Really appreciate Todd putting this together. 14 people, a mix of casual drinkers and some WBers (myself, Andrew Christiansen, Mark Jones and Veronica Castro, who was a rock, still jet lagged from her trip home 2 days prior from Champagne–that’s commitment!). Todd organized things at his home, asking each person to bring one bubbly, which had to be grower/producer (i.e. RM). The opening flight was non-blind, served chilled so the group could socialize. The next flight was served blind, with only Frenchie knowing the bottles that were under the foils. The 8 bottles of this flight were separated into 2 stations within his house, and each taster was given a small slip of paper that had the numbers of “1 -5” on it. We were asked to taste each wine, then rate it, circling the # and dropping it into a small brown bag that was associated to each bottle. Half the group did station #1 and the other half did station #2. Then after about 20 mins, the groups switched stations. Once the tasting was done, the votes were tallied and an average score was created. Todd has the results, perhaps he can post them here.
A really nice evening, with time to taste 15 bubblies–this is the way to share and leverage getting bottles open to explore. Thank you, Todd.
GROWER/PRODUCER BUBBLY EVENT - Todd Frenchie’s Place (8/19/2017)
Served non-blind
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NV Fleury Pere & Fils Champagne Blanc de Noirs Brut - France, Champagne
Has a kind of steely tone to it, with bitter lemon, lime rind and plenty of acidity. Finishes with a saline tone. Leaner styled here, probably not for the Brut palate but I enjoyed it. -
2008 Pascal Redon Champagne Trépail - France, Champagne
Dsgd-10/2015, dosage-6.7 g/l, 95% C/ 5% PN. Bread dough, creamy lime, raspberry?, almond and a mineral finish. -
NV Xavier Leconte Champagne Cuvée Prestige Brut - France, Champagne
Disgd-09/2016, dosage-7 g/l, 60% 2012 base and 40% reserve wine. Tonic water, bread dough, zingy, lemon peel, light complexity. -
NV Paul Bara Grand Rosé - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Have not tasted this wine for a few years, and I notice too the label has been re-designed. This showed creamy, red fruited, licorice and a bitter finishing note. Like the energy of this wine, enjoyed this. -
NV Vilmart & Cie Champagne Grand Cellier Brut - France, Champagne
Disgrd-10/2015, 70% C/30% PN. Lovely. Great depth. Bit of wood on the aromatic, Lemon. Love the weight, creamy lemon peel. This drinks complete and lively and for the cost, I want to look at picking up a few again for the cellar. -
NV Marguet Père et Fils Champagne Grand Cru Shaman 13 Extra Brut Rose - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Dsgrd-03/2016. I have become a fan of Marguet, drinking several bottles of the 12 Shaman, which for value and what’s in the bottle is a real success. Salmon colored, tight strawberry flavors that seemed even a bit sappy. Light complexity, really kind of reminds me of a still wine through the tone the bottle showed. Would like to try another soon to see if my perceptions change.
Served blind
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2012 Marc Hébrart Champagne Extra Brut Noces de Craies Blanc de Noirs - France, Champagne
Served blind. I liked this, although it was a little bigger in tone, i.e perceived dosage. Biscuity, lemon and lime skin, some decadence but it’s in balance. Delicious. -
NV Alexandre Lenique Champagne Cuvée Excellence Brut - France, Champagne
Dsrgd-01/2017, dosage-6 g/l. Served blind. Yellow apple, creamy, lime candy, citrus/orange and zesty. -
NV Christophe Mignon Champagne Brut Nature - France, Champagne
Dsgrd-03/2016, made with 2012 and 2013 as the base. I am also fairly sure this is 0 g/l dosage. Served blind. I had brought this bottle to the event, having purchased 2 of them last year and this was the first time I had opened one. Interesting that this won the event across the 8 blind wines served, especially given the no dosage approach, which I don’t often think appeals to the more modern bubbly palate and the dosage/expressions that are crafted for the mass markets today. This bottle tasted lean, bright, with apple and some yeasty notes. Zesty, with minerality and youthful. I simply loved the energy of this bottle. Terrific. -
NV Perrot-Batteux Champagne Cuvée Helixe Blanc de Blancs - France, Champagne
Dsgrd–11/2016, dosage-8 g/l, 80% 2012, 10% each 2011 and 2010. Served blind. I did not care for this, as it resembled flavors of 7-Up soda. Toast, lemon/lime sweetness. A pass for me. -
NV Pascal Doquet Champagne Grand Cru Diapason Le Mesnil-sur-Oger - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Dsgrd-01/2015, dosage-6 g/l, base of 75% 2007, 21% 2006 and 4% 2005. Served blind. This was Ok, plush with green apple, spicy and a mint note. -
NV Paul Bara Champagne Grand Cru Brut Réserve - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Dsgrd-12/2016. Served blind. Has an aged quality to me, it’s the mental note I made when I first tasted it. Green apple, kind of simple with some honey. I didn’t get this bottle. -
NV Vilmart & Cie Champagne Grande Réserve - France, Champagne
Dsgrd-09/2015, 70% PN/30% Chard. In the past, I have not cared for this cuvee so I stopped buying it. However, like the Grand Cellier we also had during the evening, this too showed well for me. While the dosage seems higher to me than I usually enjoy, I kept wanting to refresh my glass with this one. Zesty, red fruited with a black cherry quality and blood orange. Toasty, too. This was terrific. -
2008 Chartogne-Taillet Champagne Blanc de Blancs Heurtebise - France, Champagne
Dosage-5 g/l. Served blind. This poured frothy. Lemon, yeasty, yellow apple, toasty.
Closing reds
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2003 Turley Petite Syrah Hayne Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley, St. Helena
I opened this at the end of grower/producer bubbly event at Frenchie’s place. I was looking for heat in this and I didn’t find it. Instead in the aromatic is a 5 spice/clove note, I presume from some residual wood? Lots of dark plum and spicy. This had some richness but it didn’t to me come across as over the top. In a pretty good place to drink IMO. -
2009 Windy Oaks Estate Pinot Noir Henry’s Block Schultze Family Vineyard - USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains
Was the final wine I tried at the end of an evening of champagnes. So, make of my note what you like considering my palate may have been fatigued by this point. Something herbal here or light stems? Inside of this too was what I perceived to be some heat, too. Sweet cherry, vanilla, herb and a distinct, persistent sour cherry finish.
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