Chartogne-Taillet Saint-Thierry Extra Brut 2020

The 2020 Extra-Brut Saint-Thierry is the most potent and burly of the pure Chardonnays in the range. Of course, the vintage has something to do with that. Dried herbs, sage, menthol, licorice, chamomile, dried flowers and graphite are all beautifully amplified. Huge saline notes wrap it all together. Dosage is 2.5 grams per liter. Disgorged: November 2023. Drinking Window 2024 - 2034

Chartogne-Taillet’s 2020 Blanc de Blancs Chemin de Reims, disgorged in October 2024 with a dosage of 2.5 grams per liter, is another success. It opens with vivid aromas of fresh apricot, grapefruit zest and jasmine, mingling with a note of roasted hazelnut. As ever, the fruit is drawn from the south-facing vineyard, planted between 1986 and 2005 in sandy, iron-rich terrain. Vinification takes place in seasoned 228-liter barrels (which Chartogne purchase new), with a modest proportion of new oak. While the 2019 vintage leans toward a richer, almost Pinot Noir-like side stylistically, the 2020 is a paragon of Blanc de Blancs: taut, mineral-driven and electrifying. The palate is tightly wound and medium- to full-bodied, with mouthwatering acidity, ample chalky extract and a long, precise finish.