Ulysse Collin Extra Brut BdB Champagne Pierrières (2020, 48m) NV

Not yet reivewed; previous iteration (2019 base) rated 97+ points by Kristaps Karklins (Wine Advocate): "Les Pierrières is the most chiseled and vividly chalky of Ulysse Collin’s mono-cépage bottlings, and this holds true for the new release, though the 2019-based rendition, complemented by 40% reserve wines (mostly from 2018), has a comparatively richer, more muscular personality than previous editions, bearing more resemblance to the 2018-based wine than to the 2016, 2015 or 2014. Disgorged after 48 months on the lees in February 2024, with a dosage of 1.7 grams per liter, the NV Blanc de Blancs Les Pierrières (2019 base) wafts from the glass with a deep bouquet of toasted nuts, pear and notions of smoke. Medium to full-bodied, layered and concentrated, with crystalline purity and ample reserves of chalky extract, it is one of the more complete and balanced releases of this superb cuvée. The textural attack leads into a deep, concentrated mid-palate that is saline and precise. Readers will remember that Les Pierrières comes from an east-facing site in Coteaux du Petit Morin, rich in black flint, with only 30 centimeters of topsoil before the roots reach chalk that’s rich in black flint. Drink: 2025-2039."