Devaux : Cuvée D

(60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay; 8 g/l dosage): Bright yellow-gold. Ripe orange, poached pear and vanilla on the deeply perfumed nose. Fleshy and open-knit, offering pliant orchard and pit fruit flavors braced and lifted by juicy acidity. At once rich and lively, with the vanilla note repeating on the smooth, toasty finish. Just over one-third of this blend is barrel-fermented reserve wine.

Notes of both Golden Delicious and Granny Smith apples fill the nose with their respective ripeness and freshness. The palate is slender, almost delicate, and vivid with the fresher rather than the riper apple notes. The mousse is fine and lively, supporting and underlining the fruit-driven yet elegant style of this wine. The wood influence is beyond subtle and beautifully handled. An ideal, understated and refreshing aperitif. A.K.

Behind a golden-yellow hue, the nose opens with notes of dried fruits, biscuits and cereals. The palate is generous, dominated by black grapes. The flavours are quite powerful, with a pâtissier character. We find the bubbles a bit intrusive, but in terms of complexity, the woody notes and reserve wines add further depth thanks to this gentle oxidation.

This is the nonvintage cuvée from this cooperative based in the Aube region. It is rich, with ripe white fruits and plenty of textured acidity. A core of tightness keeps the Champagne in good shape. Drink now.