2008 De Saint Gall Orpale Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru

Orpale is the prestige cuvée from Champagne de Saint-Gall. The Blanc de Blancs is sourced from Grand Cru vineyards in the villages of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Cramant, Avize and Oger, and this 2008 has spent around 14 years on its lees. It’s incredibly mineral, full of crushed chalk and incredible power. The wine is taut, long and zingy, with such freshness and a tight core of tangy lime. It’s finely balanced, with 7g/l dosage and a smoky scent to the elegant finish. Electric.

Its prestige cuvée, Orpale, is made with 100% Grand Cru Chardonnay sourced from plots around the Côte des Blancs. Not all the wine undergoes malolactic fermentation, giving the wine a particularly precise, mineral style. The quality of the 2008 vintage is immediately apparent in the superbly elegant, taut and refined nose of this Blanc de Blancs Champagne. Made with only Grand Cru Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs, it’s classical in style. Aromas of green apple, pear and crème patisserie are complemented by a delicate salinity and smokiness on the palate. The acidity creates a buzzing linearity – so tense and poised – yet with great power and persistence. The Orpale finishes with long, chalky minerality. Everything is just as it should be here, and this 2008 is only at the beginning of its long and promising life.