Philipponnat Clos des Goisses 2013

Surpassing even the 2012 and 2008, Philipponnat's 2013 Extra-Brut Clos des Goisses looks to be the finest vintage of this cuvée in several decades, at least on first acquaintance. Deriving from only the six core parcels out of the 13 that make up the Clos des Goisses, it's a striking wine, evoking aromas of crisp yellow orchard fruit, Anjou pear, clear honey, bee pollen, stone fruit and iodine. Full-bodied, layered and vinous, its textural attack segues into a deep, concentrated and tightly wound mid-palate that's girdled by racy acids and chalky structure, before concluding with a long, saline finish. Why is it quite so good? It would appear that 2013 was the perfect storm: an early-ripening terroir in a cool, late vintage; moderately yielding Burgundian selections of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that attained full maturity; and a willingness to make a strict selection have all come together to deliver a profound Clos des Goisses.

Tasting this a year later alongside the new release of 2014, the 2013 Champagne Clos des Goisses Extra Brut seems to be coming into its own. Composed of 85% Pinot Noir and the rest Chardonnay, and pouring a rich straw/copper hue, it’s starting to show lovely, layered aromatics as it unfolds with scents of red berries, currant, toasted croissant, frangipane, and orgeat. Full-bodied, assertive, and long on the palate, it has driving, assertive energy with fantastic concentration and acidity. Though it has broad shoulders, it remains in check with itself and offers a long, fantastic finish. It has great structure and an angular feel, with notes of Meyer lemon preserves and orange rind, and delivers wonderful energy throughout. This can hold up through a meal of sweetbreads or other rich fare. 10,723 bottles were produced. Drink 2024-2055. Disgorged in March 2022, with 4.5 grams per liter dosage.

A blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, the 2013 Clos des Goisses needs a little patience to allow ripe apple, candied ginger, and mandarin peel scents to emerge, followed by a toasty undercurrent and nuances of oyster shell and jasmine. The palate has exquisitely fine bubbles and electric, spine-tingling tension, with bags of subtle savory, toasty and citrusy flavors, finishing long and chalky.

A finely cut vinous gem, the Philipponnat Clos des Goisses 2013 Extra Brut is imbued with exceptional finesse owing to the cooler, and later 2013 vintage conditions that allowed a smaller than usual crop from an already low-yielding, old vines Clos to ripen slowly and gain tremendous depth and fruit intensity. The final blend of 85% Pinot Noir and 15% Chardonnay has a little more Pinot Noir than usual for the Clos cuvée, and a higher than normal 50% was fermented in oak barrel with no malolactic fermentation. With more than a year of post-disgorgement bottle age at the time of tasting, this 2013 shows gorgeous, honeyed aromas that twine around dense stone fruit, pomegranate, butter pastry and lemon oil with an ephemeral chalky note. The full-bodied, similarly honeyed palate is luminous with supple freshness and satiny acid intensity that seamlessly glides through layers of red fruit on to a very crisp, chalk-laced finish. Exceptional. Disgorged in March 2022, it was finished Extra Brut with a 4.5 gram per liter dosage.