Laurent Perrier, Vintage, 2015

Here’s what makes this wine a knockout:

It’s 50% Chardonnay from Champagne’s chalk-rich Côte des Blancs - think villages like Avize and Chouilly - and 50% Pinot Noir from Montagne de Reims heavy-hitters like Verzenay and Ay.

These are the parcels that don’t mess around. Chardonnay brings crystalline acidity and citrus purity, while the Pinot adds backbone, plum flesh and a savoury depth.

Seven years on the lees brings all that together with serious style. Expect a lifted nose of candied lemon, blossom and beeswax, followed by flavours of brioche, baked apple, almond and crushed stone.

The mousse is ultra-fine, the finish lingering with a gently nutty edge. This is a Champagne with one foot in the present and the other in the cellar - drink it now for freshness or hold for ten years to watch it grow richer and more complex.