Bright, shiny yellow hue. Magnificent fine, slow-moving bubbles. The bouquet is intense, deep and precise, combining scents of white flowers (acacia), concentrated, roasted citrus (lemons) and ripe yellow fruit (peaches, mirabelle plums). After a few minutes, subtle iodised, powdery and roasted overtones emerge, the result of the autolysis of the yeasts during the "sur lattes" ageing process. On the palate, there is an immediate impression, soft and delicate, more accessible than ever! It is like a zabaglione with concentrated, juicy and ripe fruit, the hallmark of the great Pinot Noirs from the heatwave in 2016 with their soft, caressing texture derived from the chalky soil in which they grow. The bubbles are tactile, perfectly integrated and almost salty. Wheat and oyster shell notes are the signature of the slow and late ripening great Chardonnays. The substance is there, powdery, grainy and deliciously chocolatey. Louis Roederer is very close to having the "ideal" balance, the wine is crisp, saline and iodised, with a long, chalky, crystalline finish that lingers and builds to a crescendo. The overall impression is one of refinement, sapidity and purity... like the infinite grace of an opera ballerina.

• 58% Pinot Noir • 42% Chardonnay •