2008 Champange Bruno Paillard, N.P.U. Nec Plus Ultra Rosé, Extra Brut

This is only the third time this prestige champagne—the Paillard's 'perfect' champagne—has been made. The first two were in 2003 and a 2004 that was never commercially released. This 2008 blend of equal parts of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from Grand Cru villages enjoyed a good 13 years on lees before disgorgement in February 2022.

Pale salmon pink. Wow! There certainly is a whole lot of autolysis on the nose of this! It is a very special champagne for those with the famous goût anglais for truly mature champagne. There's a whole load of flavour in here, ranging from strawberry cream through to aged cheddar! And a very long finish. You'd be crazy to drink it with anything less than full attention to what's in the glass. This a very, very distinctive wine designed for a specific slice of champagne lovers.

Drink 2023 - 2028

A small red wine addition creates this cuvée, an equal split between grand cru Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, fermented entirely in small oak barrels and aged on the lees for over ten years. The long lees ageing and barrel work imbue the highly expressive richness of oyster cream, cocoa and allspice, while blackberry and charred grapefruit notes are still present, reminding youthfulness. The Pinot Noir has softened into dried hibiscus and red plum, autumnal and complex, but still adds a little flesh to the highly concentrated, firm 2008 palate. Released at the peak of evolution, this will be at its most vibrant within three years of disgorgement.

Drink 2022 - 2030

Paillard’s inaugural 2008 N.P.U. Nec Plus Ultra Rosé is a blend of equal parts Chardonnay and Pinot Noir disgorged in February 2022 with three grams per litre dosage. It reveals a dense, complex bouquet with aromas of red berries, blood orange, orchard fruits, pepper, verbena and spring flowers. Medium to full-bodied, broad and vinous, it’s phenolic with a beautifully fine-boned profile and an ethereal, long finish. This is a structured Champagne that will merit cellaring, but it already exudes freshness and clarity, leading to a finish with a light note of gastronomic bitterness. It should go well with delicate fare.

Drink 2023 - 2043