Laurent Perrier Ultra Brut

The Ultra Brut or Brut Nature style of champagne is one which there is no sugar in the dosage. My first encounter with a sparkling wine of this style is actually with an Italian sparkler. This is the first Ultra Brut Champagne I tried and so far of the few others I have tried, i still like it best. The occasion was a PWC dinner in 2004, which we had at a friend's place. We wanted to buy some oysters and tried matching Champagne and Chablis with it. The friend offered to cook something and we had everything set. We had worried whether it might a bit austere, but still wanted to have a try at an ultra brut champagne because oysters seemed to need austere minerality. Its elegance surprised us.

Laurent Perrier was well known for its Grand Vin sans Sucre in the 19th Century. Reintroduced in 1980, it is based on grapes from very ripe harvests with high sugar in a low acidity. With a 55:45 mix of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and selected from 15 Premier Cru sites averaging 97% on the Echelles des Crus. It also undergoes 4 years sur latte aging. What of the wine? A light gold with a good number streams of fine to medium bubbles, it had a fruity and slightly yeasty nose. Fruity on the palate with a good creamy mousse, it had plenty of lemony acidity as a backbone to support it through to the finish.