2015 Philipponnat, Clos des Goisses

Made from 78% Pinot Noir and the rest Chardonnay, the 2015 Champagne Clos Des Goisses Extra Brut is one of the first wines of the cuvée that was 100% barrel fermented, and it also underwent complete malo fermentation, as always. A medium straw/golden color, it’s expressive in the glass with ripe, savory notes of black cherries, sous bois, delicate toast spice, umami savory notes, and yeasty fresh baked bread. Full-bodied, it fills the palate with a very long and sapid mid-palate richness, revealing accented notes of grapefruit on the finish. It’s long lasting and has a kiss of warmth, which is to be expected in this vintage, although it remains very much in balance, with a noble feel. An exceptional wine from 2015, the team at Philipponnat knocked these 2015s out of the park. This and their other 2015s are likely going to develop into great examples of how wines with powerful, rich structures in warm vintages can age without relying solely on acidity to carry the torch. Drink 2027-2047. 18,000 bottles produced. Disgorged in March 2024 and not yet released.

Surpassing the 2010, the 2015 Extra-Brut Clos des Goisses is gorgeous, evoking aromas of pear, mirabelle, spices, honey, brioche and perfectly ripe orchard fruits intertwined with delicate notes of iodine. Full-bodied, vinous and concentrated, it's layered and dense with remarkable depth at the core combined with racy acids and a structured, perfectly balanced mid-palate. Slightly austere at this stage, it finishes long and sappy with a licorice-inflected aftertaste. This blend of 78% Pinot Noir and 22% Chardonnay, disgorged in March 2024 with a dosage of 4.5 grams per liter, did not undergo malolactic fermentation. Readers eager to experience this superb Champagne at its peak should be patient.

2015 Clos des Goisses is full on intrigue; on the one hand the year's sheer solar force injects the wine with potent aromatics of roasted yellow plums, charry grapefruit, green melon and tarte tatin, all framed in a brine-and-iodine savour. On the other hand there's a beguiling gracefulness and polish here which, despite the firm structure, speak of real ripeness and careful extraction. 2015 does tend to present some slightly herbal aromatics, but these stop a long way from detracting from this fine, if singular, vintage of Clos des Goisses. It's a vintage with the guts and structure to last for quite some time.

Vibrant and vivid in its pale gold colour and bright aromatics, this is an exceptionally impressive Champagne, elderflower, citrus, persistent lift with gentle pulses of fresh acidity set against richer brioche and toasted almond. Fermented half stainless steel and half in Burgundy barrels. 4.5g/l dosage, Thierry Garnier winemaker.

See score and full tasting note at champagneclub.com.