2015 - Marc Hebrart, Clos le Leon

Clos le Leon 1er Cru 2015 is a Blanc de Blancs from a parcel with great exposure and excellent ripeness. First produced in 2014, it is barrel fermented with no malolactic fermentation, aged 72 months and finished with a three gram per liter dosage. A fragrant, aromatic helix of spun honey, apricot, white peach and minerals spill onto a medium-bodied palate replete with finely-honed citrus intensity, a stimulating silky acid backbone, and a finish that goes on and on with mineral freshness. Lovely. 5000 bottles produced.

From a lieu-dit in the premier cru of Dizy. 100% Chardonnay aged in barrel. Seven years sur lattes. Disgorged 21 April 2022. Broad and full, swept onto stage by the seductive aroma of lemon curd on toast and followed by layers and layers of fresh green-anise herbs and crunchy seeds. Iris and jasmine flowers flutter-brush over quince richness and lemon-drizzle sweetness. Despite the tight bite of bubbles, the texture is nacreous and the finish scoops into a long, gleaming, brilliant scythe. (TC)