Score: 91/100

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  Score 91/100

 

This Champagne sparkling wine made by the famous cooperative winery Nicolas Feuillate is a Blanc de Blancs, made from 100% Chardonnay grapes.

It’s Millésimé too, which means that all fruits used to make the wine came from the same vintage. Simply said, it’s a Vintage Champagne, the 2006 vintage in this instance.

Grapes were selected from Grand Cru classified villages around the French Champagne region.

Following the traditional Méthode Champenoise process of fermentation in bottle, the wine was aged for at least six years on its lees before disgorgement.

So how good is this 2006 Nicolas Feuillate Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut Millésimé ?

The answer in in the tasting notes:

The wine looks bright and shiny, with a lemon slightly-gold color and very small bubbles making their way up the glass slowly and harmoniously.

The nose is filled with delicate yet intense nutty and leesy notes, almond and hazelnut shine through.

The fruit aromas come after, subtle, almost shy in a positive way. It’s the little kid on the back of the class that doesn’t dare to talk or sing but it’s there, waiting politely for an opportunity to show off his brightness. Lemon, slightly-green apricot, and white peach are the introverted fruit aromas that are given away at this stage.

On the mouth, the wine is dominated by a crisp acidity. An acidity that feels literally mineral. Lime-like acidity. It’s surrounded by a slightly-sweet touch that balances it out well, very fine bubbles, and a medium body. The whole feels very fresh and zingy, easy to drink and satisfying from no heaviness whatsoever and a sustained acidity all the way up to the finish.

Flavorwise, it’s the opposite way from the nose. The fruit dominates and first hits your tastes buds. The stonefruit and lime/lemon characters explode and shine first on the palate. It’s the shy fruit kid’s turn to be singing and his voice is silvery.

The leesy, slightly oaky and nutty notes come to back it up like a powerful chorus on the finish, giving it breadth and depth. The finish itself is a harmonious mix of fruit and leesy tones that lasts for long.

A definite salty iodine feel appears on the mid-palate showing off the wine’s origin from a chalky terroir.

There’s some solid evolution complexity there too. It’s a 10 years old wine after all. Delicate acacia honey, green apple notes complete the picture. They don’t weight up the freshness though, just adding layers.

Overall

A deliciously charming and zingy Champagne wine, full of zesty lemony freshness backed up with plenty of depth from a long aging on lees.

Perfectly balanced, on the positively-acidic and mineral side, it simply lets itself enjoy with no effort for understanding it like a good Champagne owes to. Still, it delivers plenty of rewards from its layered complexity and length.

Get a Feel for the Wine – Video:

 

Food Pairing

It’s perfectly suitable for being enjoyed on its own, with Champagne lovers preferably so they understand the depth, but with no complication.

The wine’s aromatic intensity will also do the job and stand out proud if you feel like matching it with subtle food and entrées like creamy seafood, sashimi, or delicate vegetable dishes.

We recommend you try the recipe from Social Vignerons’ friend Francois Chartier: Pan seared scallops, blood orange Brazil nut couscous, ginger coconut milk