2012 Bruno Paillard Assemblage Extra Brut Champagne 750 ml

In 1981, 27-year-old Bruno Paillard quit his job and sold his vintage Jaguar to get seed money that would allow him to pursue a dream he’d had for years: starting his own Champagne house. Working out of a rented cellar in Champagne, with no guaranteed sources for grapes, he nevertheless triumphed, with some of his first releases inspiring critics to invoke comparisons to Bollinger, Krug, and Dom Pérignon. 

His 2012 Assemblage shows the exquisite richness and steely nerve of its ancestors, with finesse and balance that flaunt Paillard’s immense talent and experience. Decanter called it “soft and luxurious,” and “Wonderfully persistent,” awarding it 96 points and a spot on their 2021 Wines of the Year list.

2012 is only the sixth vintage that Paillard has deemed worthy of his Assemblage. No one would’ve guessed it early in the year, when frosts and hailstorms had growers pacing their living rooms. But August brought sunny warmth that lasted well into September, allowing for perfect late-season ripening and rewarding winemakers with “an outstanding but small crop of Pinot Noir, best since 1952,” said Decanter.

Paillard’s 2012 includes 60% of that immaculate Pinot—from the first pressing of eight top crus—paired with 40% Chardonnay. The wine aged nearly eight years on the lees, imbuing it with a creamy density, then was disgorged in 2020. 

After a couple more years in bottle, it’s boundlessly aromatic, with yellow apple and Mirabelle plum accented by notes of pastry dough, toast, almonds, quince paste, and honey. The palate has a laser-focused intensity with tree-fruit flavors underlined by a bright, citrusy acidity and a saline minerality. Stunning now, it still has another 15+ years of evolution ahead of it.