2004 Billecart-Salmon Vintage Blanc de Blancs

The 2004 Brut Blanc de Blancs, disgorged in March 2016 with a dosage of six grams per liter, is derived from the usual four grands crus: Le Mesnil-sur-Oger—accounting here for fully half of the blend—alongside Chouilly, Cramant and Avize. The wine unfurls in the glass with aromas of tangerine, peach and dried lemon, mingled with nuances of smoke and hints of pineapple. On the palate, it is medium- to full-bodied, elegant and nicely concentrated despite the high yields, its tangy acidity and chalky structure driving a long, saline finish. Approximately one-third was vinified in wood, and the wine underwent nearly full malolactic fermentation. The harvest took place in early October.