2008 Bruno Paillard Nec Plus Ultra Extra Brut Cote des Blancs, Champagne

Disgorged in April 2019 with three grams per liter dosage, Paillard's 2008 Extra-Brut N.P.U. Nec Plus Ultra unwinds in the glass with notes of pear and citrus mingled with hazelnut, toasted bread, dried fruits and warm biscuits. Medium to full-bodied, taut and chiseled, it's concentrated and complex, its tightly wound mid-palate complemented by a pearly mousse and underpinned by chalky grip. While it's introverted today, this is a classic in the making that will show brilliantly with more age on cork, even if it will always remain a comparatively lean, acid-driven marathon runner of a Champagne.

94+ points WK robertparker.com

This Champagne is produced from grand cru vineyards in exceptional years only. Rich fruits and layers of spice mingle with the toastiness of maturity in this equal blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The wine is now ready to drink.

96 points Roger Voss winemag.com

Champagne is probably the most famous wine region in the world. It produces exclusively sparkling wines, and they are so sought after around the world that the name and some producers are known even by those who do not drink Champagne at all. Champagne is the model for the many sparkling wines of the world, and yet it remains unmatched in terms of taste and character. The history of the sparkling wine is just over 250 years old. During this time, it has triumphed around the world, so that today it is impossible to imagine the tables of foodies without it. Champagne is one of the most northerly wine growing regions in the world, and the cool climate allows for top-quality viticulture. This gives the wines a lively acidity that is essential for a top sparkling wine. Three grape varieties are permitted for the production of the noble sparkler, the red Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, which are vinified "white", and the Chardonnay. However, on the limestone-chalk soils of Champagne (which means flat land), they achieve a unique character that contributes significantly to the complexity of a great Champagne. Champagne is also an incredibly complex product to produce. The strict regulations prescribe a hand harvest and just as much work is still done by hand today in the course of making Champagne. After the elaborate production of the cuvée, i.e. the base wine prior to sparkling, it is allowed to proceed to its second fermentation in the bottle and transform into the precious sparkling wine. For up to three years - very luxurious fine Cuvées also up to 5 years and longer - it rests and matures in the chalk cellars of the Champagne houses, until it may delight the Champagne friends around the globe. The heart of Champagne production are the so-called trading houses - Négociant-Manipulant (NM) , 300 producers of this type supply about two-thirds of the production. In recent years, increasingly so-called grower Champagne - Récoltant-Manipulant (RM) have enriched the market enormously. By the way, 100 years ago, the Champagne was still enjoyed sweet and the Champagne Brut, the dry Champagne, was invented by Madame Pommery at the end of the 19th century and has only been the world's preferred flavour for a good 70 years.

Falstaff.com