Champagne Ruelle-Pertois, Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Côte des Blancs, Champagne, France 2012 (750mL)

Ruelle-Pertois is still brought over in ripples—grab as much as you can get of this extremely affordable and recently disgorged vintage-dated Grand Cru Champagne. The 2012 exhibits a deep straw-yellow in the glass with vivid silver hues moving towards a clear rim. A vigorous mousse is revealed upon first pour, so we suggest waiting a few minutes before dipping your nose into the glass. The aromatics are quite intoxicating and unafraid of showing off a voluptuous core of fruit led by ripe pineapple, quince, lemon curd, yellow apples, and apricot. Give it a bit more time and the aromatic range widens to reveal caramel, hazelnuts, crushed oyster shell, chalk, buttered toast, lees, a dollop of fresh cream, and vanilla bean. At eight years old, there is still immense energy to be had which just speaks to the profound qualities of Grand Cru Chardonnay in the legendary 2012 vintage. The palate reveals far more weight and richness than last year’s 2011, so if you prefer a bit of creaminess and luxury in your Champagne, this will demand your attention.