Emmanuel Lassaigne is making some of the most exciting Champagne out of the “secret garden” that is Montgueux, where Emmanuel’s father Jacques replanted some of the village’s abandoned vineyards in the 1950s. This special bottling takes its name from a poem (of course) and celebrates old vine, south-facing Chardonnay grown on chalky soils and fermented and aged in barrel. Nutty like almond frangipane and rich like pastry cream, but framed by so much more – bruised apple, preserved lemon, grapefruit oil, toasted hazelnuts, chalky minerality, a touch of oxidation, a fine, creamy mousse & a laser beam of precise, searing acid. Perfectly calibrated for maximum pleasure, this wine embraces the leaner, fresher side of Champagne while delivering on the savoury, luscious notes we’ve come to know & love. Fetch the Zaltos & give this a moment to luxuriate in your presence.