POMMERY TASTING AT MAPLE AND ASH - Maple and Ash Chicago, Illinois (5/4/2019)
Late decision to attend a little Pommery tasting. While the name is very familiar, I haven’t had much exposure, so it was definitely a no-brainer to have a free exposure to wines that descend from one of the great champagne widows of the 19th century; a woman that created the dry style craved by the English that made champagne what it is today.
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NV Pommery Champagne Brut Apanage - France, Champagne
The first of five Pommery champagnes and one California Pommery sparkler at an impromptu Mavens tasting. It’s about 65 % chardonnay. All were characterized by dryness and elegance and I found this one to be particularly in my taste wheelhouse. Also a decent value.
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NV Pommery Champagne Blanc de Blancs - France, Champagne
Wine #2 at Mavens: I believe this bottle actually has a white label. This one 100 % chardonnay and, compared with the Apanage, more citrus, and tart. At first I preferred, but then switched upon a second go-round. Honestly both are quite good.
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NV Pommery Champagne Brut Rosé Royal - France, Champagne
Pommery’s rose champagnes are among the palest imaginable, this one slightly pinker than the almost colorless Rose Brut Apanage. An equally weighted blend of the three grapes, slightly fruitier as a result, but not overly so. Elegance to the fore again.
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2002 Pommery Champagne Cuvée Louise Brut - France, Champagne
Well now, here is something. All the grapes in this from Grand Cru vineyards, 60 % chardonnay and 40 % pinot noir. That combination with the age set this wine apart. The age is apparent on the less aggressive, more-rounded, almost earthy quality. Restrained elegance.
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NV Pommery Champagne Brut Apanage Rosé - France, Champagne
This wine you look at and believe the wrong label was put on the bottle. The rose color is so faint as to be almost imperceptible. Compared with the blanc Apanage, a greater proportion of pinot noir, which provided a lovely nose and a somewhat juicier palate. If I am going solely on value for money I would go with the blanc Apanage but I would allow this to grace my table also.
I should add that festivities began with a Californian Louis Pommery Brut, which I didn’t include as the wine had not been yet created in CellarTracker. The first harvest was 2015. It was excellent and I would say a good alternative to the Californian Roederer wines.
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