Bruno Paillard : Première Cuvée Extra Brut

The NV Brut Premiere Cuvee is exceptionally polished and refined from the very first taste. Lemon, grapefruit, green pears and flowers are some of the many notes that are woven together in this classy, totally polished wine. The two-plus years of bottle age post-disgorgement are a great example of how first-class NV Champagnes can develop beautifully in bottle, something I have seen time and again with Bruno Paillard’s wines. Hints of hazelnut, almond, crushed rocks and pastry add elements of complexity, yet the wine retains its classic sense of energy and vibrancy. This is a great showing. The Brut Premiere Cuvee is 45% Pinot Noir, 33% Chardonnay and 22% Pinot Meunier. Disgorgement date: September 2010. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2017. Bruno Paillard’s Champagnes stand out for their elegance and total finesse. Although a relatively new house by Champagne’s standards, Paillard’s wines have a timeless classicism about them that is highly appealing. Importer: Vintus LLC, Pleasantville, NJ tel. (914) 769-3000

Apple, grapefruit and chalky mineral flavors mark this firm, bracing Champagne. The final impression is a tart, Granny Smith apple type of acidity. Drink now through 2011. 200 cases imported.

Première cuvée is the flagship of Bruno Paillard style. This blend of 25 vintages offers elegant, pure and delicate bouquet with pear, peach, flowers and pastry aromas. The palate is elegant but even more taut than the previous cuvées mentioned while the taste has an alluring oxidative element interacting with its white fruit. Very elegant.

A fine mineral layer atop subtle sourdough yeastiness, with lemon zest and green apples. Fruity and delineated on the palate, with generous, creamy bubbles and a flavorful finish. Quite approachable, but it ends dry. Disgorged in February 2022. Drink now.

Subtle aromas of orange zest and ginger spice. Dry, bright and elegant, with aromatic flavors of orange oil, pear, quince and fresh nuts. Tactile but fairly light-bodied. Finishes with very good persistence and cut. (My sample of the Chardonnay Reserve Privee showed excellent extract and verve but was marred by a faint mustiness on the nose, most likely due to a faulty cork; the Rose Premiere Cuvee was clearly corked.) (O.F.S. Imports, Santa Rosa, CA)

The NV Champagne Premiere Cuvee Brut is a medium yellow hue, showing beautiful mature and pure notes of layered and nicely maturing notes of apricot. Medium to full-bodied, it has more volume and fills the palate with a silky ripeness reminiscent of honey and delicate ginger notes. The mousse is fine with a pinpoint and accents its pretty, salty spice with a supple, silky texture underneath. The base vintage is 2010, with disgorgement in May 2014. It has just a hint of toasty smokiness, and I love it; it also has more savory elements that will last at least another 15 or so years. Drink 2025-2035.

this 2019 base comes across as serious; the nose is fresh, conveying Champagne classicism without feeling narrow or reductive. The palate is wrapped in a seductive dosage, yet it remains coherent. The finish is precise and chiselled

There's plenty of Pinot in this blend and darker berry flavors show on the nose. Tart-sweet fruit and a texture at once round and tangy mark the palate. The pretty finish is moderately full, with a crisp zing.

The Bruno Paillard Première Cuvée NV is an assemblage of 45% Pinot Noir, 33% Chardonnay and 22% Pinot Meunier made from 2018 base wine, of which 20% is barrel fermented in aged oak barrels. Accounting for 60% of the house annual production, this cuvée always includes a good proportion of reserve wines from a perpetual reserve started in 1985, with this specific bottling including 32% reserve wine. Aromatically rich and heady, it opens to notes of ripe apricot, lemon pulp, butter biscuit and hints of coconut macaroon. Medium-bodied, the palate has attractive energy from refreshing, lively acidity that mingles with ripe citrus flavors and toasty notes on the long, saline finish. It is an Extra Brut with 5.5 grams per liter dosage that is well integrated and balanced. The bottle tasted was disgorged in May 2022. Lot: LZA6B2Q05