This is 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay from 40-year-old vines in Ambonnay. The Egly family select the grapes for this wine at harvest and raise the wine completely in barrel. There was only 1 g/L dosage. It is a seductive, layered, powerful expression of Ambonnay, and, as with the Blanc de Noirs, it undoubtedly represents one of Champagne’s greatest wines. 2015 was a wonderful year for Egly-Ouriet, and the result is a strikingly beautiful wine with floral notes, great energy and tremendous finesse. In a word, breathtaking. Yes, it is now getting up there in price, but we also need to consider not only the otherworldly quality but also the length of time these wines are being held in the cellar. This wine is an essay in perfection, and when compared to the prices of wines like Clos d’Ambonnay or many a Grand Cru Burgundy released two years after the harvest, the price starts to take on more context.

Château Mouton Rothschild is the work of one man, the legendary Baron Philippe, who is solely responsible for this giant of Bordeaux. Taking charge in 1923 until his death in 1988, he created something the world will always be in debt for. He also started the tradition of getting an artist to design a label for every vintage, a tradition that continues to this day. In 2009, the wine almost transcends perfection. A quite low alcohol percentage given the ripeness of the fruit, the bouquet is reminiscent of cigar box and graphite with violets and cassis playing a part. The palate is both restrained and concentrated, a impressive result indeed. The structure of the wine is hidden somewhat by the exuberant fruit, yet it is that structure that will see this extraordinary wine cellar for the good part of half a century!

While the estate known as Chateau Haut-Bailly dates back to 1461, its wine production began in 1530, falling into the hands of the de Leuvarde and Le Bailly families in 1630. It was purchased in 1998 by Robert G Wilmers, a Harvard-educated banker, and his French wife Elisabeth and under their care, the estate has begun producing some of the best wines in its history. The cellars and production procedures were renovated and modernised and this year, the Chateau itself was awarded government recognition of its cultural and vinious heritage.