Parker über:
Champagne Les Hautes Vignes Premier Cru Extra Brut
Disgorged in December 2025 with a dosage of two grams per liter, the 2018 Les Hautes Vignes Le Mont Benoit is the second rendition of this cuvée, and it soars from the glass with aromas of yellow apple, orange oil and dried apricot, mingled with blanched almonds, honeycomb and freshly baked bread. Medium- to full-bodied, textural and vinous, it is built around ripe but vibrant acidity, uniting the high maturity of the vintage with the chalky signature of the site. Less concentrated and a touch softer than its immediate predecessor, it is nevertheless a lovely wine. Readers will recall that it originates from the uppermost part of the slope, where vines planted in 1962 from massal selections grow in shallow soils comprising barely 30 centimeters of topsoil over chalk. It is an equal blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier.