NV Collard Picard Cuvee Prestige
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Tasting Notes
Founded in 1996, Olivier Collard and Caroline Picard brought together vines from their families in the Marne Valley and Côte des Blancs to form their own House. Collard Picard’s Cuvée Prestige is a blend of 50% Chardonnay, 25% Pinot Noir and 25% Pinot Meunier. The Chardonnay mainly comes from top Grand Cru sites in Mesnil-sur-Oger and Oger, while the Pinot fruit is from the right bank of the Marne Valley. The blend is over 70% reserve wines. The latest iteration is a blend of 10 vintages, stretching back to 2008. Combining oak maturation (12-15 months) and around four years on lees, the resulting wine is rich and decadent. It has delightful lemon drizzle cake and vanilla aromas along with a hint of freshly baked croissant. The Champagne has a fine, beaded mousse with red apple flesh and apple skin, a touch of baking spice, brioche, citrus and berry fruit notes. It is refreshing yet concentrated, with great acidity lifting the mid-palate richness. The Champagne still feels young and this will undoubtedly develop beautifully in bottle. It finishes with lovely depth, balance and length.
Critic Scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
James Suckling
More reviews and scores
Aromas of mushrooms, crushed stones, cooked apples and almonds follow through to a full body with layers of fruit and medium bubbles that are nicely framed in this delicious Champagne. Dosage 4g/L. Disgorged in February 2022. Drink now.
An eight-vintage blend starting with 2008 and going to 2015, with 65% being reserve wine plus a touch of solera-aged wine. Fermentation is in 72-hl oak casks, and the wines are kept on the fine lees for 12–15 months. 50% Chardonnay mostly from grand cru vineyards (Le Mesnil sur Oger and Oger), 25% Pinot Noir and 25% Pinot Meunier from the right bank of the Marne Valley (between Épernay and Dormans). Disgorged 3 June 2019. Quite a bit of evolution on the nose. Tense and well balanced with real creamy character. Love the tight bead. Really appetising and energetic. Refined. Nicely assembled. Bravo. No desperate hurry to drink this.
About the producer
A small, independent grower estate, Collard-Picard farms 16 hectares of vines in the Marne Valley and Côte des Blancs. The resulting Champagnes – notable in particular for the use of oak – are impressive, and a source of excellent value.