2014 Cedric Bouchard Les Ursules

The 2014 Blanc de Noirs Les Ursules is the first vintage of this cuvée that's spent long enough on its lees to be vintage dated. Unwinding in the glass with a lovely bouquet of crisp orchard fruit, citrus oil, beeswax and dried white flowers, it's medium to full-bodied, vinous and intense, with a racy spine and chalky back-end grip that's allied, as usual, with rare ripeness and amplitude. It's so lively and vibrant that I feel confident in anticipating two decades' longevity.