Nicolas Feuillatte Palmes d'Or Brut

Tatler Champagne Guide 2024-2025

Grape Makeup:

50% Chardonnay; 50% Pinot Noir

Sweetness Level:

Brut

Ageing on Lees:

Ten+ years

Price:

$$$$

Cellar:

Five to ten years

Category:

Celebration

What

France’s best-selling champagne, now owned by a super-collective of over 6,000 growers, Terroirs et Vignerons de Champagne, that represents 3,000ha between them, with a production capacity of 24 million bottles.

Where

Chouilly, Côte des Blancs; 2,100ha and 5,000 growers supply grapes for Nicolas Feuillatte, with land in eleven out of the 17 Grands Crus and 26/42 Premiers Crus.

Why

Palmes d’Or, the firm’s prestige cuvée, comes in a highly distinctive opaque black bottle resembling a hand grenade, which protects it from light. Since last reviewed for the Tatler Dining Guide to Champagne 2022, it has grown richer and nuttier and taken on a savoury refinement, still with the same dazzling acidity.

What Else

The 2018 Blanc de Blancs is fresh and balanced despite the softer acidity of the year, with a solid phenolic frame.

Tasting Notes

At 15 years old this is rich and nutty with a peanut brittle, fudge quality on the nose pleasantly melded with candied orange peel and gingerbread. The palate adds a parmesan rind savouriness and the blazing acidity of 2008 to the mix, which helps jolt this back to life. The palate is tense and disciplined, much less mature feeling than the nose with driving acidity from start to finish and not even that much breadth on the midpalate. Toasty, brioche richness lingers on the finish, well freshened by acidity and crisp texture.

Try It With

Rich, savoury snacks like gougères

When To Drink

After dinner

Perfect For

Your most fabulous female relative

Tatler Tip

This is fully open and ready to go right now; also, don't be fooled by the bottle, this is not a club champagne, do not drink it there.

TL/DR

Nutty, fudgy nose with a taut, disciplined shape

Supplier

Omtis Fine Wines