Champagne Extra Brut
Assemblage Millésime 2015

The Champagne Assemblage Millésime by Bruno Paillard is a cuvée crafted only in the years capable of expressing a singular and recognisable character. Faithful to the conviction of its founder, according to whom a great Champagne is above all a wine of assemblage of crus, grape varieties and vintages, this creation embodies the pursuit of purity and elegance that drives the Maison, celebrated also by a label illustrated each time by a contemporary artist, in a union of savoir-faire and figurative sensibility.

This edition, Vintage 2015, whose label is illustrated by a work of Gérard Titus-Carmel on the theme Élan, comes from a sunny year in which a long spell of near-drought in spring and summer gave way to the providential rains of late August and to a dry, fresh September, conditions that gave this cuvée ripeness and concentration balanced by a marked saline freshness. The blend shows a prevalence of Pinot Noir grapes at 58%, completed by 42% Chardonnay, drawn from the first and purest pressing alone of six great terroirs among Grand Cru and Premier Cru, with vinification in stainless steel tanks and around 20% matured in fût de chêne. After the tirage comes a maturation of at least 6 years on its own lees, with a final dosage of 4.5 g/l, in an Extra Brut style, which brings balance and enhances the saline tension of this Champagne, to which are added around 12 months of rest after dégorgement before its commercial release.

On tasting, Assemblage Millésime 2015 stands out for density, power and structure rather than lightness, showing a deep, bright golden gold hue animated by a sustained effervescence. On the nose it opens with fresh aromas of wild strawberries that evolve towards cassis, followed by echoes of blood orange and grapefruit and, with aeration, by more intense and concentrated notes of liquorice and Sichuan pepper. On the palate the lively attack reveals a texture as fruity as it is saline, where candied orange peel and ripe black fruits are supported by an energetic structure and a long finish tending towards cocoa powder and dried fruit, in a whole that translates with force and precision all the sunny personality of its harvest.