nv Jacques Lassaigne, Le Cotet, Extra Brut, Blanc de Blancs Champagne, France.
Beautifully crafted and vibrant, the Le Cotet Blanc de Blanc Extra Brut from Jacques Lassaigne is a lovely and finely tuned Champagne with a brilliantly smooth mousse and crisp detail. This saline and chalky all Chardonnay cuvee comes from a single old vine parcel planted in the 60’s and on very thin tuft soil in the area of Montgueux in Champagne’s southern end, part of this blend saw neutral oak barrel aging to allow more complexity and slight oxidation while the rest is raised in tank, both on the lees and with loads of acidity. This is vigorous, brisk and vital Extra Brut, dry and distinct, but with surprising depth, richness and length with citrus, white flowers, apple and hints of hazelnut, brioche and mineral tones as well as flashes of dried honeycomb, creamy lemon curd and wet river stones. This exceptional bubbly is pure and energetic offering plenty of layers for the grower producer terroir lover, but will also turn heads of the fans of the novice of Champagne drinkers, plus this Le Cotet is a fabulous cuisine partner gaining lush mouth feel with food and exotic tropical notes when warming in the glass. Lassaigne’s Champagne is classy stuff and is in the same league of characters as Benoit Dehu, Prevost, Agrapart and Boulard, this is unique bubbly that deserves plenty of attention. Certainly one of the best and most interesting all Chardonnay wines I tried this fall, the Lassaigne Le Cotet is worth checking out!
($82 Est.) 93+ Points, grapelive
