Louis Bouillot Perle d’Ivoire Blanc de Blancs, Burgundy

Louis Bouillot Perle d’Ivoire Blanc de Blancs is a beautifully crafted Burgundian sparkling wine that shows just how refined Chardonnay can be when grown on limestone and handled with patience. Made entirely from Chardonnay, this cuvée draws on fruit from across Burgundy, where cool conditions and calcareous soils give natural acidity, finesse and that unmistakable chalky line that defines great Blanc de Blancs.

Maison Louis Bouillot has been producing sparkling wine in Burgundy since the late 1800s and is one of the region’s quiet specialists of the traditional method. Based in Nuits Saint Georges, the house brings a Champagne like seriousness to Crémant de Bourgogne, with long lees ageing and careful blending at the heart of the style. Perle d’Ivoire, meaning pearl of ivory, is intended to be the most refined and elegant expression in the range, highlighting purity, texture and balance rather than power.

In the glass, the wine is pale and luminous with a fine, persistent bead. Aromas are precise and understated. Lemon zest, green apple and white peach lead, followed by subtle notes of citrus blossom, almond and fresh pastry. There is a gentle chalky, oyster shell character underneath that speaks clearly of Burgundy’s limestone soils.

On the palate, it is crisp yet creamy, with Chardonnay’s natural elegance front and centre. Citrus and orchard fruit flavours glide across a fine mousse, supported by bright, well integrated acidity. Lees ageing brings a soft biscuit and cashew nuance, adding depth without heaviness. The finish is dry, clean and quietly persistent, lingering with citrus peel and mineral freshness.

This is a sparkling wine that excels both as an aperitif and at the table. It pairs beautifully with oysters, sashimi, grilled fish, light poultry dishes or anything that benefits from freshness and finesse. Drink it now for its clarity and vibrancy, or over the next five to seven years as it develops more savoury, toasty complexity.

Louis Bouillot Perle d’Ivoire Blanc de Blancs is elegant, precise and effortlessly drinkable, a reminder that Burgundy does sparkling Chardonnay with just as much charm and pedigree as its still wines.