2018 Champagne Christophe Baron Le Dessus Du Bois Marie Brut Nature | Crouttes-Sur-Marne Champagne, France 1.5L MAGNUM

With Pinot Meunier fruit harvested from old vines, tiny yields and a minimalist approach in the cellar, Champagne Christophe Baron creates wines of great depth, high complexity and intense minerality. The style is vinous, dry and gastronomic. No dosage is added, which allows the terroir to shine through.
Each parcel is vinified individually, and the wine crafting is as naturally non-interventionist as possible. Both the alcoholic and malolactic fermentations are carried out with indigenous yeast, in a mix of demi-muids and barrels. The wines are neither fined or filtered, are disgorged with no dosage and are bottled only in magnums.
This dedication to purity and craft yields serious Champagnes that are highly singular and energetic. The wines offer a remarkable combination of power, structure and transparency, and a creamy finish adds further complexity.
As a result the Champagnes created are intensely soil-expressive and strikingly original in personality, with vibrant balance and intensity. Disgorged 2022. | Christophe Baron

This is attractive, with white nectarines, raw almonds, lily-of-the-valley, pastry crust and candied lemon zest. Dry, broad and chalky on the palate with tension and crunchy acidity cutting through. Fresh and dynamic with a vivid lingering finish. | 96 points, James Suckling

...another intriguing Champagne from Christophe Baron. Rich and vinous, with slightly burly contours, the 2018 has plenty of depth. There is a bit of roughness, especially compared to the other wines in the range. It will be interesting to see if some of the youthful austerity softens over time. I suggest opening this well in advance. This wine and the magnum format can definitely handle it. | 93 points, Antonio Galloni for Vinous

The 100% Pinot Meunier Champagne shows off a beautiful honey color in the glass. Shades of salted oily Brazil nut, quince, nectarine skin and fresh guava all fill the nose. The palate is big and bold, showing off serious weight from the heat of the vintage... [a] very seamless Champagne that shows both power and beautiful tension. The salty tones, viscosity and underlying finesse really make this check all the boxes. Just wait for the exceedingly long finish in this masterclass by Christoph Baron... | 97 points, Owen Bargreen for owenbargreen.com

Champagne always tastes better in magnum. | Ernest Hemingway