They open the bottle without looking down — eyes on you, steady, a gloved hand curling around the neck like it’s part of the ritual. No flourish. No words. Just a clean pour and a pause. They’re waiting for your reaction.
The first sip cuts clean: white grapefruit, lemon blossom, a lick of salt air. It’s not showing off — it knows what it is. Aged in oak, unadorned by dosage, this is Chardonnay in silk gloves: precise, mineral, and utterly composed. The mousse moves like breath across collarbones — delicate, focused, firm where it counts.
You ask a question just to hear them talk. They answer softly, mentioning bâtonnage, chalky soils, the exact slope in the Côte des Blancs. But it’s the way they say “zero dosage” that sends a shiver. You know they noticed.
Pair it with poached lobster barely brushed with citrus butter, or sea bream sashimi dusted with fennel pollen. Or take it to bed with a triple-cream cheese and an unread hardcover book you’ll never touch. Some evenings are meant to be tasted, not explained.
Region: Côte des Blancs, Champagne, France Grapes: 100% Chardonnay
