Champagne Vieille Vigne Du Levant Extra-Brut Blanc de Blancs 2008 75cl

A strikingly powerful iteration of this single east-facing parcel that delivers riper fruits. Pink grapefruit and pomelo citrus aromas and flavors, with some white nectarine, too. The fusion of a restrained vintage and a richer powerful site makes for very engaging drinking. This is superb. Drink now.

The 2008 Vieilles Vignes du Levant Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Extra Brut has a golden-yellow color and opens with a pure, fresh, very deep and concentrated bouquet that reveals more matured fruit aromas than the 2009. There are stony notes on the nose, even dried fruit expressions. The mineral flavors seem to have filled up with iron in the 2008. With lots of brioche flavors on the palate, this is a very elegant and rather lean, purely mineral and linear vintage and a more challenging compared to the generous 2009. I find the 2008 a bit harsher in the tightly woven finish at the moment, but it is very salty and complex and definitely needs some big fish to soften its edges. Some stone-dried fruit flavors in the aftertaste.