2005 Champagne Jacquesson, Corne Bautray Non Dosé Récolte, Dizy

Chardonnay from vines planted in 1960. Wonderfully nuancedand complex. A warm, resonant bouquet laced with smoke, driedapricots, mint and white pepper. The style is rich, ample andresonant, with gorgeous textural depth and volume. I wouldprefer to drink the 2005 sooner rather than later, as the flavors arealready quite forward, although the wine does seem to freshen upa touch with time in the glass. Wild flowers, mint, Poire Williamand sage add the final layers of nuance on the high-toned,expressive finish. Dosage was 1.5 grams/liter.

A really complex and fresh brioche and vanilla bouquet with refreshing lemon flavors opens the 2005 Dizy Corne Bautray Extra Brut. This wine is sourced from a steep, one-hectare, southwest-facing Premier Cru Chardonnay vineyard that was planted with 9,000 vines per hectare in 1960 on Campanian chalk, with a twoto three-meter thick, gravelly structured clay and silt layer. This is a rich, explosively fresh and very complex, highly mineral Premier Cru with a long and fascinatingly salty and grippy finish. With 11.3% alcohol and 7.2 grams per liter oftotal acidity, this is a very expressive Champagne and has great character. The 2005 was the first Corne Bautray that wasdisgorged with a minimum of dosage -Stephan Reinhardt.