L’ambitieuse 2018+Réserve Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut

Wine Description for L’ambitieuse 2018+Réserve Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut by Pertois-Lebrun

Colour & Appearance

Intense straw yellow with fine, persistent mousse. The maturity of the assemblage reveals itself in the deep colour saturation.

Nose

Delicate and noble, this Blanc de Blancs opens with classic Chardonnay aromas: citrus fruits, yellow stone fruits and tree fruits meet riper notes of almond biscuit, lemon curd and the mineral freshness of crushed oyster shells. A nose that combines elegance with substance.

Palate

Here the ambition of this Champagne reveals itself in full splendour. The assemblage of young 2018 and matured Réserve Perpétuelle (2013–2017) creates a fascinating balance: the pressure and freshness of the vintage meet the depth and brioche maturity notes of the solera. Silky and creamy, the wine glides across the palate, carried by fine nuttiness and a subtle wood tone from barrel ageing. The 2 grams of dosage impart barely perceptible sweetness that harmonises perfectly with the vibrant acidity.

Finish

Long, fresh and mineral with lingering citrus notes and a fine saline note reminiscent of the chalk soils of the Côte des Blancs.

Terroir & Origin

Grand Cru vineyard sites from Le Mesnil-sur-Oger (mi-coteau), Chouilly and Cramant – the holy trinity of Chardonnay villages in Champagne. The chalk soils give the wine its characteristic minerality and tension.

Grape Variety & Vinification

100% Chardonnay. Base wine aged in wood, bottling July 2019, disgorgement June 2023 after four years on the lees. The assemblage of 50% 2018 vintage and 50% Réserve Perpétuelle (2013–2017) is a masterpiece of balance between youth and maturity.

Food Pairing Recommendations

Oysters, scallops, roasted monkfish, lobster salad, goat’s cheese or Comté. Also excellent with risotto with porcini mushrooms or calf’s sweetbreads in butter.

Special Features

The use of a Réserve Perpétuelle – a solera system with wines from 2013 onwards – gives this Extra Brut extraordinary complexity and depth that far exceeds a classic vintage Champagne.