NV Jacquesson & Fils Champagne Cuvée No.740 Dégorgement Tardif
I forgot to take a pic of the back label and left the empty at our friend’s house but I think it said 0g/l dosage (stating the quality of the vintage). If I’m not mistaken this is 2012 base with reserve wines for the rest. 94 months on lees and disgorged in May 2021. It looks wonderful in the glass with a pure golden color. Great nose with ripe fruits, toasted nuts and buttery brioche. It starts full throttle, creamy and expansive. The mid-palate veers on ripe fruits, spices and pastry dough and, a fine and assertive mineral/saline streak brings it all together and dominates the finish. Great balance, very good wine.
2018 Bouchard Père et Fils Volnay 1er Cru Frémiets Clos de la Rougeotte
This comes from a 1.52ha clos from within Frémiets. What I could find around the name says that it comes from the early ripening of the grapes on this parcelle. Very expressive nose of ripe red berries and plums, some florals and a hint of damp soil. Medium+ body, silky mouthfeel (the tannins are not sticking out) with nice playfulness between the very ripe fruit notes, fresh and fine acidity and crushed stones that invite themselves on the finish. But… there is a but, the alcohol showed on the finish and brought a displeasing aspect to this wine. I had kept it cellar temp to serve since we were having this outside in 34oC weather but it still showed. 2018 maybe?
2012 Domaine Christian Clerget Vougeot 1er Cru Les Petits Vougeots
0.46 ha of vines for this one, planted in 1978. Yummy. I was expecting something more structured (maybe like Clos de Vougeot) but this was coherent to follow the Volnay. Fresh red berries on the nose with plenty of sweet spices and some sous-bois bringing complexity on every whiff. Medium body with integrated fine tannins and balanced acidity. This shows a delicate mouthfeel (very much in line with the Volnay) with red berries, button mushrooms and a nice layer of earthy and savoury flavors. It ends on a long finish where sweet spices and fresh red berries mingle and hints of warm wet stones show up. I didn’t know Clerget and have limited experience with the wines from Vougeot 1er Crus but this was definitely very good.