Barnaut Blanc de Noirs Brut
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Wine &
Spirits - Vinous
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Robert
Parker -
Wine
Enthusiast
Product Details
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Winemaker Notes
Philippe first made this wine in 1995 and quickly gained a reputation for burnishing the finesse in what is, given the grape and the terroir, an innately large-scale wine. His rendition stands in contrast to the single vineyard Blanc de Noirs made by his friend Francis Egly of Egly-Ouriet in Ambonnay, a contemporary who is also well known for this class of wine but whose style emphasizes the power and weight of the area's Pinot Noir.
Professional Ratings
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Wine & Spirits
This pinot noir goes through malolactic conversion, and, though that may soften it a bit, the wine still comes across as tense and dynamic. Its big structure is filled with the power of pinot noir, with racy bubbles and a bright, airy finish.
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Vinous
Emerging from the Grand Cru village of Bouzy, the NV Brut Blanc de Noirs offers notable textural resonance and breadth. Kirsch, plum, white flowers and spice build in a creamy, open-knit Champagne that will drink well with minimal cellaring. There's real Pinot character and breadth here. Dosage is 6 grams per liter.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Disgorged in September 2019, Barnaut's NV Brut Blanc de Noirs Grand Cru reveals aromas of smoky pear, waxy citrus rind and toasted bread. Medium to full-bodied, with a fleshy core of fruit, lively acids and a youthfully frothy mousse, it's a touch less concentrated than the 2017 disgorgement, but it's a pretty Blanc de Noirs.
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Wine Enthusiast
The Champagne has softness and ripe white fruits. It is full of soft acidity with berry flavors and lightly structured from the Pinot Noir in the blend.
A term typically reserved for Champagne and Sparkling Wines, non-vintage or simply “NV” on a label indicates a blend of finished wines from different vintages (years of harvest). To make non-vintage Champagne, typically the current year’s harvest (in other words, the current vintage) forms the base of the blend. Finished wines from previous years, called “vins de reserve” are blended in at approximately 10-50% of the total volume in order to achieve the flavor, complexity, body and acidity for the desired house style. A tiny proportion of Champagnes are made from a single vintage.
There are also some very large production still wines that may not claim one particular vintage. This would be at the discretion of the winemaker’s goals for character of the final wine.
Associated with luxury, celebration, and romance, the region, Champagne, is home to the world’s most prized sparkling wine. In order to bear the label, ‘Champagne’, a sparkling wine must originate from this northeastern region of France—called Champagne—and adhere to strict quality standards. Made up of the three towns Reims, Épernay, and Aÿ, it was here that the traditional method of sparkling wine production was both invented and perfected, birthing a winemaking technique as well as a flavor profile that is now emulated worldwide.
Well-drained, limestone and chalky soil defines much of the region, which lend a mineral component to its wines. Champagne’s cold, continental climate promotes ample acidity in its grapes but weather differences from year to year can create significant variation between vintages. While vintage Champagnes are produced in exceptional years, non-vintage cuvées are produced annually from a blend of several years in order to produce Champagnes that maintain a consistent house style.
With nearly negligible exceptions, . These can be blended together or bottled as individual varietal Champagnes, depending on the final style of wine desired. Chardonnay, the only white variety, contributes freshness, elegance, lively acidity and notes of citrus, orchard fruit and white flowers. Pinot Noir and its relative Pinot Meunier, provide the backbone to many blends, adding structure, body and supple red fruit flavors. Wines with a large proportion of Pinot Meunier will be ready to drink earlier, while Pinot Noir contributes to longevity. Whether it is white or rosé, most Champagne is made from a blend of red and white grapes—and uniquely, rosé is often produce by blending together red and white wine. A Champagne made exclusively from Chardonnay will be labeled as ‘blanc de blancs,’ while ones comprised of only red grapes are called ‘blanc de noirs.’