75cl
Champagne Bruno Paillard N.P.U. Nec Plus Ultra 2009 Extra Brut
Vendor code : 1425
Bruno Paillard Nec Plus Ultra 2009 is a vintage prestige cuvée produced in Reims from grapes sourced exclusively from Grand Cru vineyards. The name refers to the idea of the highest possible level of quality — a wine beyond which no further refinement is intended. The cuvée is produced only in exceptional vintages.
Color
White
Fortress
12%
Country
France
Region
Champagne
Producer
Bruno Paillard
Grape
Pinot Meunier; Chardonnay; Pinot Noir
Vintage
2009
Bruno Paillard N.P.U. Nec Plus Ultra 2009 is matured entirely in oak barrels, largely sourced from white Bordeaux, followed by 12 years on lees and a minimum of 18 months of ageing after disgorgement, which took place in November 2022. The wine reflects the house’s approach to extended élevage and post-disgorgement balance, with a restrained dosage of 4.5 g/L. The aromatic profile shows red apple, quince, dried apricot, grapefruit and ginger, alongside acacia blossom and a light touch of buckwheat honey. On the palate, it is medium-bodied and precise, with a tight structure shaped by firm acidity and a soft, layered mousse. The finish is long and chalk-driven. The contrast between the breadth of the bouquet and the more linear, acid-focused palate defines the style of this vintage.
Bruno Paillard presents a focused range of cuvées built around a terroir-driven approach to Champagne. The wines are produced in an Extra Brut style, emphasizing mineral structure, tension and precision. Even the multi-vintage Première Cuvée shows strong ageing potential. Over the years, Bruno Paillard, working across 32 hectares, has established itself among the leading addresses in Champagne. The house relies on a system of reserve wines developed since 1985 using a solera approach, contributing to depth and continuity of style. Born in 1953 into a family of brokers deeply connected to the Champagne trade, Bruno Paillard founded his house in 1981 and quickly gained international recognition despite its modest scale. Operating as a négociant-propriétaire, the estate owns vineyards in 15 villages, including Oger, Le Mesnil, Verzenay and Bouzy. While not certified organic, vineyard work follows many organic principles, with biodynamic practices applied on selected parcels. Wines undergo extended ageing on lees, with limited use of oak (around 20% of production). Only the first-press juice is used, and most cuvées complete malolactic fermentation. The style is defined by clarity, fine mousse and low dosage, combining elegance with a precise, restrained structure. Nec Plus Ultra 2009 remains one of the reference wines of the house.
Reviews from critics
93/100
1 points
95-100
0
90-94
1
85-89
0
80-84
0
75-79
0
0-74
0
Wine Advocate
Matured entirely in barrels—most of them previously employed for white Bordeaux—and disgorged in November 2022 with a dosage of 4.5 grams per liter, Bruno Paillard’s 2009 N.P.U. Nec Plus Ultra reveals a bouquet of red apple, quince, dried apricot, grapefruit and ginger, mingling with acacia blossom and a subtle nuance of buckwheat honey. On the palate, it is medium-bodied, taut and incisive, animated by a pillowy mousse and laden with racy acids, culminating in a long, chalky finish. If one were to identify any shortcoming, it would be a desire for a more harmonious transition between the wine’s luxuriant bouquet and a palate that proves comparatively lean and driven by acidity. I have tasted two bottles of this release, one of which exhibited significantly greater oxidative character than the other—an inconsistency that informs my proposed drinking window. Drink Date: 2025 - 2034.