Last year rather than brave the craziness of New Years Eve, we decided to try a very informal Open House for a few friends. It worked so well we tried it again this year. Buffet was 5 pounds of Alaskan King Crab legs and rare beef tenderloin sliders with horseradish. But it was all about the Champagne:
Cedric Bouchard Roses de Jeanne Cote de Val Vilaine…Dry, elegant green apple and ripe pear notes with impeccable balance between fruit and acid. 93 points
Jacques Selosse Substance…amazing depth and complexity…color vivid gold with real power and weight on the palate. Tropical fruit notes like kiwi, mango, passion fruit and
broad notes of fresh, sweet, warm brioche…not heavy in the least, substantial with richness, 98 points
2008 Dom Perigean…way too soon for this stud of a wine…big, bold, in your face…tons of structure and acidity…notes of apple core and lemon pith…best Dom I’ve had but only
hinting at future glory. It shared definite similarities with the Cristal…but on this day, the power of the Dom was brooding and it came across as dumb and slumbering. 97 pts
2008 Roederer Cristal…Bright, lively citrus notes galore. Lots of acidity and verve…balance, nuance, intensity…the wine is alive in the mouth shooting stars of lemonhead sweet
and sour notes all over. The longer it was open, the warmer it got; the more it charmed instead of assaulting the tastebuds. 97 points
Cedric Bouchard Roses de Jeanne La Boloree…Disgorgment date April 2016…Like drinking stars…bright, light, ethereal…imagine grand cru burgundy with the tiniest pinprick
bubbles gushing flavors of ripe pear and quince…absolute elegance and weightless brilliance. 96 points
On this day, the power and almost oxidative notes of the Selosse won out…however, the wonder-vintage 08’s will probably rise to the very top of champagne excellence. Buy them if you can still find them and hide them away. They are truly amazing and hard as it is to get the words out…“probably well worth the cost.”