Pierre Paillard Champagne Bouzy Grand Cru Les Parcelles XIX NV 750ml

A blend of 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay sourced from south-facing slopes and vinified in 350-liter barrels, it unfurls from the glass with aromas of tangerine zest, grapefruit and nectarine, mingling with brioche and spices. On the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied and concentrated, with a rich core of fruit underpinned by vibrant acidity, concluding with a chalky finish. This is a fine introduction to the estate, based on a terrific vintage. As always, it derives from some 25 plots in Bouzy.

• Country: France
• Region: Champagne
• Size: 750ml
• Alcohol by Vol: 13.0%

Varietal

Champagne Blend

The sparkling wines of Champagne have been revered by wine drinkers for hundreds of years, and even today they maintain their reputation for excellence of flavor and character, and are consistently associated with quality, decadence, and a cause for celebration. Their unique characteristics are partly due to the careful blending of a small number of selected grape varietals, most commonly Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. These grapes, blended in fairly equal quantities, give the wines of Champagne their wonderful flavors and aromas, with the Pinot Noir offering length and backbone, and the Chardonnay varietal giving its acidity and dry, biscuity nature. It isn’t unusual to sometimes see Champagne labeled as ‘blanc de blanc’, meaning it is made using only Chardonnay varietal grapes, or ‘blanc de noir’, which is made solely with Pinot Noir.