Champagne La Sentimentale, Blanc de Blancs, 1er Cru Brut by Brisson Lahaye is born from the combination of artisan passion and a contemporary, direct winemaking vision. The estate is based in Tours-sur-Marne, a charming village strategically positioned at the crossroads of the region’s greatest terroirs. Just four hectares of vineyards, divided among areas of exceptional quality. These include the Premier Cru villages of Billy-le-Grand and Vaudemange, located on the Montagne de Reims but linked to the same chalky geological fault as the celebrated Côte des Blancs. This geographical peculiarity presents a considerable logistical challenge during harvest. At the same time, however, it offers the winegrowers an inexhaustible aromatic palette from which to create cuvées with a strong, expressive and at times unpredictable personality. In this case, Chardonnay is the undisputed protagonist, used on its own and grown on south-east-facing hillsides where conditions are ideal for developing a unique combination of citrus freshness and floral elegance. Vinification takes place entirely in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks to preserve the grape’s natural verticality. The true secret of the cuvée, however, lies in the blend. The winegrowers combine 50% wines from the current vintage with a generous 50% of precious reserve wines from previous harvests. After the second fermentation in the bottle, the bottles rest on their lees for two years in the cool galleries of the estate. The process concludes with disgorgement and a targeted Brut dosage of 6 grams per litre, ideal for balancing the vibrant natural acidity. Pale yellow in colour with delicate golden highlights and a fine stream of bubbles, the nose reveals a fresh, refined and distinctly floral profile, where notes of white flowers blend with subtle hints of honey. On the palate, the entry is direct yet enveloping. The sip perfectly combines pronounced finesse with an appealing fruity richness. Persistence is excellent, developing into soft vanilla nuances on the finish that invite a second glass. Try it with scallop carpaccio with citrus fruit or fried fish. Pure pleasure.