Veuve Clicquot, Champagne, France, 2002

Complex toasty aromas of apricot pastries, citrus and apple, allied with a mineral aspect. Tasted in magnum, this is now displaying complex layers: umami savouriness and mushroom notes, with a focused seam of acidity and lots of refreshing citrus – grapefruit pith and preserved lemon – plus stone fruit, spice and tart green apple notes weaving through. A velvety texture; great presence and persistence – and still with some life ahead of it.