Vincent Couche Brut Champagne 2002

Couche's 2002 Brut is half-each Pinot and Chardonnay, and all from Buxeuil. A metaphorically - and perhaps somehow also literally - cooling impression is wrought by high-toned mint and tarragon in their alliance on a polished palate with fresh pear, apple and cucumber. This crisp and juicy Champagne salad acquires stimulating piquancy and pungency via apple pip and buckwheat, while a maritime alliance of chalkiness, alkalinity and salinity serves for further intrigue - not to mention saliva inducement - in a nuanced and impressively persistent finish. Score - 91. (David Schildknecht, erobertparker.com, Nov. 2013)