TN: 2015 Marie Courtin - "Presence" (France, Champagne)

2015 Marie Courtin Champagne Presence - France, Champagne (7/26/2021)
– popped and poured –
– tasted non-blind over 3.5 hours –
– 2/3 Chardonnay, 1/3 Pinot Blanc –
– code etched on bottle: LP15 D0119ND –

NOSE: moderately rich and vinous; chalky/mineral; light, crisp, and a bit leafy/green all at once; Chard. aromatics that lean towards the lighter end of the spectrum — perhaps from the Pinot Blanc?

BODY: rich, golden yellow color; light to medium-light bodied.

TASTE: very dry; nice front palate richness of fruit, dissipating as it moves to the rear palate; steely; very interesting; light Sweet Tarts flavor at the 2.75 hrs mark; Ashley and I both liked it, but she re-buys at $40, and me at $55, so not a re-buy at $80. In the end, very good to low-level excellent, but not exciting.

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…which just about sums up my general feelings about Marie Courtin at this stage, despite a much more promising start over ten years ago.

The first couple I had were superlative. Since then, it’s been more variable. I’ll keep buying, but selectively.

I had this wine and loved it, but it was out of Masters cups on a golf course. Maybe not the best tasting environment? champagne.gif

16 Eloquence for us last week. Curious wine. All fun upfront then mean on the finish.

Graf, thank you for the note above. I know that some of my enthusiasm rubbed off onto your credit card with Marie Courtin so I apologize now and in advance for any of that damage.

I personally like 2015 Presence a lot. I’ve pasted my note below from the last time I opened one, which was late 2020. I perhaps am more enthused about the wine than some but I overall think the world of Dominique Moreau’s wines. Even the 2017 Presence, which I initially didn’t think was all that exciting, it improved a lot with air.

I’ve begun to have a POV about the way to think about and enjoy zero dosage Champagne, and that the presence of both chill and lack of air seems to throttle this style down, but when I let the temperature warm on the wine and the air do its thing, I have found on repeated occasions that zero dosage transforms.

Russell is out ahead of me on the 2016 Eloquence. I have mine ordered. In fact, I bought 18 bottles across the Marie Courtin range when Lopa offered it earlier this year. I want to support the wines, her farming approach and commitment, but I have yet to taste the 2016 Eloquence. I poured the 2015 blind several months ago (several guys who post around here tasted it) and some liked it, others thought it was kinda lean. I dig the style, a lot.

  • 2015 Marie Courtin Champagne Presence - France, Champagne (10/8/2020)
    Bottle #5 since release. Like all of the previous bottles, this has the same May 2018 disgorgement date. 70% Chard, 30% Pinot Blanc, no dosage, farmed biodynamic. Opened this yesterday, we finished about 1/2 of it. The wine was impressive yesterday, with a clean, lemony core, along with some apple and melon. Towards the end of yesterday’s final glass, some fennel seemed to add a spicy note to the finish. Sealed overnight with a champagne stopper, the bubbles held up just fine for retasting today. This wine is simply sensational. The texture on this has a depth and density, yet no dosage? Amazing. Then, a precision and cut from the acidity, and when it all marries together,. this wine is just world class. Very similar flavor to yesterday, but the mint flavor shows up today, with the lemon picking up a curd-like feel and also a note of toasted wood… Of all five bottles, this is the the clear winner so far, and my sense is that the additional age is increasing the power and class of the wine. I typically rave about Eloquence and Efflorescence, also made by the domaine, and yet this is right up there too in quality. Overall, more heady than those two wines, with a unique and impressive flavor profile. A brilliant wine!

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Thanks for joining the convo, Frank. [cheers.gif] I found this comment of yours interesting, in part because I’ve noticed the same, and also in part because I’ve found I typically don’t need that extra air exposure or warmer serving temp. to thoroughly enjoy low dose or ND sparklers. Every once in a while, however — and I seem to recall a recent-ish experience of this nature — one of these will come across to me as being pure mineral, with very little fruit: when that happens, I often find your recommendation, above, to be helpful in helping the wine “wake up” or unfurl somewhat. Hope you have a fun bottle of bubbles lined-up for tonight or tomorrow! champagne.gif

I don’t post much, but your enthusiasm motivated me to try MC wines. I’m a fan now. Thanks for sharing your enthusiasm.