Champagne La Borderie L'Arpent Oublie 2019 / Pinot Blanc Brut Nature
Champagne 12.5% ABV ABV La BorderieDinner party winner
Brought this to a friend's dinner party and it was a massive hit. Everyone kept asking about it. Really expressive on the nose and pairs well with basically anything — we had it with a cheese board and then fish and it worked brilliantly with both.
Great find for champagne nerds
If you're into small grower champagnes this is well worth trying. Really restrained and elegant at 12.5% — you could drink this all afternoon without realising. The acidity is spot on and there's a complexity that builds the more you sip. Shared it with my wife and we both loved it.
Proper grown-up champagne
My local wine shop guy recommended this when I said I wanted something a bit different. It's bone dry but not aggressive — there's actual fruit in there which surprised me for a Brut Nature. Really well made stuff, felt like a step up from the usual suspects.
Birthday treat that delivered
Got this for my 40th and wow, really glad I splashed out. Super clean and crisp with none of that harsh acidity you sometimes get with zero dosage champagnes. The bubbles are fine and elegant and it just kept me coming back for more. Honestly one of the best bottles I've opened this year.
Anniversary splurge
Treated ourselves to this for our anniversary and it didn't disappoint. Lovely clean nose, nothing over the top, just confident and fruity. The finish hangs around in a really pleasant way. Not cheap but felt like a proper occasion bottle.
Nice but steep price
Look, at nearly £64 this is competing with some serious champagne and while it's good, I'm not sure it quite justifies the tag. That said the finish goes on forever and it's genuinely interesting to drink. Would probably buy again if it was on offer.
Converted me to Brut Nature
I normally find zero dosage champagnes too austere for my taste but this one changed my mind. There's a lovely depth and balance to it that I wasn't expecting. The fruit comes through clearly without any sweetness to prop it up. La Borderie clearly know what they're doing.
Solid but not blown away
Saw this on a restaurant menu and figured I'd try it. It's decent — clean, precise, well made. But for the money I think I'd rather have a good Blanc de Blancs. Pinot Blanc gives it a slightly different character which is interesting but not really my thing.