Nicolas Feuillatte Palmes d'Or 2008 (75cl, 12.5%)

A prestige cuvée vintage Champagne bottled at 12.5% ABV in a 750ml bottle. It is a blend of 50% Pinot Noir and 50% Chardonnay drawn from nearly 95% Grand Cru vineyards. Palmes d'Or is the house's top-tier tête de cuvée, produced only in exceptional vintages. The 2008 expression was vinified using the traditional méthode champenoise and aged on its lees for approximately 10 years before disgorgement, with a distinctive parcel of Chardonnay from Montgueux. The nose opens with lemon custard and toasted almond, unfolding into ripe apricot, hazelnut and freshly baked brioche, with a flinty, almost smoky undertone. The palate is rich and fleshy, with golden apple, orchard fruit and tropical ripeness, then red fruit, citrus, slivered almond and pastry crust, with Pinot Noir-driven structure and chalky minerality. The finish is long and textured, with chalk, smoke and honeycomb.