Chartogne-Taillet, Champagne (France) 2011

The house of Chartogne-Taillet makes a range of splendid Champagnes.  One of their most unusual and intriguing is the Les Barres Extra Brut.  While most Champagnes are a blend of grapes, this one is unusual in that it is made entirely of Pinot Meunier.  Les Barres is a vineyard planted in 1952 in the village of Merfy on the Montagne de Reims. The vines here are ungrafted because the soil is sandy and phylloxera does not like sand. It is an Extra Brut — bottled with a very low dosage – but there is so much richness in the wine there is no need to add much sugar.  It shows a rich bouquet of lemon curd, cherries, almonds, white flowers, cream, butter and toast.  The flavors are complete and complex with the lemon and cherry fruits enhanced by a subtle spice, the toasty, yeasty character the Methode Champenoise imparts, plus hints of almond, cream and butter.  The 2011 Les Barres Extra Brut offers a sensational combination of full flavors, rich texture, layered complexity and a long finish.