Nicolas Feuillatte 2008 Palmes d'Or Brut Champagne 750ml

Palmes d'Or is Nicolas Feuillatte's own prestige cuvée — the crown jewel of a house with a genuinely collaborative origin story: the brand exists thanks to a shared gamble between Henri MacQuart, founder of the Centre Vinicole de la Champagne; Nicolas Feuillatte himself, a daring businessman; and a group of volunteer winegrowers who together set out to build a brand of excellence. The house is anchored in the heart of the Côte des Blancs, drawing on a remarkable array of crus enhanced by careful blending.

The 2008 vintage is widely regarded as one of the greatest in modern Champagne history — one retailer's own wine buyer, with decades of experience in the category, called it "the best vintage of my entire career in champagne." This bottling is a genuine 50/50 blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, the Chardonnay sourced from Montgueux, a warmer southern microclimate that produces the round, tropical-leaning fruit — coconut, pineapple, and mango notes — that give Palmes d'Or its distinctive exotic character. The wine then aged a full ten years on the lees before release — genuinely rare patience for a Champagne at this level — building the toasted, brioche-driven richness the vintage is known for.

Decanter awarded 97 Points, calling it a "rich oxidative and vinous old-school style of Champagne," "rich with toffee apples, lemon curd on toast, brioche rolls and butter," the palate "just on the edge of Brut, with red apple and baked blueberry flavours," concluding "nothing overdone, nothing overripe, nothing overmature — pure, persistent quality. Delicious!" A separate Decanter review from Yohan Castaing scored the wine 93 Points, describing "a redolent and complex bouquet of citrus, white fruits, orange peel and a touch of smoke." James Suckling scored the wine 95 Points, describing it as "very flinty, with straw and dried goat's-cheese character to the dried apples, honeycomb and some bread dough," "medium to full body with a dense center-palate and creamy texture," with "dried lemon and orange peel notes, together with spice, dust and ginger," calling it "structured and phenolic" — "drink or hold." Wine Spectator scored the wine 93 Points, describing "pretty floral and spice notes on the nose" leading "to ripe golden apple, slivered almond, star fruit and fleur de sel flavors on the palate of this creamy and harmonious Champagne," closing "with a fresh, mineral-laced finish." Nicolas Feuillatte's own winemaker notes describe "aromas of lemon custard, almond, hazelnut, apricot, and brioche," the palate "rich fleshy citrus and orchard fruit, apricot, toasted nuts, pastry crust, and subtle notes of chalk, smoke, and spice." This is genuinely one of the most decorated, perfectly aged vintage Champagnes from a legendary vintage — real collector's Champagne, at the peak of its drinking window.

Origins & Craftsmanship

Nicolas Feuillatte 2008 Palmes d'Or Brut Champagne is produced by Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte, based in Épernay, France, the prestige cuvée of a house built through the collaboration of Henri MacQuart, Nicolas Feuillatte, and a group of volunteer winegrowers. The wine is a 50/50 blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, with the Chardonnay sourced from Montgueux, a warmer southern microclimate producing round, tropical-leaning fruit.

The 2008 Palmes d'Or aged 10 years on the lees before release, from what is widely considered a collector's vintage in Champagne. Presented in a distinctive gift box.

Critics Reviews

Decanter — 97 Points:
"Rich oxidative and vinous old-school style of Champagne. Rich with toffee apples, lemon curd on toast, brioche rolls and butter. The palate is just on the edge of Brut, with red apple and baked blueberry flavours. Nothing overdone, nothing overripe, nothing overmature — pure, persistent quality. Delicious!"

Yohan Castaing, Decanter — 93 Points (separate review):
"Palmes d'Or 2008 shows a redolent and complex bouquet of citrus, white fruits, orange peel and a touch of smoke."

James Suckling — 95 Points:
"Very flinty, with straw and dried goat's-cheese character to the dried apples, honeycomb and some bread dough. Medium to full body with a dense center-palate and creamy texture. Dried lemon and orange peel notes, together with spice, dust and ginger. Structured and phenolic. Drink or hold."

Wine Spectator — 93 Points:
"Pretty floral and spice notes on the nose lead to ripe golden apple, slivered almond, star fruit and fleur de sel flavors on the palate of this creamy and harmonious Champagne. Offers a fresh, mineral-laced finish."

Nicolas Feuillatte (official winemaker's note):
"Golden and translucent with striking amber tones. Wonderfully rich, the bubbles form a lovely stream of effervescence resembling fine pearls. Aromas of fresh white fruits, dried almonds and apricots, and a slight hint of spice. This linear, well-balanced vintage is built for the future. On the palate, the 2008 Palmes d'Or Brut offers notes of red fruit and citrus. The Chardonnay from Montgueux dominating the blend express tropical, fleshy characteristics. This Champagne lingers delivering notes of dried flowers and the gentle touch of gossamer bubbles, while elegantly structured and linear on the finish."

CellarTracker community — 92.5 average (53 reviews)

Tasting Profile

Nose
Golden and translucent with striking amber tones. Toffee apple and lemon curd on toast lead, joined by brioche, butter, dried almond, and apricot, alongside white fruit, orange peel, and a touch of smoke.

Palate
Rich and creamy, on the edge of Brut, with ripe golden apple, slivered almond, and star fruit carrying the entry, developing red apple and baked blueberry, alongside honeycomb, dried lemon and orange peel, and subtle notes of chalk, smoke, and spice.

Finish
Fresh, mineral-laced, and persistent, closing with dried flowers and elegantly structured, linear length.

Quick Overview

Food Pairings

• Sashimi and raw fish
• Blue fin tuna
• Rich, buttery seafood
• Aged, nutty cheeses

Serving Note

At its peak now and ready to drink — genuinely well-suited to special occasions and New Year's celebrations.