Thanks to Xiao P for sourcing this rare find from Taiwan & the nice photos!

Georges Laval 'Les Meuniers de la Butte' Cumieres 1er Cru Brut Nature Champagne (750ml)

A one-off cuvee from 2006 vintage to commemorate the final harvest from a parcel of old vine meunier before replanting.

- 100% Pinot Meunier from a single parcel ' Les Chenes de la Butte' (1er Cru Cumieres).

- organic viticulture; no chaptalization; first fermentation in oak barrels with indigenous yeasts;

no fining, no filtering, no cold-stabilization; no dosage.

- A tiny production of 885 bottles. Disgorged in May, 2009

Tasted twice

(A bottle tasted in Dec., 2012 showed windfall ripeness. Comments reserved.)

Another bottle tasted in Mar., 2013 was more energetic & vivid. Herewith the notes.

Served upon uncorking.

Straw yellow. Vigorous effervescence of central beams.

Assorted peppers & dusty mineral dominate the bouquet, with nuance of sea breeze.

On the attack & mid palate, demanding, almost severe expression of peppery minerality -- serious stuff of soil-driven character. Vinous, supple fruit rounds off the finish.

With aeration & as it gradually warms up, a lovely tone of green olive pervades the bouquet & palate, accompanied by supple ripeness of apple & nectarine. Refined and complete.

This thrives on character rather than complexity. Impressive as it is, I suspect it would have been more vividly expressive, had it been consumed, say, two years earlier...