I have slaved, seriously slaved for several years.

So, after finding out I passed my final set of WSET Diploma exams, I wanted something worthy for the celebration. Into the fridge popped this bottle.

Named after two vineyards, the Fidèle, Extra Brut was a great choice.

A blanc de noir (Pinot Noir) grown in kimmeridgian soils in the tiny Aube town of Buxières-sur-Arce, southeast of Paris, this wine is produced by Hélène and Bertrand Gautherot on Demeter-certified, biodynamically farmed land. This bottle was disgorged Dec. 23, 2012 and opened August 22, 2014.

This is an exceedingly elegant champagne with a beautiful rich onion skin colour and creamy, long lasting mousse.

It has a heaviness to it – the wine looks heavy and it has a certain veritas – a weight. High acidity, effervescence, and scrumptious, intense aromas and flavours of bakery fresh brioche, quince, pear, baked yellow grapefruit and crushed rocks pervade.

The finish is long and delicious, complex and lingering. WSET ‘Outstanding‘.

Was it worth all those weekends spent cooped up? The Sunday afternoon study groups? The Monday evening tasting groups? The endless mock exams and tasting notes?

Well, we’re off to a good start. There will be more to come. A good first choice for celebrating.