Champagne Hugues Godmé Les Bouquets Grand Cru 2012

An elegant, aristocratic sparkling wine opening with ripe lemon zest, red apple and white flowers, framed by the chalky minerality of the Montagne de Reims and a delicate brioche tone. The palate is taut and dry, with a fine, persistent mousse; the ripeness and structure of 2012 add depth and precision to the mid-palate, finishing with a long, saline-iodine aftertaste. The grapes come from the Grand Cru villages of Verzenay and Verzy, and the cuvée is 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir; the house farms organically and part of the base wine matures in neutral oak before long ageing on the lees.