The 2004 Brut Millésime Cuvée Spéciale Les Chétillons is stratospheric. This is a cool, inward Chétillons endowed with breathtaking finesse. The 2004 is noticeably more vibrant and focused than the decidedly exuberant 2002. Ripe pears, almonds and jasmine are some of the notes that flesh out in this pure, energetic wine. Hints of chalk, smoke and ash wrap around the intense finish. This is easily one of the very finest of the 2004s that has been released so far. Peters' objective with Les Chétillons is to make wine that expresses terroir rather than vintage. In 2004 Peters used only two of his three plots in Les Chétillons, as he wasn't totally happy with the way one of the parcels responded in terms of the high yields that were typical that year. That level of attention to detail goes a long way in explaining why the 2004 is so exceptional. Dosage is 4.7 grams per liter. Disgorged March 2011.

The 2004 Brut Blanc de Blancs Cuvée Spéciale Les Chétillons was showing especially well in this tasting, soaring from the glass with aromas of dried citrus fruits, oyster shell, wheat toast and plenty of nutty, smoky autolytic top notes. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, layered and impressively muscular and concentrated for the vintage, with chalky dry extract and a long, searingly mineral finish. While this is a racy Chétillon, the magic of bottle age means that it is also becoming quite rich and enveloping, without losing its wonderfully incisive Mesnil backbone.

(made from fruit grown in Le Mesnil, Oger, Avize and Cramant; disgorged January, 2011): Green-gold. Pure, precise aromas of lemon, tangerine and white flowers, with spice and mineral overtones. Lively but also densely packed, with penetrating flavors of peach, dusty minerals, iodine and jasmine. Very young, pure Champagne, with bracing minerality sharpening the very long, juicy finish.