Essi Avellan: Deep lemon-gold color. Rich, pronounced nose, with accentuated oaky notes alongside light oxidation and ripe appley character and Sherry-like yeasty notes. Intensely fruity, well-structured palate, with fine acidic backbone. A good example in this style. 16.5

Simon Field: Oaky barley-sugar nose, then a palate that combines piercing acidity (no malolactic here) with authoritative notes of red fruit and semi-tropical fruit. Austerity and oaky indulgence at the same time—a pleasing paradox in its own right. 15.5

Tom Stevenson: An oaky style, with lovely ripe, peachy fruit underneath, which makes it currently Chardonnay-dominated. Not my style of Champagne, but it is a legitimate style. And for those who like oak in their Champagne, this is one that can be recommended—hence it is half a point higher than I would personally score. 17