This is always a fun tasting, usually with a number of Champagne producers in attendance. This time it was a particular treat to meet Melanie Tarlant, pictured above. K&L is a beloved local wine retailer, with a strong commitment to Champagne, and Gary does a great job as their Champagne buyer and promoter.
The only Champagne on hand (at least for the first hour or so, as most made a beeline for it) that I missed in this tasting was the Krug Grand Cuvee, which I’ve sampled and very much enjoyed a couple of times in the last two weeks at other tastings. Below are my TNs on 53 Champagnes. I went to an even bigger tasting of current releases–the annual Masters of Wine Champagne tasting in San Francisco–a few weeks ago, and that tasting and this one have left me with a very positive impression of many current non-vintage offerings (significantly better, in most cases, than the versions available last year and the year before).The particular standouts for me among the nonvintage offerings, with a rating of 92 points or higher, are the Baron-Fuente Grande Reserve Brut (a new producer to me), the Philippe Gonet Rose Brut, the Gosset Brut Excellence and Brut Grande Reserve (usual favorites of mine), the outstanding Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve, the Bruno Michel Blanc de Blancs, the Louis Roederer Carte Blanche Demi-Sec (which would be a great pairing with spicy Asian food), and the Tarlant Brut Nature Zero and Brut Cuvee Louis. My top vintage Champagnes in this tasting, with a rating of 92 points or more, were the '98 La Grande Dame, the '98 Feuillatte Palmes D’Or, the '96 Baron-Fuente Grand Millesime Brut, the terrific 2000 Charles Heidsieck Brut, the 2000 Dom Perignon, the fabulous '98 Pommery Cuvee Louis Brut, the '02 Roederer Cristal and the '02 Taittinger Brut Millesime.
Ariston
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N.V. Ariston Fils Champagne Aspasie Cepages d’Antan - France, Champagne
Light yellow color; light apple, peach nose; tart peach, white peach, mineral, chalk palate; medium finish (90 pts.) -
N.V. Ariston Fils Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut - France, Champagne
Light yellow color; pungent green apple, cream nose; tasty, poised, cream, green apple, baked apple palate; medium finish (91 pts.) -
N.V. Ariston Fils Champagne Carte Blanche - France, Champagne
Light peach yellow color; honey, vanilla nose; honey, vanilla, creamy, citrus, mineral, ripe lime palate; medium-plus finish 91+ pts. (40% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir, 30% Pinot Meunier) (91 pts.) -
N.V. Ariston Fils Champagne Brut Rosé - France, Champagne
Light pink yellow color; cream, yeast, apple nose; tart green apple, mineral, lime palate; medium finish (89 pts.)
Franck Bonville
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N.V. Franck Bonville Champagne Cuvée Les Belles Voyes Brut Blanc de Blancs - France, Champagne, Avize, Champagne
Light yellow color; ripe lemon, vanilla nose; ripe lemon, lemon cream, lemon ice cream, vanilla palate; medium finish (from the '02 and '03 vintages) (90 pts.) -
2004 Franck Bonville Champagne Brut Millésimé Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru - France, Champagne, Avize, Champagne
Light yellow color; light lemon, floral nose; tasty, ripe lemon, floral, mineral, creamy palate with good acidity; medium-plus finish 91+ pts. (91 pts.) -
N.V. Franck Bonville Champagne Brut Selection Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru - France, Champagne, Avize, Champagne
Light yellow color; apples, light cider nose; cider, apples palate; medium finish (89 pts.)
Claude Cazals
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N.V. Claude Cazals Champagne Carte Blanche - France, Champagne, Le Mesnil Sur Oger, Champagne
Light yellow color; apple, apple peel nose; tart apple, cream, baked apple palate; medium finish (80% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Meunier) (88 pts.) -
2000 Claude Cazals Champagne Blanc de Blancs - France, Champagne, Le Mesnil Sur Oger, Champagne
Light yellow color; ripe lemon, vanilla nose; ripe lemon, tart apple, mineral palate; medium finish (100% Chardonnay) (89 pts.)
Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin
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N.V. Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Champagne Brut - France, Champagne
Pale yellow color; citrus, apple nose; ripe apple, orange, citrus palate; medium finish (89 pts.) -
N.V. Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Champagne Brut Rosé - France, Champagne
Light salmon pink color; reticent, tart pear nose; tart and ripe pear, clementine palate; medium finish (90 pts.) -
1998 Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Champagne Brut La Grande Dame - France, Champagne
Very light yellow color; autolytic, baked apple, lemon cream, leesy nose; tart citrus, mineral, lime palate; medium-plus finish 92+ pts. (92 pts.)
Nicolas Feuillatte
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N.V. Nicolas Feuillatte Champagne Brut - France, Champagne, Ambonnay, Champagne
Light yellow color; light apple, citrus nose; tart citrus, apple palate with good acidity; short finish (88 pts.) -
N.V. Nicolas Feuillatte Champagne Brut Rosé - France, Champagne
Light medium salmon color; light tart strawberry, red fruit nose; nice, bright, tart red fruit, pink grapefruit palate with good definition; medium finish 90+ pts. (90 pts.) -
1998 Nicolas Feuillatte Champagne Palmes D’Or - France, Champagne
Light yellow color; cream, apple, caramel, yeasty nose; nice tart citrus, apple, mineral, baked lemon palate; medium-plus finish (92 pts.)
