Champagne Coessens Largillier Brut Nature NV

All of Coessens's champagnes come from the lieu-dit of Largillier. All are made of pinot noir, exclusively from vines over 30 years old, and all come from a single year, with no reserve wine included in the blend. These are rich, full-bodied champagnes, demonstrating the bold ripeness and broad flavors of Côte des Bar pinot noir, but at the same time, they are marked by a powerful expression of Kimmeridgian soils, giving the wines a strongly saline, flinty intensity. "I'm looking for depth [of fruit]," says Coessens, "but this must also be balanced with minerality." The wines benefit significantly from ample post-disgorgement aging, and Coessens tries his best to keep them in the cellar as long as possible before release, although with such a tiny production, this is not always easy.

The Brut Nature is a fine introduction to the Coessens range, showing an expressive depth and an excellent balance for a non-dosé. It's a very different wine from the Blanc de Noirs, with the two source