Deutz : Brut Classic

Generous, mature flavors make this brut substantive. Full-bodied, ripe and complex, with a plush texture and lingering finish. Drink now.

Limpid and refined, defining the elegance and finesse you expect from good Champagne. It's a bit on the sweet side, with a hefty dosage softening the high acidity and rounding off the peach and citrus flavors. Feels almost weightless, all the way through the young, yeasty finish.

Perfumed, floral nose, almost Riesling-like. Great fruit definition on the palate, with a tangerine profile on the mousse.

Very attractive nose of lemon blossom, tarte au citron and lemon curd. Very elegant and delicate with an inner strength that doesn't make this at all loud. I love the interplay of the fine mousse and citrusy fruit on the medium-bodied palate. Long finish with subtle spicy notes. 39% chardonnay, 31% pinot noir and 30% pinot meunier. Based on the 2019 vintage with 53% reserve wine. Drink now.

Pale color. Citrus peel and chalk notes on the nose, along with a rather artificial floral note. Creamy, ripe and easygoing, with a rather full dosage. Soft citrus flavors retain good freshness. I marked this down as it showed an increasingly heavyhanded perfume of room freshener and slightly sour finishing acids as it opened in the glass.

Medium golden yellow, silver reflections, lively fine mousse. Delicate orange zest, white apple, a hint of blossom honey, juicy yellow apple fruit, subtle fruit sweetness, integrated acid structure, mineral, a full-bodied companion at the table.

Bright straw colour with fine and lively bubbles. Elegant nose offering ripe citrus, hazelnut, pale stone fruit and some lees-derived brioche and fresh butter hints. The palate shows good nuance with a balanced dosage, a creamy mid-palate with a combination of riper pinot notes of plum and raspberry with zesty lemongrass and lime leading to a long and pure finish.

The NV Brut Classic is a pretty, entry-level wine. Warm, generous fruit comes together beautifully in this rich, expansive, mid-weight Champagne. The bouquet, texture and purity of the finish are all first-rate. The Brut Classic is equal parts Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. Like all Deutz Champagnes, it undergoes full malolactic fermentation. This is Lot LB1100D0169, disgorged January, 2009. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2014. Importer: Maisons Marques & Domaines USA, Inc., Oakland, CA; tel. (510) 587-2000