Fleury
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N.V. Fleury Pere & Fils Champagne Brut Rosé - France, Champagne, Côte des Bars (Aube), Champagne
From magnum - light medium pink color; Pinot, tart cherry, red fruit nose; tart cherry Pinot, tart red fruit palate; medium finish 88+ pts. (100% Pinot Noir) (88 pts.) -
N.V. Fleury Champagne Carte Rouge Brut - France, Champagne, Côte des Bars (Aube), Champagne
Light peach yellow color; mineral, green apple, tart peach nose; tart green apple, mineral, green melon palate; medium finish (Pinot Noir; blend of '05 and '06 vintages) (89 pts.)
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N.V. Baron-Fuenté Champagne Grande Réserve Brut - France, Champagne
Light yellow color; yeasty, ripe citrus nose; tasty, tart, high pitched, citrus, lemon, mineral, chalk palate; medium-plus finish (92 pts.) -
N.V. Baron-Fuenté Champagne Esprit - France, Champagne
Light yellow color; autolytic, tart lemon nose; zesty, tart lemon, Bubble Up, lemon-lime, mineral palate; medium-plus finish 91+ pts. (91 pts.) -
1996 Baron-Fuenté Champagne Grand Millésime Brut - France, Champagne
Light yellow color; autolytic, apple, caramel nose; tart apple, baked apple, mineral, leesy palate with good acidity; medium-plus finish 92+ pts. (40% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Meunier, 20% Pinot Noir) (92 pts.)
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N.V. Philippe Gonet Champagne Réserve Brut - France, Champagne
Light peach yellow color; creamy apple, white peach nose; tasty, tart apple, peach, Asian pear, mineral palate; medium finish (60% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay, 10% Pinot Meunier) (90 pts.) -
N.V. Philippe Gonet Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut - France, Champagne, Le Mesnil Sur Oger, Champagne
Light yellow color; light yeast, ripe lemon, lemon cream nose; bracing, bright lime, mineral, green fruit palate; medium finish 90+ pts. (90 pts.) -
N.V. Philippe Gonet Champagne 3210 Extra Brut - France, Champagne, Le Mesnil Sur Oger, Champagne
Light yellow color; lemon, lime, yeast nose; very tart lime, lemon, mineral, tart orange, tart clementine palate with complexity; medium-plus finish 91+ pts. (91 pts.) -
N.V. Philippe Gonet Champagne Rosé Brut - France, Champagne
Light medium pink color; reticent tart strawberry, roses nose; ripe strawberry, roses, sous bois, mineral palate; medium-plus finish (80% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Noir) (92 pts.)
Gosset
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N.V. Gosset Champagne Brut Excellence - France, Champagne
Light yellow color; ripe citrus, mineral, caramel nose; tasty green fruit, ripe lime, mineral, green melon palate; medium finish (92 pts.) -
N.V. Gosset Champagne Brut Grande Réserve - France, Champagne
Light peach yellow color; creamy, baked apple, apple tart, vanilla, caramel nose; creamy apple, tart citrus, mineral, leesy palate; medium-plus finish 92+ pts. (92 pts.)
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N.V. Charles Heidsieck Champagne Brut Réserve - France, Champagne
Light canary yellow color; autolytic, oak, smoke nose; surprisingly rich, well integrated toast, lemon, mineral, baked lemon, leesy palate; medium-plus finish (60% Pinot Noir) (93 pts.) -
2000 Charles Heidsieck Champagne Brut - France, Champagne
Bright light medium yellow color; nice autolytic, baked lemon, mineral, toast nose; tasty, well defined, tart lemon, light toast, mineral palate that’s about elegance, not power; medium-plus finish (93 pts.)
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N.V. Heidsieck & Co. Monopole Champagne Blue Top Brut - France, Champagne
Light yellow color; reticent, ripe lemon nose; autolytic, ripe lemon, mineral, green fruit palate; medium finish 90+ pts. (90 pts.)
Pascal Lallement
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N.V. Pascal Lallement Champagne Brut Reserve 1er Cru - France, Champagne
Light peachy yellow color; oak, peach, strawberry nose; vanilla, ripe lemon, peach, mineral, apple palate; medium finish (1/3 each Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier) (88 pts.)
Bruno Michel
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N.V. Bruno Michel Champagne Carte Blanche - France, Champagne
Light yellow color; ripe, juicy peach, white peach nose; tasty, white peach, nectarine, baked peach palate; medium finish 90+ pts. (90 pts.) -
N.V. Bruno Michel Champagne Blanc de Blancs - France, Champagne
Light yellow color; ripe lemon, yeasty nose; poised, ripe apple, ripe lemon, Clementine, creamy orange palate; medium-plus finish (92 pts.) -
N.V. Bruno Michel Champagne Les Roses Brut - France, Champagne
Light pink orange color; Pinot, tart cherry, lime, chalk nose; chalk, tart lime, tart strawberry, roses, very Pinot palate; medium-plus finish 91+ pts. (91 pts.) -
2002 Bruno Michel Champagne Cuvée Millesimee - France, Champagne
Light yellow color; baked lemon, autolytic, apple nose; tart apple, ripe lemon, mineral, floral, honeysuckle palate; medium-plus finish 91+ pts. (91 pts.)
