Cellar Favorite:
2020 Champagne Nakada-Park Brut Nature Vignes de Gyé-Sur-Seine

BY NEAL
MARTIN | JANUARY 12, 2026

When I visited
Japanese-born, Gevrey-based winemaker Koji Nakada to taste his Burgundy
portfolio, he mentioned that he also makes limited amounts of Champagne and
presented me with his current releases. Clearly, Nakada’s talents extend beyond
the Côte d’Or. The 2020 Brut Nature Vignes de Gyé-Sur-Seine comes from the
titular slope on sandy/limestone soil in the Côte des Bars. It was vinified and
raised in oak barrels, with a total of 1,700 bottles disgorged in November 2024
and zero dosage. The 2020 comes from the year when, together with “better half”
Jae Hwa, the couple acquired their first parcel of vines, which makes the
quality of this debut all the more impressive. Exceptionally nuanced on the
nose, the 2020 is beautifully defined, subtle at first, then flourishing with
scents of lemon mixed with understated crustacea aromas, faint touches of
blackcurrant leaf in the background. The palate continues in a similar vein,
very nuanced, extremely precise to the point where you could almost describe it
as “dainty,” and yet this cuvée has real complexity and tension. Brut Nature is
not my favourite style of Champagne, but this is an outstanding example with
brightness and harmony throughout. Nearly Zen-like. 94/Drink 2026-2037<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1768233046745-CF_Jan122026.JPG">© 2026, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or redistributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism.

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