Champagne, France | 100% Chardonnay | Extra-Brut | 2023 Base

This is Fred Savart doing Chardonnay on his own terms. Far from a "cosmetic" Blanc de Blancs, this is a wine of structural intent—a bottle that prioritises terroir and personality over simple effervescence. Sourced from the chalk-heavy soils of Trépail and the depth of Écueil, it represents a thoughtful marriage of the Grande Montagne de Reims’ best instincts. Trépail provides the electric "cut," while Écueil grounds the wine with a savoury, vinous weight.

Visually, it pours a shimmering pale gold with emerald glints, backed by a fine, rhythmic perlage. The nose is a study in precision: crunchy green apple and white jasmine florals collide with a zesty jolt of tangerine peel. On the palate, the wine reveals its true heart—it is chiselled and intensely saline, leaning into a limestone-driven minerality that feels almost vibrating. While the acidity is high and driving, a creamy, restrained texture and a beautifully judged touch of noble oxidation bring layers of marzipan, spice, and umami richness.

With a minimal dosage of just 1.6 g/L, there is no excess sugar to blur the edges or "sand down" the character. Instead, you get a Champagne that moves horizontally—layered, composed, and quietly confident. It is a refined, persistent expression built for longevity, and the ultimate companion for the salt-slicked intensity of raw oysters, caviar, or a razor-sharp sea bass carpaccio.