So subtle and rather sublime on the nose with delicate cooked apple, lemon curd, chalk and stone. Cashews, too. Medium to full body. Creamy texture and a long, racy finish. Everything is really in balance and long here. Joyous and sophisticated. Drink or hold.

The 2012 Brut Belle Epoque Blanc de Blancs from Perrier-Jouët is a real success, wafting from the glass with aromas of white fruits, ripe orchard fruits, spring flowers, almonds and citrus oil. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and enveloping, it’s charming and concentrated with a fleshy core of fruit and a long, vibrant and mineral-chalky finish that should guarantee its graceful evolution in the cellar. Dosage: six grams per liter. - Yohan Castaing

A linear Champagne, focused by racy acidity. The fine mousse and hints of whole-grain toast and marzipan enrich the flavors of Asian pear, oyster shell and verbena to create a harmonious impression overall. Drink now through 2025. 6,500 cases imported. — AN