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a bonus, have all been disgorged together (in early 2023) to ensure a consistency of style. The LP modus operandi requires a maceration on skins for 48–72 hours at a consistent temperature of 15º


C (59º F).


Color was never as important as fruit quality to founding father, Bernard de Nonancourt, and his daughters. Today, LP seems to have got them both right, and the fact that there have been only ten releases of Cuvée Alexandra is eloquent testament to its quality as well as a reiteration of their determination for both the Pinot Noir (60–70%) and the balancing Chardonnay to be perfectly ripe, despite their locations at either end of the appellation, to justify selection. Attention to detail is king these days. And the results, unsurprisingly,


have been excellent. No longer merely a wine for celebration or for gastronomy; now a wine for all seasons, with its very significant stylistic gamut etched from the rigors of perfectionism. I have to admit a soft spot for 2012 and 2008 as vintages, and was especially enamored of the 2012 Rare and both the 2008 Elisabeth and the Comtes de Champagne. Overall, however, there was a good showing across the board, with some of the older wines (the superb 1985 Moët Grand Vintage comes to mind) showing their mettle and some of the “lesser” years performing well. One thinks of both 2006 (its wines, according to Marina, recalling a prima ballerina) and 2007, with, respectively, outstanding wines from Taittinger Comtes and Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Alexandra, the latter overall victor ludorum. In a tightly fought competition, it has to be admitted. A very inspiring tasting, then;


methodology and detail are all-important and, in a sense the premium in price over Non-Vintage siblings is easier to justify with such a different approach in play. Not to mention the small production, itself only partially as a result of the paucity of red wine. The top wines, of which there were many, rejoiced in unparalleled hedonism, without for a moment forsaking a complex structural weave and capacity to age, the latter aspect once viewed with extreme skepticism— and not only by Madame Bollinger. Quite a feat, but certainly no oxymoron. Rudolph Nureyev was an admirer of the style, and of Comtes Rosé in particular: “When I taste this Rosé Champagne, I do not merely dance… I fly.” Very well said! 


78 | THE WORLD OF FINE WINE | ISSUE 87 | 2025 TASTING


age underscores complexity and vinous scope, while failing to dent structural integrity or, for that matter, a fundamental vitality. It would be fascinating to try this wine with today’s dosage level, which is to say 5g/l rather than 11g/l.| 93


2016 Grand Vintage (42% C, 43% PN, 15% PM; 13% red wine; dosage 5g/l; disgorged June 2023)


Significantly more reticent than the 2015, with the reduction more assertive and slower to cede ground. When it does, one is struck by the vinous elegance in play. Gastronomy is key to Benoît, and he achieves this by careful tannin management of the red-wine component. The result has phenolic rigor, but also freshness and elegance. A fascinating preview of a promising vintage. | 93


FLIGHT 5: DEUTZ


2013 Amour de Deutz (58% PN, 42% C; dosage 8g/l)


A typically elegant Amour: light of color but not lacking for power or gravitas. Nectarine and Mirabelle plum on both nose and palate; the mid-palate dominated by sourdough, chalk, and verbena, with only a modest contribution from the red fruit. The austerity on the finish reflects the personality of the vintage more than that of the house and will stand down in the medium term. | 92


2009 Amour de Deutz (57% PN, 43% C; dosage 8g/l)


A spritzy, lively, and energetic 2009, with a pleasing interplay between the grape varieties captured by a combination of citric composure and savory structure. Tension over and above the warmth of the vintage, in other words, with a nutty autolytic authority complemented by a supple stone-fruit sub-stratum. Then a redeeming lift on the finish. | 93


2008 Amour de Deutz (64% PN, 36% C; dosage 8g/l)


Quintessential Amour de Deutz, from its light coppery color, to its sleek, pashmina mouthfeel, its fruit-bowl of potential now realized and effortlessly transformed by secondary notes of brioche, almond, and soft spice. Chalky complexity and a quietly assertive power on the finish complete the picture. | 95


2007 Amour de Deutz (60% PN, 40% C; dosage 9g/l)


The 2007 Amour is showing well indeed, its color a burnished gold at sunset, its aromatic dominated by secondary nutty notes, rose petals, and spiced plums. Significant mid-palate grip and upstanding acidity frame a typical elegance and show off the longevity of a vintage that many felt might not last all that long. In the best hands, this is self-evidently not the case. | 93


2006 Amour de Deutz (55% PN, 45% C; dosage 9g/l)


The group as a whole (20 tasters) liked this a little more than your correspondent; I found it significantly more evolved than the 2007 and lacking both the elegance and structural discipline of the younger wine. A pleasing, spicy, gingerbread note, however, carved out a distinctive personality that did not lack for adherents. Ready to drink, in any event. | 91


FLIGHT 6: BILLECART-SALMON


2012 Billecart-Salmon Elisabeth Salmon (45% PN, 55% C; 8.3% red wine; dosage 3.8g/l; disgorged January 2023)


Elegant Kashmir pink of hue, initially a little reduced, a function of youth, soon dispelled and replaced by attractive Pinot scents of rosehip, freesia, and quince. There is a latent power here, beyond the formality of the weave, an exciting evolution intimated; now all that is required is patience. | 92


2008 Billecart-Salmon Elisabeth Salmon (55% PN, 45% C; 8% red wine; dosage 7g/l; disgorged January 2019)


An outstanding example, showing the way for the more precocious 2012, unraveling slowly and with distinction. The slightly higher proportion of Pinot Noir in the blend has yielded a richly satisfying savory core, with notes of tobacco and kumquat in support, then a noble bitterness on the finish. One of the very best wines from one of the best vintages. | 96


2002 Billecart-Salmon Elisabeth Salmon (50% PN, 50% C; 7% red wine; dosage 3.8g/l; disgorged January 2017)


A gentle sandstone color and aromatics dominated by stone fruit, almonds, and toasted pine nuts, evolving red fruit in support. In the mouth, the wine is dominated by gentle secondary characteristics, with soft leather, spice, and hints of truffle vying for textural attention. A firm line of acidity and a generous, pavonine finish. Gastronomic potential is writ large. | 94


2009 Billecart-Salmon Elisabeth Salmon (55% PN, 45% C; 10% red wine; dosage 7.2g/l; disgorged July 2021)


A superbly balanced 2009, the generosity of the vintage captured in a magnificent and expressive statement of exuberance, with sweet and savory elements perfectly poised, a richly spicy peroration, and a refreshing undertow of acidity. More than a decade on the lees has not dulled an essential joie de vivre, and now, with a further three years of post-disgorgement aging, seems as good a moment as any to relish this gemstone. | 96


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