Lacy in texture, this leesy version offers notes of pastry cream, bread dough, oyster shell and poached apricot, layered with sleek acidity and a chalky underpinning. A rich but balanced style. Disgorged July 2018. Drink now through 2022.

The NV Brut Tradition is creamy, supple and inviting, all qualities that make it an excellent choice for drinking now and over the next few years. Dried flowers, chamomile, mint, pastry and orchard fruit, along with more exotic overtones, give the Tradition its distinctive personality. The current release is based on the 2010 vintage. Dosage is 8 grams per liter. Disgorged: January 2015.

Disgorged in May 2019, the latest release of Chiquet's supremely dependable NV Brut Premier Cru Tradition reveals an inviting bouquet of crisp yellow orchard fruit, fresh peach, honeycomb, Meyer lemon and warm biscuits. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, fleshy and charming, with a youthfully frothy but refined mousse, a succulent core of fruit and ripe but racy balancing acids. It's already drinking well.

Gaston Chiquet's nonvintage offering features a toastiness that testifies to its bottle aging. Along with that feeling of richness, it also contains balanced acidity. Full, crisp and lively, the fresh and fruity aftertaste is delicious.