A "grower Champagne" (aka "Farmer Fizz") from the same folks who make our best-selling non-vintage brut, Berthelot's Cuvée du Centenaire is produced only in exceptional vintages, such as 2004. This cuvée is a blend of approximately 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir, grown in grand cru sites in and around Aÿ and in premier cru vineyards in Dizy, with an average vine age of 40 years. For a Champagne produced mostly from Chardonnay, it is unbelievably opulent, with a lush nose redolent of hazelnut, cashew, and fresh-from-the-oven brioche. In the mouth it is surprisingly rich, with flavors that evoke dried fruits such as apricot and white raisin, finishing with a blast of citrus zest. This is frighteningly close in quality to the luxury cuvées issued by the grandes marques but at about half the price and is not to be missed.