Philipponnat Champagne Champagne Extra Brut Clos des Goisses Extra Brut LV 1997

25 years after vintage, disgorged at the same time as the (not dissimilar in spirit) 2013, and at this point you can expect a slight softening in the pressure of the mousse, and a whole heap of extra truffle, creme patisserie, brioche and wax flavours. After so long on the lees, you might also get a touch of marmite reduction at first, so I would give it a short carafe before drinking – basically just decant for 5 minutes and then straight out into your glass. As it opens, you get waves of aromatic herbs, angelica-liqourice, touch of honeysuckle, frangipane, soot, cold ash, grilled almond, even rancio oxidative notes on the finish. An October harvest which is extremely late for Champagne, this has decades ahead of it. Today’s winemaker Thierry Garnier was already there, but chef de cave was Norbert Thiebert.