It is linear and straightforward on the palate and is controlled by quick acidity, which has lost none of its agility despite aging in 300-liter barrels. Biological acid reduction is largely avoided in Lacourte-Godbillon, which gives its aromatic depth and the complexity of the incipient maturity rapid drinking flow. With hearty density and fine spiciness, it accompanies the evening not only to the aperitif, but also formidably to the table. A clear case for the big glasses.