Score: 90/100
Like the term Blanc de Noirs indicates, this Champagne wine is made exclusively with red grape varieties.
It’s made with equal proportions of the two main red grapes of the French Champagne region: 50% Pinot Noir and 50 % Pinot Meunier.
The final blend (assemblage) contains about 30% of reserve wine (or vin de réserve, wine kept from previous vintages for further refinement and complexity). It was aged in bottle on its lees for 2-3 years before disgorgement and a dosage with about 7 g/L of sugar.
So How good is Palmer & Co Blancs de Noirs?
The answer is in the tasting notes:
Delicate yellow slightly-grey color. Bright and a little mat.
Lifted nose where the first aromas you perceive are smoky tones and buttery biscuits, with some doughy lees too. But the intense fruity character is not far behind: citrus, grapefruit and lemon, as well a juicy stonefruits, white peach and ripe apricot. Delicate layered nose but intensely aromatic at the same time.
Two words strike the mind at putting the Champagne in your mouth, and they’re words one rather enjoys thinking about when tasting wines:
smooth and balanced.
One the palate, it’s a deep ocean of silkiness, smooth rounded texture supported by a zesty acidity, with silky phenolics teasing the taste buds.
The balance is flawless. There’s good acidity you can feel is there, but you don’t actually think of it as acidic, it just brings freshness and tension. There must be some sugar from the dosage, but it feels dry with just a touch of delicate sweetness that feels perfectly natural and integrated. A slight oily texture marries everything together, while the smooth phenolics mentioned before deepen the texture and provide a mouth-watering bitterness on the finish.
Just an obvious feeling of a perfect balance.
Flavorwise, it’s predominantly fruity, with an intense juicy grapefruit character. Plenty of depth and complexity too from nutty notes, honey suckle, lees, smoke, slightly tropical as well. You’ve got it, plenty of aromas and flavors come to mind as you taste and to enjoy exploring.
Overall
A very well made, perfectly executed Blanc de Noirs Champagne that provides a sophistically-sensational tasting experience. Fruity, spicy, nutty altogether, very smooth and utterly well balanced.
A generous extrovert Champagne that lets itself be appreciated without overthinking it, yet filled with what feels like carefully-crafted refinement.
Please let me know your thoughts