2019 Christophe Baron Champagne Les Hautes Blanches Vignes Charly-sur-Marne

Very creamy and focused Champagne with notes of cherry blossoms, jasmine, pink grapefruit, white peaches, fennel and brioche. It’s medium-bodied with a very fine and delicate mousse that dances across the palate. Bone dry with beautiful balance and length. 100% pinot meunier from a vineyard planted in 1969. From organically grown grapes. In magnums only. Zero dosage. Disgorged May 2023. Drink or hold.

One of several Champagnes from Christophe Baron composed entirely of Pinot Meunier, the 2019 Champagne Les Hautes Blanches Vignes Brut Nature is sourced from vines planted in 1969 in the village of Charly-sur-Marne and translates as "the white vines from above." It pours a bright straw hue and is ripe with aromas of orange oil, tarry earth, red raspberry, and savory thyme. Medium-bodied, the palate is pithy and herbaceous, with a chalky texture and a zesty mousse. A lively, savory wine with a linear feel, it's prime for mid-term enjoyment over the next 8-10 years.

The 2019 Brut Nature Les Hautes Blanches Vignes (Magnum) is powerful yet aromatic. Pear, white flowers, ginger, mint and crushed rocks abound. Airy, weightless and classy to the core, the Les Hautes Blanches Vignes is understated and very fine. This is a brilliant expression of Meunier—expressive and light on its feet. A Meunier of class and raciness, this is the range's least showy but most elegant offering. Zero dosage. Disgorged: May, 2023.