MICHEL FORGERON Lot 92 Grande Champagne THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE 5.0

Nose : rich, powerful. The medicinal (mustard poultice) and camphoric first nose gradually becomes more and more empyreumatic (apricot stone, beeswax) and hot (Espelette pepper). Allowed to breathe, the aroma palette becomes more candied (pear, prune), balsamic (cedar, thuja), exotic (pineapple, flambeed banana) and vegetal (tobacco, lucerne). Iris notes then fragrance the air.

Palate : refined, slender. The very generous attack reveals precise flavours of cocoa, rice powder, vanilla (pod) and cumin. The exotic mid-palate (passion fruit, persimmon, banana) is refreshed with succulent lemon notes. The end of the palate is undeniably balsamic (pine, lime blossom) and heady (honeysuckle, hawthorn).

Overall : long, consistent. At the start of the finish, noble spices (cardamom, nutmeg, clove) get the measure of a wood that forms the backbone of the flavour palette. Oily (olive) and vegetal (pipe tobacco), the end of the finish wavers between flavours of apricot, very ripe banana and nuts (walnut, chestnut). The retro-nasal olfaction and empty glass are both mentholated and empyreumatic (eucalyptus).