CHAMPAGNE DEVAUX Brut 'Grande Reserve' NV Bottle VGN

Description

Founded in the mid nineteenth century, Champagne Devaux has established a stellar reputation for crafting luxurious and characterful wines. Based in the Cote des Bar, the southernmost subregion of Champagne, the house excels in cultivating exceptional Pinot Noir. The Grande Reserve Non Vintage perfectly encapsulates their rich and generous house style.

The blend is predominantly Pinot Noir sourced from the finest vineyards of the Cote des Bar, bringing power, structure and ripe fruit flavours. This is artfully blended with Chardonnay from the Cote des Blancs, which provides essential freshness and elegance. A defining feature of this cuvee is the inclusion of a high proportion of reserve wines, many of which are aged in large wooden casks. This traditional technique imparts a wonderful oxidative complexity and depth. Following the second fermentation, the wine rests on its lees for a minimum of three years, far exceeding the legal requirement.

In the glass it pours a beautiful pale gold colour with a lively, fine bead. The aromatics are immediately appealing, presenting notes of baked apple, yellow plum and ripe peach, layered with rich aromas of toasted brioche, vanilla and honeycomb. The palate is broad and enveloping, offering a creamy texture supported by a vibrant acidity. Flavours of orchard fruit and citrus zest mingle with subtle pastry notes, leading to a long, beautifully balanced finish. It is a wonderfully opulent and satisfying Champagne that serves perfectly as an aperitif or paired with elegant seafood dishes.

VINOUS 92 points
From: Top New Non-Vintage Champagnes (Dec 2011)
Orange-pink color. Powerful, musky aromas of cherry and dark berries, with a lively accent of blood orange. Spicy and deeply pitched but energetic, offering precise bitter cherry and blackcurrant flavors and a zesty note of citrus zest on the back end. Finishes long and spicy, with excellent clarity and cut.

THE CHAMPAGNE GUIDE 92 points
An impeccably assembled blend, showcasing the enticing generosity and definition of the Cotes des Bar at an affordable price. The richness of pinot noir's rounded peach personality, complexity of honey and lingering mixed spice and enlivened with a vibrant acid backbone and soft minerality, bring balance and focus to the finish.

JAMES SUCKLING 91 points
Attractive dried berries and woody elements on the nose with dried-lemon and bready notes, too. The palate has quite a rich feel and a wealth of ripe-fruit flavor in an attractively fleshy style. Drink now.

WINE ENTHUSIAST 90 points
Attractive dried berries and woody elements on the nose with dried-lemon and bready notes, too. The palate has quite a rich feel and a wealth of ripe-fruit flavor in an attractively fleshy style. Drink now.