Score : 92/100
Barbier-Louvet is a small grower Champagne (or Champagne vigneron) based in the Premier Cru village of Tauxières Mutry offering only a handful of different cuvée sparkling wines.
At the Premier Cru level, in addition to the Brut Tradition we tasted earlier that is a blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, the producer makes this 100% Chardonnay wine called Blanc de Blancs.
The estate’s best Chardonnay grapes are selected for this wine.
The final blend counts with about 40% reserve wine that is to say batches from previous vintages that have been matured for several years, providing depth and texture.
After the second fermentation in bottle, the wine is aged on its lees for a minimum of 18 months before disgorging.
So how good is this Premier Cru Blanc de Blancs Champagne?
The answer is in the tasting notes:
Very delicate nose with flowery notes, hay, green apple, and butter. It’s subtle, floral and mineral. Some spiciness provides death and teases the curiosity. It’s a green apple orchard in a misty morning. Intriguing yet satisfying, relaxing almost… to smell.
The mouthfeel is powerful and refined at the same time. The first half of the palate tasting feels mineral with great concentration in both acidity and the right amount of sweetness to balance it out. The bubbles are fine, backed up by a rather oily texture that coats your palates as the bubbles tease your taste buds. There’s lime, the green apple again and orange peel in that palate impression.
The second half of the palate, towards the finish, is when the true nature of the wine is revealed. There’s plenty of oxidative character to this wine, almost sherry-like, probably from the 40% of reserve wine. You know this plethora of subtle spices, walnut, and leesy notes you get in a good Fino sherry. But obviously they’re not as intense here yet have all its complexity. They’re also tempered down and coated in fresh juicy fruit characters, pear and apple. This whole provides a kick of balanced intensity with spicy and nutty flavors that explode on the finish. It also gives plenty of complex length to the wine.
Overall
An excellent Champagne for lovers of nutty, buttery, yet oxidative Chardonnay Champagnes.
It delivers in concentration (aromas, acidity, and body) keeping the elegance and minerality we love in Champagne wines.
A wine truthful and expressive of its terroir, that also displays extrovertly the attention and time that’s been given to make it.
Check this fun video about pouring and spilling this Champagne wine:
Find all info about the producing winery at Champagne Babier-Louvet Producer Profile:
Please let me know your thoughts