2016 Leclerc Briant Millesime Extra Brut

Rich and buttery aromas, brioche-laden, with cooked apple, cinnamon and something toasty. Impressively complex and well-crafted; the palate is fulsome and generous, with apple turnover and zesty pear-drop, very pretty and well-balanced. 50% Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay and 15% Meunier from organic and biodynamic Premier Cru vineyards in Verzenay, Cumieres, Hautvillers, Trepail, Bisseuil and Rilly La Montagne. 3g/l dosage, five years on the lees, quite a small production of less than 6000 bottles. Leclerc-Briant are a slightly mad little House, relentless experimenters who espouse more than a few esoteric ideas, but if this is the result, long may their madness continue! (JH 07/08/23)