TN: Bruno Paillard Brut Premiere Cuvee NV

[Bill Hooper]

This is a favorite Champagne house of mine, although it's not easy to find. Paillard keeps dosage to a bare minimum to produce more natural "terroir-driven" wines, and I like the style very much. Everything is more finely-tuned, elegant and graceful. The wine opens up with lemon and pear, almond, wheat and sourdough breadyness. There is a little sea-spray and wet rock mineral. The bubbles are rich, frothy and seductive, not pin-point and precise, but lively enough for a lengthy, mouthwatering finish. The other upside to these wines is that there is a disgorgement date printed on the back. There's nothing worse than ten year-old NV Champagne. 12% vol. $49


Prost!
Bill