Pale gold in colour. On entry there’s a steely floral and sweet smoke note and then an explosion of citrus oil and pale yellow fruits. It thrums with an embrace that gives a sense of so much to come, with good weight behind a svelte and elegant frame. Structured and still so youthful. The 2008 was monumental but this seems to have as much presence. Up there with any of Champagne’s prestige wines. 55% Pinot Noir, 45% Chardonnay. Single vineyard. 35% fermented in oak. Seven years on lees. Dosage: 5.5g/L.

Released in magnums after a few more years of aging in Drappier’s cellars, the 2010 Brut Grande Sendrée Magnum was disgorged with 4.5 grams per liter dosage. Revealing a complex, racy bouquet with aromas of nuts, pastry, ripe pear, honeycomb, spices and crisp orchard fruit, it’s full-bodied, deep and layered with an elegant fleshy core of fruit on the mid-palate and a long, chalk-driven finish. This magnificent rendition of Grande Sendrée was produced in only 1,742 magnums. - Yohan Castaing

Aromas of ginger, dried pineapple, baked apple, nutmeg and toast. Rich and flavorful, with silky bubbles and zippy acidity. Spicy and gently toasty, with a lengthy finish. 55% pinot noir and 45% chardonnay. Unfiltered. Disgorged in April 2022. Drink or hold.

Composed of 55% Pinot Noir and the remainder Chardonnay, about a third of the 2010 Champagne Grande Sendrée was raised in oak barrels. It is fleshy with aromas of buttered brioche, espresso, and apricot, while the palate offers more energy to balance the richness of the wine, with fresh red berries, beeswax, chamomile, and fresh orange, a lovely chalky texture, and a fluffy mousse. Providing a nice balance between opulence and a lifted feel, it is drinking well now and will drink well over the next 15-20 years.

A quietly elegant Champagne, with a lovely soft, laciness to texture, and a minerally underpinning of smoke and saline accents. It displays a creamy mesh of crushed black cherry, grilled nut, kumquat and dried apricot and a refine, subtle finish. Drink now through 2030. 300 cases imported.