NV Tarlant Zero Brut Nature

Tarlant's NV Brut Nature Zero is wonderfully nuanced, silky and supple. Green pear, spice, almonds and white flowers are all nicely delineated and persistent in a Champagne that is quite soft despite the blocked malo style. Like all Tarlant Champagnes, the Brut Zero is above all else a wine of texture. This release is based on 2008, with reserve wines from 2007, 2006 and 2005. Disgorged September 2014. Jul 2015, www.vinous.com, Drink: 2015-2022

The current bottling of Champagne Tarlant “Zero” Brut Nature in the market is from the base year of 2008 and spent nearly seven years aging sur latte prior to disgorgement. The wine’s cépages is one-third each of chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier, and like almost all of the Tarlant wines, the vins clairs are fermented in a combination of older Burgundy casks and stainless steel and do not go through malo. The wine is excellent on both the nose and palate, with the bouquet wafting from the glass in a sophisticated mix of apple, lemon, bread dough, complex chalky minerality and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, crisp and seamless, with perfect balance, a fine core, refined mousse and excellent length and grip on the very pure and very classy finish. What I love about Benoit and Mélanie Tarlant’s non-dosé bottlings is that they give the wines sufficient time in the cellars for the acids to soften prior to releasing the wines, so there is none of the sharp edges that show in so many other non-dosé bottlings from other growers. This is truly high class juice! May 2017, www.viewfromthecellar.com, Drink: 2017-2035

Composed of equal parts chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier, this has a fresh-berry and peach-pastry nose with hints of spice and citrus. The palate's bold, assertive and punchy, delivering an array of nectarine and peach-flavored fruits. A powerful yet balanced Champagne without dosage. Drink now. Oct 2016, www.jamessuckling.com