Champagne Forest-Marié 1er Cru Millésime 2010 is a vintage Champagne from a family grower based at Trigny in the Montagne de Reims, and it arrives with the toasty, gently nutty character of a wine held back on lees well beyond the usual release. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay share the load, giving a Champagne that is savoury and dry rather than fruit-forward.

Baked apple, lemon curd and dried pear come first, followed by brioche crust, hazelnut and a faint whiff of chalk dust. Air brings out orange peel and something close to honey, though the wine never turns sweet.

The mousse is fine and settled, more cream than fizz, and it carries a firm acid line straight through the middle of the palate. There is real depth of flavour here, with a chalky grip on the finish and a dry, mineral echo that lingers long after the fruit has faded.

Serve it with roast chicken, seared scallops, mushroom risotto or a plate of aged comté and prosciutto. A whole flat fish off the barbecue works beautifully too, and the wine has enough presence to sit through a full meal rather than just the first glass.

The 2010 is drinking well now and should hold comfortably through to around 2030 in good cellaring conditions, gaining more nut and pastry character as the fruit recedes.