2010 Blanc de Blancs La Bolorée

"What would you like to taste?” Cédric Bouchard asks as we descend into his cellar, where the cool temperature provides a much-needed break from a brutal heat wave. “Really, whatever you want,” Bouchard says before picking out the bottles for this remarkable retrospective of what is arguably his flagship Champagne and one of the most distinctive wines in the entire region, the super-rare Pinot Blanc La Bolorée. I also added a few vintages of the equally rare Rosé de Saignée Creux d’Enfer that I tasted on this visit.

Cédric Bouchard remains one of Champagne's most mysterious and reclusive figures, even in Champagne, where he keeps a low profile. In the end, though, the wines speak for themselves, and do so with great eloquence. Readers will note that all of the wines are now labeled under one name, Roses de Jeanne, which makes things a lot easier. Bouchard fans will also note the addition of a new Pinot Noir, Presle, which emerges from a steep hillside parcel planted with 15 different clones. As always, farming rules the day. The wines are done quite simply, all in steel, bottled with less sugar and lower pressure than is the norm and finished with no dosage. Cédric Bouchard is a dreamer, and the world needs dreamers. Readers who can find these Champagnes should not hesitate, as they are magnificent.