Thibaud Brocard converted his family’s estate in the Côte des Bar to organics when he took charge in 2012. For this wine, he relies on a perpetual reserve started by his father, Pierre, in 1991, providing 30 percent of the blend. The balance, in this case from the 2019 harvest, is 75 percent pinot noir, 20 percent pinot blanc and five percent chardonnay from the family’s estate. Spontaneously fermented in stainless steel, a portion (15 percent) of this blend is vinified in French oak barrels. This wine’s pinot noir berry-skin richness and heady depths of flavor greet you with a muscular embrace. Above that, there’s a note of tangerine zest lasting through a clean finish. The integration of the texture and the fruit makes the wine completely satisfying.
94
Brocard Pierre Champagne Brut Tradition
$65
Every week, our editors highlight a wine that intrigued them in our blind panel tastings, expanding on their tasting note in this space. These are entirely editorial choices; there are no paid placements. Subscribers can also access the original tasting note by searching here.
Joshua Greene is the editor and publisher of Wine & Spirits magazine.
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