The 2018 Deutz Champagne Brut Millésimé is lovely and one of the best buys for vintage Champagne among the bigger houses. Deutz is an Aÿ-based house and naturally sees a high proportion of pinot noir being from a largely pinot noir village, accompanied by Chardonnay and a small share of Meunier drawn from top Grand and Premier Cru villages. Base wines are fermented in stainless steel with malolactic fermentation, then the cuvée rests around four to five years on lees before a restrained Brut dosage for precision over sweetness. The result is ripe pear and Mirabelle, lemon oil, white flowers, and almond pastry carried by a fine, creamy bead and a clear chalky line that extends the finish. It is already superb at the table, yet has the balance to improve for 5 or so years, making it a high-confidence buy for Champagne fans looking for an excellent vintage example without a big price tag.
James Suckling 93 pts! Fragrant and fresh with green apples and lemon peel, chalky minerality and a whiff of pastry. Elegant attack on the palate with zesty acidity, fine bubbles, light body and a polished finish. Lacks a bit of depth. Drink or hold.
Vinous (Audrey Frick) 92 pts! Perfumed and floral, the 2018 Champagne Millésime displays a bright straw color and is seductive with notes of ripe apricot, bread dough, almond, and mango. Pillowy and medium to full-bodied, it is rounded, fills the palate with its peppery spice accentuated by its pinpoint mousse, and has a clean finish. It will benefit from another year or more cellaring and drinking from 2025-2035. (Drink between 2025 - 2035)
2018 Deutz Champagne Brut Millésimé
2018 Deutz Champagne Brut Millésimé
The 2018 Deutz Champagne Brut Millésimé is lovely and one of the best buys for vintage Champagne among the bigger houses. Deutz is an Aÿ-based house and naturally sees a high proportion of pinot noir being from a largely pinot noir village, accompanied by Chardonnay and a small share of Meunier drawn from top Grand and Premier Cru villages. Base wines are fermented in stainless steel with malolactic fermentation, then the cuvée rests around four to five years on lees before a restrained Brut dosage for precision over sweetness. The result is ripe pear and Mirabelle, lemon oil, white flowers, and almond pastry carried by a fine, creamy bead and a clear chalky line that extends the finish. It is already superb at the table, yet has the balance to improve for 5 or so years, making it a high-confidence buy for Champagne fans looking for an excellent vintage example without a big price tag.
James Suckling 93 pts! Fragrant and fresh with green apples and lemon peel, chalky minerality and a whiff of pastry. Elegant attack on the palate with zesty acidity, fine bubbles, light body and a polished finish. Lacks a bit of depth. Drink or hold.
Vinous (Audrey Frick) 92 pts! Perfumed and floral, the 2018 Champagne Millésime displays a bright straw color and is seductive with notes of ripe apricot, bread dough, almond, and mango. Pillowy and medium to full-bodied, it is rounded, fills the palate with its peppery spice accentuated by its pinpoint mousse, and has a clean finish. It will benefit from another year or more cellaring and drinking from 2025-2035. (Drink between 2025 - 2035)
