'11 Moet

[Ray.Tuppa_sch]

My Champagne of the year. Second time having this - both times thanks to Rob - and as great as the bottle was last time, this may have been even better. Drunk in an outstanding line-up of Champagne and wine, this was in a league of its own. Incredibly complex and mature flavors. No visual effervescence but it is showing on the palate. Borders on perfection. Killer

[Ken_V]

Next year’s Champagne, Ray?

[Berry_Crawford]

@Ray.Tuppatsch

My Champagne of the year. Second time having this - both times thanks to Rob - and as great as the bottle was last time, this may have been even better. Drunk in an outstanding line-up of Champagne and wine, this was in a league of its own. Incredibly complex and mature flavors. No visual effervescence but it is showing on the palate. Borders on perfection. Killer

In a Champagne this old are there strong oxidive (its that a word?) aromatics and tastes? Is there any fruit impression at all or is it all savory type elements?

[Ray.Tuppa_sch]

The best of the best, like this bottle was, show just touches of oxidative notes, still a fair amount of fruit in the background to marry the mature notes of honey, caramel, coffee, etc. However, originally disgorged bottles of this age generally lack fruit and have a fair amount of oxidation showing.

@Berry Crawford

@Ray.Tuppatsch

My Champagne of the year. Second time having this - both times thanks to Rob - and as great as the bottle was last time, this may have been even better. Drunk in an outstanding line-up of Champagne and wine, this was in a league of its own. Incredibly complex and mature flavors. No visual effervescence but it is showing on the palate. Borders on perfection. Killer

In a Champagne this old are there strong oxidive (its that a word?) aromatics and tastes? Is there any fruit impression at all or is it all savory type elements?

[Berry_Crawford]

@Ray.Tuppatsch

The best of the best, like this bottle was, show just touches of oxidative notes, still a fair amount of fruit in the background to marry the mature notes of honey, caramel, coffee, etc. However, originally disgorged bottles of this age generally lack fruit and have a fair amount of oxidation showing.

I know that disgorging is the process of getting lees out of the bottle but what does orignal disgorgement mean and what is that alternative? Thanks for answer my questions.

[Rob_Rippe]

I beleive it means that whenever that vintage was disgorged,
not kept in the celler and disgorged at a later date,
such as Bollingers RD (Recently disgorged but in French)
That is done to give complexity, and keep it fresh
leaving the wine on it’s lees rather than “bottle aged”

Cheers
Rip

[mark_rudner]

best to drink these up now if you have them lying around. the drinking window is only 100 years and that’s coming to an end really quickly.

sorry ray, couldn’t resist

[Michae1_P0wers]

I think the correct question then is “when was this bottle disgorged,” and “how long do big houses hold their good vintage bottles for,” (expecting wild variation of course, and finally “do third parties ever buy bottles to disgorge on their own, the way Scotch casts are aged for instance” (because that sounds like a cool idea for me, although one the houses may be able to handle for someone really)

[Steve_Manzi]

Wow. That’s all I can say when I read posts from people who have the opportunity to drink wines this old (champagne even more astonishing).

Ray, you know that I am already a fan of yours for personal reasons, but even so, your posts always have a “feel good” component to them. I hope you continue to have these opportunities to drink wines like this, and to then share the experiences with us.

Wow! Just had to say it again.

[Rob_Rippe]

Yes I agree Wow
and Ray my thanks also
for the notes and sharing
the '11 vintage with us!

Cheers
Rip

[Ray.Tuppa_sch]

I really wasn’t clear on the disgorgement statement.

I have no reason to believe this bottle wasn’t disgorged 90 or so years ago, but it is impossible to know for sure. However, this bottle, if later disgorged, surely had at least 50 years of “on the cork” aging. Normally once a bottle of Champagne has that much post disgorgement bottle age, there will be signs of some oxidation. This bottle showed the flavors and complexity of many decades of bottle age but less oxidative notes that usually comes along with that much “on the cork” aging whether it was 50 or 90 years.
Champagnes of that age which have been disgorged in the very recent past (I have had only a few examples) won’t show any signs of oxidation.

[Ian_Dorin]

@Ray.Tuppatsch

I really wasn’t clear on the disgorgement statement.

I have no reason to believe this bottle wasn’t disgorged 90 or so years ago, but it is impossible to know for sure. However, this bottle, if later disgorged, surely had at least 50 years of “on the cork” aging. Normally once a bottle of Champagne has that much post disgorgement bottle age, there will be signs of some oxidation. This bottle showed the flavors and complexity of many decades of bottle age but less oxidative notes that usually comes along with that much “on the cork” aging whether it was 50 or 90 years.
Champagnes of that age which have been disgorged in the very recent past (I have had only a few examples) won’t show any signs of oxidation.

No 1911 Oenotheque?

Ironically, this was the year of the riots in Champagne, no?

[Ray.Tuppa_sch]

It was.

Lots of history transpired and life lived since these grapes were grown.

@Ian Dorin

@Ray.Tuppatsch

I really wasn’t clear on the disgorgement statement.

I have no reason to believe this bottle wasn’t disgorged 90 or so years ago, but it is impossible to know for sure. However, this bottle, if later disgorged, surely had at least 50 years of “on the cork” aging. Normally once a bottle of Champagne has that much post disgorgement bottle age, there will be signs of some oxidation. This bottle showed the flavors and complexity of many decades of bottle age but less oxidative notes that usually comes along with that much “on the cork” aging whether it was 50 or 90 years.
Champagnes of that age which have been disgorged in the very recent past (I have had only a few examples) won’t show any signs of oxidation.

No 1911 Oenotheque?

Ironically, this was the year of the riots in Champagne, no?

[JMunro]

It makes you wonder if this was really a bottle of Champagne, or maybe it’s a Cremant de Loire

@Ray.Tuppatsch

It was.

Lots of history transpired and life lived since these grapes were grown.

@Ian Dorin

@Ray.Tuppatsch

I really wasn’t clear on the disgorgement statement.

I have no reason to believe this bottle wasn’t disgorged 90 or so years ago, but it is impossible to know for sure. However, this bottle, if later disgorged, surely had at least 50 years of “on the cork” aging. Normally once a bottle of Champagne has that much post disgorgement bottle age, there will be signs of some oxidation. This bottle showed the flavors and complexity of many decades of bottle age but less oxidative notes that usually comes along with that much “on the cork” aging whether it was 50 or 90 years.
Champagnes of that age which have been disgorged in the very recent past (I have had only a few examples) won’t show any signs of oxidation.

No 1911 Oenotheque?

Ironically, this was the year of the riots in Champagne, no?

[Barry_Sunderland]

Ray,

What was the color like?

[todd_waldmann]

Damn.

I always love reading your posts Ray. Thanks.

[paul_hanna]

Every now and again you get to drink something magical, thanks for the note Ray.

[JMunro]

@todd waldmann

Damn.

I always love reading your posts Ray. Thanks.

Add me to the list. I always look forward to the next KA thread.

[Ray.Tuppa_sch]

It was a dark amber, but not brown at all. Even hints of brown are usually the kiss of death.

@Barry Sunderland

Ray,

What was the color like?

Thanks to others for the kind words.

[Loren_Sonkin]

Thanks for posting. Any idea where these bottles have been all this time?