We just received a new batch of the 2008 Pierre Moncuit Cuvée Nicole Moncuit Vieilles Vignes, and this parcel is especially compelling as the bottles come from a more recent disgorgement and are priced slightly lower than previously. Pierre Moncuit has long been one of our favorite addresses in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, producing beautiful, pure, terroir-driven Blanc de Blancs, and Cuvée Nicole sits at the very top of the range. Today, Nicole Moncuit and her daughter Valérie carry the estate forward, continuing more than a century of family winemaking with a philosophy that lets the vineyard and vintage dictate the wine rather than forcing each year into the same mold. Cuvée Nicole is their most ambitious expression, made from 100% Grand Cru Chardonnay from the famed Les Chétillons vineyard, including some of the property's oldest vines, at more than 90 years of age. The 2008 vintage is particularly special here, combining the natural tension and longevity of one of Champagne’s great modern years with the depth that comes from old vines and exceptionally long cellar aging. Moncuit holds this cuvée far longer than its other bottlings before release, and this more recent disgorgement gives the wine even more time to build complexity while retaining remarkable freshness. Finished at a very low dosage of around 3 g/L, the 2008 is precise, layered and intensely mineral, with citrus, chalk, white flowers, subtle pastry and a long, saline finish that continues to evolve in the glass. This remains one of Nicole Moncuit's finest wines, and with a newer disgorgement arriving at a slightly better price, it is an especially strong opportunity to buy serious 2008 Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs.