Devaux - Grande Reserve - Champagne - NV

Devaux has been making Champagne in Bar-sur-Aube since 1846, one of the region's steadier negociant houses and a favorite among sommeliers who want quality without the marquee price tag. Grande Reserve blends 70% Pinot Noir from the Cote des Bar with 30% Chardonnay, backed by about 25% reserve wines aged in oak casks for added depth. It's a house-style Brut built for everyday drinking, not a special-occasion splurge, and it delivers real complexity for the price. Gold in the glass, with floral and stone-fruit aromas of peach and apricot. Full malolactic fermentation gives a smooth, mellow palate, ripe fruit through the mid-palate, and a fine, persistent mousse on the finish.