All wines
Bruno Paillard
N.P.U.
1996
4.5
Region
France › Champagne › Champagne AOC
Type
white · traditional · sparkling · extra-brut
Grapes
Chardonnay, Pinot Noir
Alcohol
12%
Volume
750 mL
Dosage
5.1 g/L
Disgorged
2009-01
On lees
144 months (12 years)
Tasting Notes(1)
4.5
The 1996 Nec Plus Ultra is where the empty space is a saving grace. Aye, it talks in the language of baked cheese, beeswax, boiled eggs (in a very good sense, trust me), miso and tarragon (it follows me everywhere even when I close my eyes shut). But its freshness creates a vacuum that is filled with complexity, elegance and longevity. I was already tired, so maybe next time I would rate it higher. In any case, it's a remarkable wine and the age only makes it better.
About
It's not intended to be the best wine, but a cuvée that we push to the extreme.
[...] liveliness is more the focus here than complexity and richness.
--- Alice Paillard
A 50/50 blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from 7 of the most sought-after Grands Crus of the Champagne terroir: Oger, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Chouilly, Cramant, Verzenay, Mailly-Champagne, and Bouzy. Grapes are vinified and matured in small, old oak barrels for 10 months. Then the wine spends 12 years on lees followed by two years of post-disgorgement rest before release.
