BARNAUT Grande Réserve Brut Grand Cru Bouzy

Here's a champagne for those who want to buy something that will give pleasure to the most discerning drinker (I liked it so much I ignored the bottle of Roederer in the fridge and served it to two professionals who walloped it down) but does not involve crossing the Channel and doing battle with H M Customs.

This is elegant and layered with distinct yeast, white peach, pear and subtle brioche notes that continue onto the robust, intense and powerful flavors that pack serious flavor authority and almost painful finishing intensity. This is clearly intended for those who love full-flavored Champagne with no holds barred. To be sure, don't search for elegance in this package but I actually quite like the 'take no prisoners' style. For my taste, this is ready now and while it certainly could be aged for up to 5 years, it is à point.   92/100

Un champagne de grande classe! La bouche est charnue, dense, et puissante tout en gardant la vivacité et l'équilibre des grands vins. Il s'épanouit dans des notes fines et élégantes de fruits persistants. La finale est longue et de grande expression. Un superbe champagne qui vieillira à merveille.

Ripe, creamy, mid-mature nose, elegant and quite stylish, well made base wine, honey and toffee. Smoky Pinot, very pretty, good acid backbone. Up to 5 years. 16 points (Bollinger 15.6, Veuve 15.25, Pol Roger 15.2, and Taittinger 15.2)

Lea & Sandeman have always had some good growers' Champagnes. This one, from the Grand Cru of Bouzy, is their cheapest (although not their cheapest Champagne) and it's a great deal better than some of the famous names. It's pure and fresh, but rich, with lovely Pinot Noir peach and redcurrant fruit and a creamy brioche taste and texture.

Ce champagne présente un grand équilibre, sans dosage excessif, avec un intensité de bouche exemplaire dans un style racé et puissant. Il constitue un exemple d'équilibre et de longueur. Délicieux.

Luscious, full-bodied, pinot-noir-based; from the grand cru of Bouzy

Made by a grower from the village of Bouzy, this pinot noir-dominant, multi-layered Champagne is broad and creamy, with a super slick mousse. It knocks spots off many better-known houses at this price.

...for sheer value, the expansive, silky mousse of the Barnaut Champagne, Grande Réserve Brut Grand Cru Bouzy is a winner.

Vivid yellow with a strong bead. Nutty apple, pear and orange aromas are deepened by smoky minerals and dried flowers. Fleshy orchard fruit flavors possess chewy texture, medium weight and gentle minerality. This rich wine is a good match for a buttery fish course.   89/100

This is a Champagne for all occasions, from “tea time” to dawn. It can be served as an aperitif, accompany grilled fish and even poultry dishes in sauce. - Characters: small fruits, black currant, cherry, almond roasted, almond, nutty.

Introduction: Picked by hand, with selective screening on the bunch. 2/3Pinot Noir for its personality, its roundness and the typicalterroir character and 1/3 Chardonnay for its freshness and itslasting properties.

The vintage: Assembly of the year and grape variety. The amount of assembled wine is twice the volume bottled, the remaining part is kept in tanks as a base to assemble the next. Thus in time, you will find the "homemade taste" perfectly reproduced that characterizes this wine.

Situation: Grand Cru from terroirs of BOUZY, AMBONNAY et LOUVOIS

Terroir: Bouzy is a village of Grande Montagne de Reims, and more specifically the "Black Coast", because homeland of Pinot Noir. On its slopes, vine grows on chalky soil, with some colluvium (particles from the erosion of other layers), generally on the lower half of the slope.

In the vineyard: Vines grown on the principle of sustainable viticulture, using organic fertilizers, natural weed and other techniques to preserve the best of nature. The old vines are no longer maintained but torn by inter-planting to maintain the diversity of genetic potential.

Winemaking: Picked by hand, with selective screening on the bunch. 2/3Pinot Noir for its personality, its roundness and the typicalterroir character and 1/3 Chardonnay for its freshness and itslasting properties. Stock nearly 4 years. Dosage: 6 grams per litre.

Grapes: CHARDONNAY: 33% PINOT NOIR: 66%

Creamy, lemony, gently nutty - this outshines more expensive grande marque champagnes.

A mildly oxidative nose reflects the age that this cuvée clearly has along with green apple notes that can also be found on the firmly effervescent, indeed almost foamy flavors that are delicious, seductive and offer sneaky length. This could be aged further or drunk now. For my taste, I would be drinking this now and over the next five years.   90/100

Barnaut's Grand Cru Grande Reserve reveals generous notes of apricots, honey, roasted nuts and smoke, showing outstanding persistence and a long, refined finish. This is a farly full-bodied style of champagne that already shows nice tertiary complexity.   90/100

Rich, stylish champagne; brioche and grilled nut flavours.