Bentley Motors Centenary Champagne Bottle - Comtes de Dampierre Champagne, 75cl

Comtes de Dampierre is a small, well-regarded Champagne house whose family has been part of the region for more than seven hundred years, though the house itself was founded only in 1986. This cuvée was made once, as a tailor-made blend for Bentley Motors' centenary in 2019 - and having been produced only for that anniversary, it isn't made any more.

The blend is Pinot Noir-led, 65% Pinot with 35% Chardonnay, drawn from Marne vineyards. It spends two years ageing on its lees and is finished with a low dosage of six grams, which keeps it firmly on the dry, brut side and lets the fruit and the fine bubble show.

In the glass it's a deep gold, with peach, orchard apple and citrus lifted by a toasty, patisserie note from the time on lees. The palate is fresh and mineral, the mousse fine, and the finish long. Serve well chilled, around 8-10°C.