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PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
The Côte des Bar, in the southern end of Champagne, is Pinot Noir country, but the area is increasingly appreciated for Chardonnay, too, as its soils are, “at a glance, nearly identical to those you find in Chablis, rocky, Kimmeridgian, and Portlandian clay and limestone.” Davy Dosnon, a young grower in Avirey-Lingey, is a Burgundy enthusiast who makes a small Blanc de Blancs, Récolte Blanche, that his importer describes as “broad and rich in texture but with a pinpoint minerality that more than references Chablis with bubbles.” As his partner Nicolas Laugerotte puts it, “My wine is a great wine with bubbles, rather than bubbles with some wine.”
It’s 100% Chardonnay, from vines about 25 years old, on Kimmeridgian limestone at 250 meters, farmed sustainably. The grapes are hand-harvested and pressed manually, and the base wine ferments in used 228-liter Puligny-Montrachet barrels, second and third fill, so it picks up texture and a gentle nuttiness, not a heavy oak flavor. About 30% of the blend is reserve wine aged in barrel, and the Champagne spends at least two years on its lees before release, with a dosage of 5 g/L. It’s 12% ABV.
Critics have scored it consistently in the 90s. Wilfred Wong of Wine.com scored it 94: “The Champagne Dosnon Récolte Blanche Brut is compelling, complex, and lasting. This wine excels with aromas and flavors of slight nuttiness, stones-in-the-desert, chalk, and dried earth.” Wine Spectator scored it 92, the International Wine Cellar 92, and the Wine Advocate 91. Dan Dawson’s Wine Advisor scored it 89: “Unsweetened apple sauce, lemon zest and quince paste, classic for Blanc de Blancs Champagne, is here in spades. Less chalky than Blanc de Blancs from the Côtes des Blancs... rich, textured mouthfeel and a 25 second long soft, creamy finish.” A French forum taster called it “a Puligny-Montrachet with bubbles,” with “buttery notes, almonds, all superbly supported by the barrel aging,” and another noted “delicate floral aromas, and on the palate great elegance, with buttery, brioche notes lifted by a train of very fine bubbles.”
It’s a rich, mineral, savory blanc de blancs that sits between the sharp, chalky Champagnes of the Côte des Blancs and a white Burgundy, a bottle for people who love Chablis, Meursault, and complex sparkling wines, and a good-value alternative to the famous houses. Serve it at about 8-10°C in a white wine glass, with oysters, grilled pork chops, mushroom risotto, scallops, and roast chicken.
Dosnon Récolte Blanche Brut is produced by Champagne Dosnon (Davy Dosnon) in Avirey-Lingey, Côte des Bar, Champagne, France, from 100% Chardonnay grown on Kimmeridgian limestone at 250 meters. Hand-harvested, manually pressed, fermented in used 228L Puligny-Montrachet barrels, with about 30% reserve wine aged in barrel, at least two years on the lees. Dosage 5 g/L. 12% ABV, 750ml.
Wilfred Wong, Wine.com — 94 Points:
“The Champagne Dosnon Récolte Blanche Brut is compelling, complex, and lasting. This wine excels with aromas and flavors of slight nuttiness, stones-in-the-desert, chalk, and dried earth.”
Wine Spectator — 92 Points · International Wine Cellar — 92 Points · Wine Advocate — 91 Points (as listed by the importer)
Dan Dawson’s Wine Advisor — 89 Points:
“Unsweetened apple sauce, lemon zest and quince paste, classic for Blanc de Blancs Champagne, is here in spades. Less chalky than Blanc de Blancs from the Côtes des Blancs. Rich, textured mouthfeel and a 25 second long soft, creamy finish.”
Importer (tasting note):
“Davy Dosnon is a fan of Chardonnay and makes a small (in volume) Blanc des Blancs cuvée that is broad and rich in texture but with a pinpoint minerality that more than references Chablis with bubbles.”
Nose
Delicate floral notes, apple, lemon zest, quince, and chalk, with slight nuttiness and a hint of dried earth.
Palate
Broad, rich, and creamy, with buttery brioche, almond, apple sauce, and a pinpoint mineral line, with fine bubbles.
Finish
Long, soft, and creamy, with lemon zest and chalk.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Style | Non-Vintage Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne |
| Grape | 100% Chardonnay |
| Vineyards | Avirey-Lingey, Côte des Bar; Kimmeridgian limestone; 250 m; ~25-year-old vines |
| Winemaking | Used Puligny-Montrachet barrels; ~30% reserve wine; 2+ years on lees |
| Dosage | 5 g/L |
| Producer | Champagne Dosnon — Davy Dosnon |
| ABV | 12% |
| Critics | Wilfred Wong 94 · Wine Spectator 92 · International Wine Cellar 92 · Wine Advocate 91 · Dawson 89 |
| Serving Temperature | 8–10°C |
| Style / Identity | A rich, mineral, barrel-textured grower Blanc de Blancs, “Chablis with bubbles” |
| Aromas & Flavors | Apple, lemon zest, quince, chalk, nuts, butter, almond |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
Serve at about 8-10°C in a white wine glass rather than a flute.
Bottle Size: All bottles are 750ML/700ML unless otherwise noted.
21 and Over: Adult Signature Required
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