2004 Philipponnat Extra Brut Cuvée Grand Cru

(70% pinot noir from Ay and 30% chardonnay from the Cote des Blancs; disgorged in March, 2013): Bright yellow-gold. Mineral- and smoke-accented pear, redcurrant and fig aromas expand with air and pick up notes of chamomile, iodine and baking spices. Fleshy, palate-staining orchard fruit and blood orange flavors show impressive clarity and power, with a mineral nuance adding bite. Closes spicy and long, with a whiplash of bitter citrus pith and strong mineral cut.

Philipponnat's 2004 Extra Brut Cuvee 1522 Disg. 3/2013 represents the latest in a "1522" series begun close to two decades ago of cuvees that have always showcased, to at least a significant extent, estate vines in Ay, in this instance specifically those of the Le Leon vineyard, which are joined by 30% Chardonnay from Le Mesnil and Cramant. Chamomile and mint; almond and freshly milled grain; smoky black tea and bitter quinine inflect the scents and lusciously juicy abundance of white peach, apple, grapefruit and lime, for a performance as fascinatingly complex as it is compulsively seductive. Silken-textured and subtly but expansively effervescent, this coats and soothes even as it stimulates the palate. A marine amalgam of salt, alkali, and iodine lends intrigue and saliva inducement to a peacock's tail finish. As this takes on air, the smoky and bitter elements become more prominent; nutty and cereal elements transform into walnut oil and buckwheat; apple takes on faintly bruised skin pungency; and the combination of these dark shadings with persistent inner-mouth floral and herbal high-tones strike me as typifying Ay. This wine continued to dazzle with its complexity and sensuality for four days (at which point I could not resist the temptation to finish it off!) and I strongly suspect that its bottle evolution will be worth pursuing for at least a half dozen years. The house of Philipponnat - which owns 44 prime acres in and around Mareuil-sur-Ay, its base of operations ever since having completed a new press house and cellar there in 2004 - is headed by Charles Philipponat, although it's owned by the group that controls Champagne Bruno Paillard Philipponnat. This house's Clos des Goisses estate vineyard is justly renowned, but on the occasion of my recent tasting, their extra brut "1522" - named for the year in which the first Philipponnat began farming vines, in Ay - proved almost as compelling. Importer: The Rare Wine Company, Sonoma, CA; tel. (800) 999-4342

The 2004 Extra Brut 1522 is quite pretty in this vintage. The heavy presence of Pinot (70%) gives the 2004 a level of textural depth and pure body that is rare in this vintage. The 2004 impresses for its richness and creaminess, not to mention its terrific overall balance. Hints of dried rose petals, mandarin and pink peppercorn add elements of exoticism on a finish laced with tons of 2004 tension. As good as the 2004 is today, there is also room for the wine to blossom even further with another year or two in the cellar. This bottle was disgorged in September 2012. Dosage was 5 grams per liter.