Moët & Chandon
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2000 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon - France, Champagne
Bright light yellow color; very light toast, cream, tart lemon nose; tight, tart peach, mineral, tart citrus palate; medium-plus finish 92+ pts. (60% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir) (92 pts.) -
N.V. Moët & Chandon Champagne Brut Impérial - France, Champagne
Oak and tart peach nose; ripe peach, mineral, tart red fruit, apple palate; medium finish 90+ pts. (90 pts.)
Pommery
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N.V. Pommery Champagne Brut Royal - France, Champagne
Light yellow color; tart apple, lime, lemon nose; tart apple, lime, mineral, cream palate; medium finish 88+ pts. (88 pts.) -
N.V. Pommery Champagne POP - France, Champagne
From 187 ml - light yellow color; pear, butter nose; simple pear, butter palate; short finish (84 pts.) -
1998 Pommery Champagne Cuvée Louise Brut - France, Champagne
Light yellow color; yeasty, toast, lemon nose; toasty, yeasty, ripe lemon, baked lemon, mineral palate; long finish 93+ pts. (93 pts.)
Louis Roederer
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N.V. Louis Roederer Champagne Brut Premier - France, Champagne
Light yellow color; light citrus, lemon, baked peach nose; tasty, tart lemon, mineral palate with scintillating acidity; medium finish (91 pts.) -
N.V. Louis Roederer Champagne Carte Blanche Demi-Sec - France, Champagne
Very light yellow color with green tinge; mineral, lime, green apple nose; tasty, creamy textured, tart lime, ripe lime, green fruit, mineral palate; medium-plus finish (17 gram dosage; good pairing with spicy Asian food) (92 pts.) -
2002 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut - France, Champagne
Light yellow color; reticent lemon, baked lemon, mineral nose; good tart lemon, mineral, chalk palate with depth; long finish (93 pts.) -
2003 Louis Roederer Champagne Rosé Brut - France, Champagne
Light pink tinged yellow color; refined tart apple, cream, tart peach nose; tart apple, mineral palate with good acidity; medium finish (91 pts.)
Ruinart
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N.V. Ruinart Champagne Blanc de Blancs - France, Champagne
Pale yellow color with a green tinge; citrus, lemon nose; tangy, tart apple, lime palate; medium finish (89 pts.) -
N.V. Ruinart Champagne Brut Rosé - France, Champagne
Light orange pink color; light cherry, dried cherry nose; solid tart cherry, tart peach palate; medium finish (90 pts.)
Taittinger
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N.V. Taittinger Champagne La Française - France, Champagne
Light yellow color; light yeast, pear, stone fruit nose; tasty pear, light yeast, tart apple palate; medium finish 90+ pts. (90 pts.) -
N.V. Taittinger Champagne Brut Prestige Rosé - France, Champagne
Light pink color; tart red fruit, tart strawberry, mineral nose; roses, tart strawberry, mineral, balanced palate; medium finish 91+ pts. (91 pts.) -
2002 Taittinger Champagne Brut Millésimé - France, Champagne
Light yellow color; mineral, earthy, yeast, mushroom nose; tart citrus, mineral, chalk palate with good delineation and cut; medium-plus finish (93 pts.)
Tarlant
Melanie Tarlant and Gary
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N.V. Tarlant Champagne Brut Nature Zéro - France, Champagne
Bright light yellow color; tart lemon, chalk, mineral nose; tasty, very tart chalk, mineral, tart lemon, evanescent palate; medium-plus finish (92 pts.) -
N.V. Tarlant Champagne Réserve Rosé Brut Nature - France, Champagne
Bright yellow pink color; very tart red fruit, currant, refined pink grapefruit nose; tart citrus, grapefruit, mineral palate with good acidity; medium finish 91+ pts. (91 pts.) -
N.V. Tarlant Champagne Brut Cuvée Louis - France, Champagne
Light yellow color; autolytic, pear, poached pear, cream nose; tangy, tart pear, poached pear, baked apple, mineral palate; medium-plus finish (92 pts.) -
N.V. Tarlant Champagne Brut Réserve - France, Champagne
Light yellow color; yeast, tart citrus, green apple nose with depth; ripe citrus, lemon, mineral palate; medium-plus finish 91+ pts. (like the Brut Zero, but with 6 grams of sugar dosage instead of none) (91 pts.)
Vranken
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N.V. Vranken Champagne Demoiselle Tete de Cuvée EO Brut - France, Champagne
Bright light yellow color; autolytic, oak, apple nose; autolytic, oak, apple palate; medium finish (89 pts.)
Gary & his father Jim
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