Dehours Champagne ‘Les Vignes de la Vallee’ Brut

From the back label (thanks to Dehours for all of the info!):
70% 2012 vintage, 30% reserve wine
Majority Pinot Meunier with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
Dosage 6.7 grams/litre, alcohol 12%
Bottled June 2013, disgorged October 2017

Medium gold color. Good substantial pinpoint mousse. The aromas feature yeast first, cactus flower next, seckel pear and hints of Ranier cherry. The palate is lovely and rich, fine mouthfeel, lushly ripe fruit emphasizes the pear notes as the flowers and cherry go to the background.
This is a fine Champagne, I would say fully mature if you like plenty of bubbles. It is a little softer than I would like. Even though the dosage is fairly low for Brut, the softness of Meunier and the relatively low acid put this on the border of cloying. I would love to try it with a lower or even zero dosage. Rated 91, drink up.

Dan Kravitz

3 Likes