The NV Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Cuvee de Reserve is a gorgeous wine that captures the essence of Chardonnay in the Cote des Blancs. Pure, wiry and wonderfully expressive, the Cuvee de Reserve flows gracefully with layers of varietal fruit from start to finish. This shows superb clarity, depth and polish, particularly at the NV level. The current release is 65% 2007 and 35% reserve wines from a solera cuvee that contains 15 vintages. Roughly 2/3rds of the fruit comes from Mesnil, while the rest is from Cramant, Avize, Oger and Chouilly. This is Lot CBSAAI, disgorged: May, 2010 and bottled with 7 grams of dosage. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2016. I can’t recommend these two Champagnes from Pierre Peters highly enough. In particular, the vintage Blanc de Blancs, from the Chetillons vineyard in Mesnil, is one of the region’s great wines, with a brilliant track record for aging as I discovered when I visited the property earlier this year. A Terry Theise Selection, imported by Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300

For an introduction into the range of Pierre Péters, the NV Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Cuvée de Réserve is the perfect choice. It's based on the incisive 2021 vintage and completed by a 50% component of the perpetual blend, aged in a variety of vessels (stainless steel tanks, large oak casks and concrete). This is the most floral wine in the range, wafting from the glass with aromas of honeysuckle, citrus fruit, acacia and beeswax. Shaped by the high-acid vintage profile, expect a bright, lightly structured Champagne laden with racy acids and a focused finish. It was disgorged in May 2024 with a dosage of six grams per liter.

This NV Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Brut Cuvée de Réserve (disgorged in December 2017) is sourced from 67 different parcels of the Côte des Blancs (Mesnil, Oger, Avize and Cramant) and is composed of the vintages 2015 and 2014 (in equal parts) and 60% (!) of a réserve perpétuelle that dates back to 1998. The wine is clear and pretty intense on the nose, displaying ripe and intense fruit aromas. Rich and quite powerful on the palate, this is an elegant, finessed and well-structured cuvée with a good finish. Tasted in April 2018.

This is Rodolphe Péters’ main wine made from a blend of 2017 Chardonnays from top villages in the Côte des Blancs but mainly in the home village of Le Mesnil. The wine remained in tank on lees (with regular tastings) until the assemblage, when 50% reserve wines were added to the blend. The reserve wines come from Rodolphe’s ‘perpetual reserve’ which is based on the 1988, 1990, 1993 and 1996 harvests. These reserve wines are stored in a combination of large foudres, concrete, stainless steel and cement vats. The wine was kept on the lees for a minimum of two years before disgorgement in September 2020 when it received a dosage of 6–7 g/l. A more friendly, approachable wine than the Extra Brut – and more tight knit. Very fine bead and great, sappy balance between the delicate fruit and something more substantial – presumably the reserve wines. I don't really see why this is less expensive than the Extra Brut. Really quite fine and rewarding with this more mature undertow beneath the particularly zesty initial impression. (JR)

Pale lemon, with a fine bead. Muted, fresh dough lees and not a huge aromatic expression beyond that. Quite coarse mousse, some dusty, nutty mineral and lees flavour with a dry, slightly spiced, medium-long finish. (TJ)