Following a particularly grueling two months at work, we arrived in Hawaii last night. I always take wine with me, and this year it was all champagne. A lot of them were in heavy bottles (e.g.Taittinger Comte), and even a regular champagne bottle is thicker than a normal wine bottle. A case of wine typically weighs in the mid-forties (pounds). Not so champagne. This weighed 57# and almost cost an extra $100 for the excess weight (but would still have been worth it).
Life is good, and we’ll be living and drinking very well this week.
nice vin guard valise
On a side note, when I have taken my big reds to the east coast and most times in Hawaii, the weather was very humid and the wines didn’t taste right. Started hauling white wines and rose all served cold and all were enjoyable. I’m not a champagne drinker but I wonder if they taste different at all to you on very humid days.
What Randy said +1
Nice lineup! That’s doing Hawaii right.
Please share what you think of the Saves if you can at a later date. Not many insights on that cuvee.
What is that bottle in between the Vilmart and Krug?
That is the Camille Saves Jolicoeur, I believe.
Frank,
Great lineup. Perfect for Hawaii.
BTW, we lost our 13 yo sheltie, Dudley, this year. Looked exactly like your avatar. Such a great and sweet dog. Adored my wife and was a real cuddle bear.
Kelly, to you and your wife, I know how this feels. Before the guy in my avatar, we previously had 2 brother shelties, which we lost a year apart. It was a tough sled for my wife and I but we got through it. We now have Shanti, which is a real joy. You’ll miss Dudley, remember the good times, man.
WST, have a good trip. Which Vilmart CdC is that in the photo?
Nathan,
What FM3 said; 2012 Camille Savès Champagne Grand Cru Cuvée Anaïs Jolicoeur. Ugly label, but the wine is nice. I liked the '04; this will be the first '12 I’ve tried.
Cheers,
Warren
Thanks Frank. It’s an '09 Coeur de Cuvée. I haven’t tried one yet, but I seem to be a bigger fan of that vintage in general than most folks.
Partly due to your travelogue, I’ve gone deep with Vilmart. I’ve tracked down a spattering of CdC '99, '01 and '02, and have a pretty good vertical of '06-'10. A full case of the '08, which may be my WOTY. As you’ve mentioned elsewhere, the Grand Cellier d’Or is no slacker, and I have a smidgen of '98, '08, '10, and '12-14 (adequate amounts of the '12 & '14 GCdO). Hopefully we’ll share some one day.
Cheers,
Warren
VinGardeValise…don’t leave home without it. ![[cheers.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/0ff9bfcdb0964982cd3240b6159868fbdf215b1a.gif "cheers"){kind=small}
Vilmart is my high dose love affair. i wonder though…what if Laurent made a cuvee of lower dosage? It does make me curious.
Still waiting on my 14 GCdO pre-arrival, Warren. Be interesting to see your take on that wine, too.
If you ever make it down to LA, look me up. Would love to meet you.
Nice line up of Champagnes! Enjoy.
I feel your pain on the extra cost when your Vin Guarde Valise is over 50#. Most of the time I limit mine to 11 bottles to make sure I don’t have to pay that extra $$.
I was wrong; I packed a 2004 Camille Savès Cuvée Anaïs Jolicoeur, not a 2012. We opened it tonight. This bottle was quite advanced for an '04. Palatable, but not much more. Tomorrow will be '08 Cristal and Krug 164 eme at Merriman’s in Waimea. Those won’t be advanced. Eldercide tonight followed by infanticide tomorrow.
Cheers,
Warren