2016 Perrier Jouet Belle Epoque

50% Chardonnay, 45% Pinot Noir, 5% Meunier. 6 years on the lees. Dosage 8 g/l. One of the most distinctive wine bottles in existence. Although the price is getting silly, there is no doubting the quality here. Super-fine, precise. Delicate notes of white flowers, subtle peach on the palate, with minerality and a hint of spice to finish. The etched glass harks back to earlier times but the winemaking here is bang up to date. Top stuff. (AWH)

The 2016 Brut Belle Époque is a blend of half Chardonnay, 45% Pinot Noir and 5% Pinot Meunier. The shy nose offers a distant hint of ocean breeze. A superbly fresh and precise body fizzes away with creamy insistence, highlighting chalkiness and a savory backdrop of salty yeast that provides mellowing creaminess. This is clean cut, a wine that packs richness into a svelte body. Dosage is 8 grams per liter.

Full, famously florally decorated bottle 1,550 g. No information about the 2016 is available on their website but the blend is usually about 50% Chardonnay (especially from Cramant), 45% Pinot Noir and 5% Pinot Meunier. Deep-flavoured with the impression of extended lees ageing. Not much information on the back label either. Tastes as though the dosage was notable, but there is no shortage of flavour and energy. This is a champagne powerful enough to enjoy with food. (JR)