2014 Ariston Aspasie Brut Champagne

2014 was the last "cold" vintage in Champagne and age has been very kind to it. There's a real tactile difference between champagne produced pre-2015 and post-2015. Now, the grapes are riper and the acidity is more restrained. The 2014 Ariston Aspasie Brut Champagne harkens back to a bygone era when the acidity was off the charts and the struggle was to ripen the grapes. The 1/3 Chardonnay, 1/3 Pinot Noir, and 1/3 Meunier are sourced from young vines only, which is a key component of Paul-Vincent Ariston's vintage wine philosophy. Vintage champagne must express what nature wrought from a single year and old vines are the opposite of that. A beautifully toasty nose, with notes of bitter almond, caramel, apple, baked pear, and citrus. On the palate, the autolytic character also takes center stage -- toasted baguette, pastry crust, and lees are indicative of Aspasie's extended lees aging, a whopping 11 years and 5 months for the 2014! The young vines produce fresh vibrant fruit and the (last) cold vintage adds zippy acidity to complete the package. A great vintage expression from a house that's been cranking out the bubbly for 232 years.