1998 Ployez Jacquemart Liesse d'Harbonville Champagne

(91 points) The 1998 Brut Liesse d’Harbonville shows notable balance in a focused, driven style. Smoke, minerals, apricots and baking spices come together in a refined, elegant style. The mousse is finessed and the finish retains tons of energy all the way through to the close. This delicious Champagne at times shows elements of Chablis-like minerality in its understatement and polish, but with a touch more volume. Today the wine is quite fresh and should continue to drink well for at least another decade or so. The Liesse d’Harbonville is made from Premier Cru fruit and vinified in oak barrels. Disgorged: February, 2009. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2019. Wine Advocate #186 Dec 2009 Antonio Galloni

 This vintage is the jewel in our range. It deserves particular attention. It is produced using exceptional grapes only always with the aim of keeping the character of the vintage harvest. The wine making process is different firstly because it is completely produced in 225-litre casks (2 to 3 wines). The blend is always the same: 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes. This is decided upon following a rigorous selection of the grape musts collected during the grape harvest. Primary fermentation takes place in casks. We do not carry out malolactic fermentation, which gives us wines with fine, elegant aromas. The wines are simply topped up and racked between harvesting and bottling, which takes place six months after picking. Allowing the wine to work in casks for six months creates a great richness, beautiful structure and complexity in this wine. This blend’s natural acidity, despite a minimum of ten years maturing in our cellars, brings out the year’s quintessence while maintaining exceptional freshness. We always use small very dosages to let the wine express itself! This wine’s structure means it even benefits from decanting, which encourages an explosion of aromas.

Tasting

Highly effervescent bubbles. Golden colour. Powerful, rich bouquet. Ripe, pleasant, balanced finish. Discreetly woody.