Dhondt-Grellet 'Le Bateau' Cramant Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru Extra Brut, Champagne, France 2020

Quite possibly one of the crown jewels of Adrien Dhondt-Grellet's Champagne portfolio, Le Bateau is an extraordinary single-vineyard Blanc de Blancs from old Chardonnay vines planted in 1951 in Cramant Grand Cru. Sourced from a tiny, south-facing parcel with exposed chalk soils, this wine combines the richness and generosity of Cramant with remarkable precision and mineral tension. The 2020 vintage delivers layers of lemon confit, ripe peach, toasted brioche and subtle sesame, leading into a beautifully concentrated palate with vibrant acidity, chalky minerality and an exceptionally long, saline finish. Fermented and aged in oak barrels, with an extraordinarily low dosage, this is powerful yet impeccably balanced Champagne. Produced in extremely limited quantities, Le Bateau is a world-class bottle for serious Champagne collectors.