Winemaker Notes:  Deep gold in colour with amber glints. Delicate froth, lively and intriguing. The first nose reveals vine blossom, linden and fresh, lightly toasted bread. After breathing, aromas of summer berries, citrus fruit, and honey develop. Fine vinous attack on the palate, fruity(redcurrant, raspberry, ripe grape) and full-bodied, generous and long. Light notes of biscuit and freshly baked bread on the finish.

65% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay, 5% Pinot Meunier. First press juice of mainly Grand and Premier Crus grapes from the heart of the Champagne wine-growing area. 20 to 30% of reserve wines are aged in wooden barrels using the solera system to incorporate older wines without losing freshness. Vinified using traditional methods to avoid premature oxidation. Partial malolactic fermentation and reserve wines aged in casks to allow the aromas to develop complexity. Moderate dosage (8 g/litre) to maintain a balance between freshness, fruitiness and vinosity without masking the wine’s character and purity. Aged on the lees in the House’s cellars at a constant temperature of 12°C for three years, far longer than the legal minimum requirement of 15 months.

The name of Royal Réserve goes back to the ancestors of the Philipponnat family, vineyard owners, wine-merchants and winemakers, suppliers to Louis XIV, magistrates and Royal Mayors of Ay.