Pierre Peters Les Chetillons Blanc de Blancs 2011

The 2011 Brut Cuvée Spéciale Les Chétillons is just as impressive today as it was when I tasted it earlier this year. Ample and deep, especially within the context of the year, the 2011 is terrific. There is plenty of depth to the citrus and floral-laced flavors to support at least medium-term aging. There is no question the Chétillons is one of the very best Champagnes of the year. There are no green or herbal notes present today, but I also would not push my luck on aging.

Aromas of crushed chalk, dried white flowers and lemon oil introduce the 2011 Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Les Chétillons Cuvée Speciale, a bright, medium to full-bodied wine that's as pure and incisive as usual, with a delicate but tight-knit core that's structured around a tangy line of acidity, concluding with a precise, searingly mineral finish. It's an elegant, understated vintage of Les Chétillons that will come into its own with five or six years on cork.

The 2011 Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Les Chetillons Cuvée Speciale shows a clear and spicy bouquet with earthy and vegetal notes at the moment. There are also some white nougat and pignon flavors. On the palate, this is a firmly structured, fresh, elegant and, right now, lightly austere Chétillons that should be cellared for a decade, as Rodolphe Péters recommends. The long and mineral finish is very clear, fresh, firm and highly complex. This is a very promising Blanc de Blancs from three plots in Les Chétillons that were fermented separately. By the way, 50% of the wine is kept aside as reserve, while 5,000 to 11,000 "vintaged" bottles are produced from the 2.5 hectares Péters owns in the extraordinary cru whose sélections massales date back to 1981 and 1936. The 2011 Cuvée Speciale is dosed with four grams per liter and was disgorged in January 2018. Tasted at the domaine in April 2018.