2013 - Rare

The 2013 Brut Millésime, a blend of 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims, spent eight years on lees. A gorgeous whiff of reductive smokiness precedes a sea breeze and hints of toasted nuts. The palate is a picture of tautness, filigree foam, finesse and svelte poise. This wine is wonderfully pure and bracing, with hints of caramelized hazelnuts and almonds teasingly in the background, gaining definition from an oystershell saltiness. The longer you pay attention, the more happens in this wonderfully nuanced and sophisticated wine. A joy. Dosage is 9 grams per liter. (Lot L2370143048) - Anne Krebiehl MW

From a cool, late-ripening vintage that saw harvest extend into October—a year defined by relatively low temperatures yet enough sunshine—the 2013 Rare Millésime, released ahead of its 2012 counterpart, was disgorged at the end of 2023 with a dosage of nine grams per liter. It opens in the glass with a youthfully reserved bouquet of white flowers, passion fruit, buttered toast and lemon oil, with a deft touch of smoky reduction. On the palate, it is medium- to full-bodied, bright and tightly wound, revealing a crisp core of fruit that beautifully integrates its racy spine of acidity, enlivened by a pillowy mousse, culminating in a long, saline finish. Whereas the 2012 is more flamboyant and expressive, the 2013 is leaner, lighter structured, and slower to reveal its charms, promising to blossom further with additional bottle age. The blend follows the house approach: 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir, with Montagne de Reims as the principal source.