Leclerc Briant Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut 2018 (JD94)

Country:             France
Region:               Champagne Rating:                JD94, WS92, RP91
Grape Variety:  50% Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay, 15% Meunier
Type of Wine:   Champagne
Bottle Size:        750ml

Jeb Dunnuck 94
Produced with 50% Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay, and the rest Meunier, the 2018 Champagne Millesime Extra Brut was vinified and raised for 9 months in barrels. It sees 3 grams per liter dosage and was disgorged in March 2023. It pours a rich, youthful yellow hue and is forward in its expressive notes of toasted oak spice that are very assertive and joined by notes of toasted croissant, orange marmalade, white pepper, and ripe red berries. Full-bodied, it has a lush and pillowy mousse and a fantastic texture, filling the palate with ample fruit, a chalky texture, and a rounded and fleshy personality. Although at first it feels as if its oak is not well-integrated, it impresses me more as it opens and is approachable in its ripe fruit now. It’s long on the palate and is a very well-made wine, but I’d like to see how this harmonizes over time.

Wine Spectator 92
A lively Champagne, showing a crisp frame and a lacy mousse, with bright acidity buoying notes of raspberry, white cherry, salted almond and elderflower. Lightly chalky on the finish. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier.

By Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 91
A blend of 50% Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay and 15% Meunier, the 2018 Extra-Brut displays a bright, perfumed bouquet with aromas of blanched almond, fresh bread, spring flower, menthol and licorice. Medium to full-bodied, elegant and seamless, it’s vinous with bright acids and a lingering, saline finish. Il should age well over the next five to eight years.