Clos des Goisses, Brut, 2012

Riding a wave of interest not seen since 2008, the 2012 vintage established itself as the most exciting of Champagne releases in recent years, with many suggesting that the wines actually possess a refinement and finesse in their youth that even the brilliant, but more austere, 2008s couldn’t muster. As is often the case though, the best years are not necessarily the most generous, and in this instance, Clos des Goisses production was in line with 2011 at just 13,000bts - positively miniscule in the context of prestige cuvees. We have been smitten by its composure, its intensity, and beautifully detailed citrus, floral, berried and velvety, savoury notes since release. Fermented in third-use ex-Meursault barrels and eventually disgorged in April 2021, the 2012 is a fundamentally stunning offering. With a faint grip and sense of power on the finish, this is a single-vineyard Champagne with everything in place to sit alongside the finest expressions in Philipponnat’s long and fabled history.