2012 Agrapart Blanc de Blancs Mineral Extra Brut

The 2012 Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Minéral is superb. Powerful and ample in the glass, the Minéral is both broad on the palate and also somehow incredibly refined in feel, an appealing combination to be sure. There is so much to admire in the 2012, including its exceptional sense of total harmony. Dried flowers, almond, mint and dried apricot are all nicely layered in the glass, but again, it is the wine's poise that is truly mesmerizing. The Minéral is a blend of old-vine fruit taken from sites in Avize (Les Champboutons) and Cramant (Les Bionnes). Dosage is 5 grams per liter. Disgorged: May 2018.

The nose is floral, delicate and has chalky-mineral accents with a fine edge of yellow citrus fruit. The palate has a super fine, smooth and focused line of lemon, lime and green-mango flavors. Long and taut. Chardonnay at its elegant, powerful best! Blanc de blancs, 50/50 barrel and tank fermentation from chalky soils in Avize. Drink or hold.

The 2012 Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Extra Brut Mineral is sourced from two chalky plots in Avize—Le Champ Bouton, which fermented in tank, and Les Bionnes, which fermented in barrel. It offers an excitingly pure, precise and fresh iodine-scented bouquet with elegant, concentrated fruit intermixed with chalky notes. On the palate, this is a great Blanc de Blancs that is clear, pure and balanced yet round, crisp and complex, with great finesse. It has a well-structured, very mineral and tensioned finish that also reveals intense, focused fruit and lingering salinity. Highly recommended. Disgorged with three grams of dosage in March 2018; tasted April 2018. A total of 15,000 bottles were produced, but only a portion of this has been disgorged so far. Aug 2018, www.robertparker.com