Champagne Henri Abelé – Le Sourire de Reims 2007 – Brut

Sparkling wine with a quite developed light to medium golden colour. Very vibrant mousse, but rather tiny fine bubbles. The nose is intense and generous. Quite vinous style here, there is some hints of lees ageing. So it gives a quite creamy impression. Some hints of croissant. Then on top of that there is quite ripe fruit here, in the direction of stone fruit, yellow fruits, some ripe citrus, butter. Quite bold on the palate. So a lush and ripe style here. Well-integrated bubbles giving a quite creamy mid-palate there. Well-integrated with an acidity level which is quite balanced. I mean in terms of freshness it is really well-integrated, but it still feels like a quite ripe tropical side, with a slightly milder acidity. Good integration on the bubbles. Plenty of fruit there. Mostly around those yellow stone fruits. In terms of assemblage, I am not quite sure, but I still have the impression of really ripe Chardonnay and perhaps with an additions with some darker Pinot-like fruit. Good length there, more it starts out on the quite lush and tropical side, but I get more of that sensation of minerality towards the finish. Which is long lasting and persistent, so a fine example indeed. In a quite personal style with plenty of fruit and richness.

Tasted by the Best Sommelier of the World, Andreas Larsson.