Bright yellow-gold. Mineral-accented lemon curd and green apple on the nose, with a spicy topnote. Penetrating and dry on entry, then fleshier in the mid-palate, offering intense orchard fruit and buttered toast flavors with a touch of bitter cherry pit. Shows impressive focus and lift on the taut, stony finish, which features a suave floral quality. This bottling is consistently among the very best big-house "basic" NV Champagnes. 91 points