Lamiable Souffle d'Étoiles Extra Brut Grand Cru NV

Grape Makeup:

60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay

Sweetness Level:

Extra Brut

Ageing on Lees:

24 months

Price:

$$

Cellar:

5-10 years

Category:

Culinary

What

An estate founded in the 1950s and run by Ophélie Lamiable since 2006; terroir-focused, especially on the wines of their Grand Cru village Tours-sur-Marne, where the family has been since at least the mid-17th century.

Where

Tours-sur-Marne, Montagne de Reims; about 6 hectares, mainly in Tours but also neighbouring Bouzy.

Why

This NV cuvée uses exclusively Grand Cru fruit (from Tours and Bouzy); the base is the glorious 2018 vintage but there are also 40% reserves from a solera-style perpetual reserve, adding a great deal of depth and enticing aromas of baked goods.

What Else

The single vineyards here, a pure pinot called Les Meslaines and a chardonnay, Phéérie (yes, that is spelled correctly!) are wonderful expressions of these two grapes – the former more upright and elegant than is typical for pinot and the latter quite bold and generous for chardonnay.

Tasting Notes

Very nutty but also fairly rich-fruited, with satsuma fruit beneath ginger snaps, brown butter and milk toffee, this smells like it will be sweet to taste. The mousse remains impressively intense even though it was the last in the flight, but acidity is quite pronounced to make up for the richness.  Flavours are just as potent as the aromatics, with the sweet ginger snap and nougat qualities emphasised, though the palate is in fact very dry numerically. There is lovely balance of firm structure with long, resonant spicy pastry notes that are accompanied by a lightly chewy texture. Very appealing.

Try It With

Rich, meaty stews or dishes with nutty elements, like kare-kare.

When To Drink

After dinner.

Perfect For

The friend who thinks the best thing about France is its fruit tarts.

TL/DR

Nutty, rich fruited and chewy.

Supplier

Golden Gate Wines