2020 Haute Couture Grand Cru Extra Brut

A bright medium yellow color, the 2020 Champagne Grand Cru Haute Couture Extra Brut is savory and brothy, with a note of iodine, yet it’s also focused and bright. Medium to full-bodied, it’s refreshing and more focused, with white pepper on the mousse, and it retains its acidity.

Savart's 2020 Le Mesnil-sur-Oger Haute Couture, matured for 10 months in second-use 456-liter barrels from a winemaker in Meursault, was disgorged in December 2024 with a modest dosage of two grams per liter. Flamboyant and open-knit, especially for this village, it emanates from the glass with a bouquet of pear, dried white flowers and orange zest. On the palate, it’s full-bodied, ample and vinous, with a lush core of ripe fruit and an expansive, lingering finish. While unusually expressive for Le Mesnil, it is somewhat less balanced compared to the 2019 rendition. As is customary, this cuvée is crafted from purchased fruit. In this vintage, the wine reserved for the magnums was vinified in glass globes, so one can expect a rather different personality from the Champagne described in this tasting note.

The 2020 Extra-Brut Haute Couture Le Mesnil sur Oger (Wineglobe), from magnum, is a bit austere and tightly wound at this stage. Low dosage, aging in Wineglobe , crown cap closure and the magnum format all accentuate the wine's youthful vibrancy. There's plenty of depth, though, which makes me think all this needs is time. I especially admire the tension and cut in the citrus and mineral-inflected flavors. Dosage is 1.5 grams per liter. Disgorged: January 2024.