I’m about to head over to my cellar to grab all of these wines for a dinner tomorrow night. The theme is LVMH brands (we’re having a reception at the Louis Vuitton Store before dinner). Dinner to be prepared by Marche Moderne in OC.
I’m not a great tasting note writer… I tend to remmebr a few key elements of a wine and where it ranks in my overall preferrence. I also like to enjoy the moment without overthinking the wine or how people will perceive my notes. But, if anyone is intetrested, I can try to keep a few simple notes. I’m a huge Krug fan, but I’ve only had Oenotheque twice. So, I figured it would be neat to try them side-by-side. The wine menu…
90 Krug
90 Oenotheque
95 Krug
95 Oenotheqque
We’ll finish off with a magnum of 96 Yquem, but that’s just for fun (and it’s a LVMHY brand).
Let me know if you’re intetested and I’ll try to jot a few notes on my iPhone. I’m going into this thinking I’ll still prefer Krug, but I’ll keep an open mind.
I wonder what went so badly wrong. At least the 93 Oeno was dull for a reason but one would think that the 90 had enough raw material, so to speak, to make the Oeno great.
I have two of the 90s and I am rapidly leaning to the advice of those who would sell it…
The DP Oeno program is a great thing for Champagne lovers. Some tremendous wines at reasonable prices. There are some wines which are not as good as others, but it doesn’t lineup with the vintages or the originals in lockstep.
It is proof that when you vary the lees aging and the dosage radically different wines can present.
I like 95 DP, but the 95 Oeno is significantly better. We know they aged it longer. No one knows what they did with the dosage level. There is a difference in the flavor of the disgorgements just on the 95. I think if you taste them blind (and to me very obvious non blind) you will have a preference.
The one DP which is fantastic in every disgorgement is 73.
I agree with the statement that the 95 DP Oeno should easily best the 95 Krug and I don’t think it will matter which disgorgement of the Oeno it will be (I do agree there are currently noticeable disgorgement differences, but I think all are better than the 95 Krug).
I don’t necessarily agree with the 90 Krug walking over the 90 DP Oeno. I’ve had some very good bottles of the 90 DP Oeno. I’ve also had some bad ones. 90 Dom has been one of the more variable DP years in original release and Oeno format and both here in the US and in Europe (so it isn’t just a transportation/storage/one particular release issue). The last 90 DP Oeno I had was disgorged in the 2003/2004 timeframe and it was really, really good; in a perfect place to drink now and drinking better than any 90 Krug I have had at this point (the 90 Krug to needs more time for my palate). To me depending on how the 90 DP Oeno shows, it could be easy to prefer one over the other although personal stylistic preferences could make any discussion moot. Enjoy the tasting and let us know how it goes.
Todd - regarding the 95 DPs: The original was dosed in the 10-11 g/L range and the most common disgorgement was 2002. The Oenos have all been at 5 g/L.
Guys (&gals): Can you tell the disgorgement date by the label somehow? Don’t have a bottle in front of me, but I’d like to know when I open them tonight.
Another question for you champagne experts. what would you say are the most evident differences between Krug and Moet (Dom in particular) regrding champagne (drinking & making) style?
Disgorgement year for DP Oeno’s is on the back label.
Lots of differences in upbringing and style - eg. Krug sees oak, DP doesn’t; suppression of malo vs malo, Krug big and bold, DP round and creamy; etc etc
So yet another question… if these Oenos see multiple plenitudes, wouldn’t the additional aging for subsequent releases significantly affect the taste of the wine (someone above mentioned that the 96 disgorgement of the 90 wine is best)? And, if so, shouldn;t that be refelected in prices? If this is the case, it often makes it hard to buy these and understand their value. You’d have to first ask for the disgorgement date. I don;t recall seeing digorgement dates placed in auction catalogs.
Disgorgement dates are sometimes listed for Oeno releases in auction catalogues. I have asked those who don’t to always disclose them so I don’t have to keep asking them for the info.
As far as pricing for different disgorgement dates I think that will become more definitive as time goes on. There are not that many people who have tasted different disgorgements side by side or enough times or even pay attention.
But I can tell you that there is already a group of Oeno drinkers who are more sensitive regarding the disgorgement dates than price to the chagrin of a merchant or two.
thanks for the comments guys. I gather that there has been two disgorgements of the 90 Oeno, right?
I remembered a thread on Squires where we had a similar discusssion… learned much by going back through there today. My goal was to get the whole vertcle together for a tasting. I’m missing a few vintges, but might still be a good goal! Tonight I’m only opening 3 of each vintage so plenty left. And, I was originally going slide in the 75 & 76, but thought to save them for a more serious get-together (hint, hint).
Anyone check out the DP website? Turns out they had a “bol seine” (a sort of cup/bowl) made using Claudia Shiffer’s breast to somehow celebrate the release of the 95 Oeno. Seriously. Can’t figure that one out…
The original Champagne stems (not the flutes, the wide ones that were still popular in the 60’s) were supposedly modeled after Marie Antoinette’s breasts.
Yep… that’s right. She claimed to have drank from these “bol seines” which were modeled after her boobs (much bigger than Claudia’s). Marie Antoinette wore one around her neck they say.
How the heck do you post images here (sorry - not well versed in forum technology)… got one of the new Claudia boob bowl.
