Cuvée des Moines Extra-Brut

With this cuvée, Besserat de Bellefon shows just how precise a low-dosage champagne can be. The blend is 56 per cent Chardonnay and 44 per cent Pinot Noir, and it ages for three years in the cellar. In the glass, the first thing you notice is a fine copper tint. The nose is mineral and elegant, with citrus notes alongside. On the palate the wine is fresh and clearly built, with an appealing, slightly bitter edge and flavours of quince and pear. The finish is complex, invigorating and fine.

Because of the low sweetness, it accompanies food in a very dry, precise way. Good partners are seafood, pan-seared scallops and Asian cuisine. Serve it at 8 to 10 °C. A white wine glass with a bit of belly shows off the minerality and the quince and pear fruit better than a narrow flute.