92POINTS
17/20
Champagne Doyard Vendémiaire Blanc de Blancs 1er Cru Brut NV
Champagne, FranceThe Doyard family traces their winemaking roots in Champagne back to 1677. Maurice Doyard was the first in the family to make wine in Vertus under the Doyard label in 1927, and in 1979, Yannick Doyard took over, turning it into a focused, mineral-etched Champagne in the Côtes des Blancs. Today, Yannick’s son Guillaume is at the helm, organically farming 10 hectares of vineyards in Vertus and the Grand Cru villages of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Cramant, Oger, Avize and Aÿ. My bottle was disgorged in March 2021 with 4 g/L after 56 months in the cellar. This chardonnay blends 3 years, and is a mix of 1er Cru and Grand Cru fruit (primarily their home village of Vertus) with 40% fermented in wood, and 20% MLF. Very perfumed and elegant, with light pear, green apple, white blossom streaming along a deeply chalky base, with kisses of meringue. There's a lovely tension here, thanks to the soils and minimal handling, with just a slight creaminess thanks to judicious time in wood offsetting the racy acidity. The finish lingers with lemon pith and a buzzy mineral hum. Lovely energy here, drinking very smartly now, and with time ahead.Tasted: 14 November 2021Tasted by: Treve RingPrices:BC | $85.00 | 750ml | BCLS |
Grape: Chardonnay