Friiday night festivities in Delaware was the first annual Bubble Q, sparklers from around the world paired with outstanding BBQ, Chez Grinchie. A really interesting and diverse line up of wines, lots of fun:
NV Ruinart Blanc De Blancs – Nice nose of limestone, toast and strawberries, beautiful mousse and nice nutty sweet finish. Always a solid wine.
NV Veuve Cliuquot Brut – Cinnamon spice, tart apples – good, but not my favorite of the first few offerings.
2000 Weingut Max Ferd. Richter Mülheimer Sonnenlay Riesling Brut – I had never had a sparkling Riesling before and this was damn good. Grass, honey, beeswax and petrol on the surprisingly complex nose. Heavier mousse, but still beautifully textured, sweet and dry at the same time on the palate with lots of minerality on a nice long finish.
NV Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve – Absolutely my favorite of the early bubbles. Creamy vanilla, lemon curd, white pepper and lime on the nose. Apples, apricots and spicy lemon on the palate. Heidsieck is right up there with Pol Roger as my favorite champagne house.
NV Jean Albrecht Rose Cremant d’Alsace Reserve – Limestone and peaches on a nice crisp simple nose. Tart fruit, nicely done but not a blockbuster.
1996 Jaquesson Avize Grand Cru (from magnum) – Starting to show a little age on the nose – lots of limestone, yeasty bread, apples, melon , but also a pronounced sherried note. Beuatiful golden color. Fantastic on the palate – lots of crisp green apples, bread and almonds with a little tang of saltiness- almost muscadet like. Excellent texture and body.
2005 Geyser Peak Block Collection Sparkling Shiraz – I’m usually not a sparkling red fan, but this was quite good. Licorice, plums and sparkling black pepper on the nose. Nice sunbaked earth and sweet plum fruit on the palate but a nice crisp acidic edge that kept the sweetness in balance. Went very well with ribs.
2005 Chateau Moncontour Vouvray Brut – Green apples, honey and cinnamon on the nose. Quite sweet on the palate, more than I expected for a brut, lots of peach and pear flavors and a medium finish.
2001 Schramsberg Reserve (Blanc De Noirs?) – Very, very, very tight, young and angular. Macintosh apples and rich earth on the nose. Almost had a fired clay/ceramic note on the palate along with more sweet apples. Re-visit in 5 and this might be a little more approachable.