2016 Champagne Les Beaux Regards Bérêche et Fils

The 2016 Les Beaux Regards (Chardonnay) is a punchy, bold wine. Lemon confit, dried herbs, marzipan, spice, chamomile and a touch of reduction give the Beaux Regards a good deal of nuance. Even so, the 2016 comes across as a bit disjointed and lacking the finesse of the very best editions. Aeration helps, especially with the reductive notes (which I don't find objectionable), so I would either open the 2016 in advance or give it time in bottle. Dosage is 3 grams per liter. Disgorged: February, 2020.

The 2016 Premier Cru Les Beaux Regards opens in the glass with notes of pear, citrus oil, blanched almonds, fresh bread and vanilla pod. Medium-bodied, tangy and chiseled, with chalky structure, Raphaël Bérêche observes that it's richer than Le Cran, which is true enough, though it's certainly also more austere and acid-driven than its 2015 counterpart. It was disgorged in February 2020 with three grams per liter dosage.