AD 191 Extra Brut, Blanc de Blancs Chouilly Grand Cru 2016

Maturity and freshness stand side by side with equal force in this vintage Champagne: silky, crystalline, with a taut intensity that keeps it light despite its long time on the lees. Ready to drink, with six to eight years of ageing potential ahead.

Chouilly is the northernmost Grand Cru of the Côte des Blancs. The La Cerisière parcel, whose cadastral coordinates AD 191 give the Champagne its name, sits on shallow, chalky, limestone-rich soil; the Chardonnay vines there rank among the vieilles vignes. Jean-Pierre Vazart tasted the small parcel for years before vinifying it separately; even then it was farmed organically, though not yet certified.

100% Chardonnay. The vintage was far from easy: late frosts in April destroyed a large share of the fruit set, heavy rain fell from May to July, a heatwave swept the region in August, and rain returned again just before harvest. The yield fell by around a third. The base wine aged in steel tank and underwent malolactic fermentation; in May 2017 the bottles went sur lattes for the second fermentation. Disgorgement was carried out with a dosage of 1 g/l.

The nose opens with white nougat and warm puff pastry with vanilla cream, along with candied orange peel, a hint of candied ginger, quince, firm pear and green apple, underscored by an iodine, chalky note. On the palate, nougat and warm croissants with almond and tonka cream return, alongside ripe lemon and juicy stone fruit. The bead stays very fine, a saline trace and lively minerality run through the wine, and the extract carries the finish for a long time.

Single-parcel Champagne in a small release: 1,640 bottles. At the house of Vazart-Coquart & Fils, ageing is consistently done in stainless steel with a low dosage.