Gaston Chiquet Champagne Brut Cuvée de Réserve 1er Cru

Gaston Chiquet Champagne Brut Cuvée de Réserve 1er Cru is a dry Champagne that expresses honeyed yellow orchard fruit, white peach, gingerbread, and oyster shell. It is medium to full-bodied with a layered center, pinpoint mousse of bubbles, and a precise, saline finish.

All of the fruit comes from single vineyards, and the grapes are all premier cru certified. Oak aging is not employed, because Nicolas Chiquet believes concentrated fruit, mature fruit, and malolactic fermentation together impart enough texture and body–thus barrel aging is not necessary.

Food Pairing: caviar, shellfish, lobster, crab, soft cheeses, potato chips, and fried chicken or seafood.