A firm, fresh Comtes with a tight and composed palate. It’s full-bodied with a racy mid-palate. Long and persistent. Very structured with phenolics and acidity. Minerally. Floral, too. Refreshing and energetic. September 2021 release. Drink or hold.

We served this Champagne during the Connoisseur Week in 2022 also, and the last year has seen it deepen and gather complexity. If you have been holding on to it, I strongly suggest taking another look, as everything has pulled together, with the quince and brioche character more pronounced, along with smoked almonds and bright citrus. A Blanc de Blancs made entirely from Chardonnay grapes sourced from entirely from Grand Cru vineyards in Avize, Chouilly, Cramant, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger and Oger. 9 years on the lees, disgorged April 2021, 9 g/l dosage.

2011 is a year that continues to surprise. Warm and dry conditions from March into May set up an early harvest, but the growing season was cool and wet, dashing grower’s hopes. Despite the dreary summer, however, some lovely wines were made. The Comtes is voluptuous and almost dense, with aromas that blend green apple and nectarine with floral notes and a hint of toast. A slightly lower dosage, fresh acidity, and a touch of bitterness bring balance and length to this wine. Much better than I dared hope.

The 2011 Champagne Blanc de Blancs Comte de Champagne is from all the Grand Crus of the Côte de Blancs except for Oiry. With a kiss of toasted brioche, caramel apple, and a hint of saline, this wine gets more savory as it opens, although it has a bit of greenness. The palate is full, with a fine mousse and a dusty feel of chalk, as well as fresh and pithy citrus. It has a reasonably long finish, although perhaps not up to par for the tête de cuvée. It is drinking well now but is likely best for relatively early drinking. 2022-2033. - Audrey Frick

A minerally version, with smoke and saline notes deftly meshed with flavors of glazed apple, lemon-infused pastry cream and marzipan. This is fine and softly creamy in texture, with lemony acidity providing good definition through to the lightly toasty finish. Elegant. Drink now through 2030. — A.N.

The 2011 Brut Blanc de Blancs Comtes de Champagne has generated a certain amount of controversy in critical circles, with appraisals ranging from the condemnatory to the ecstatic, so I was curious to revisit a bottle with some more time on cork. Since I tasted it last year, the wine has tightened up a little, integrating its dosage and showing more of a structural backbone. Exhibiting aromas of crisp stone fruit, buttery pastry, freshly baked bread and hints of fresh hazelnut, it's medium-bodied, pillowy and racy, with an impressively seamless palate and delicate but penetrating finish. It isn't a powerhouse, but I continue to think that it's a genuine success in a challenging year. - William Kelley