We received a 1998 Nicolas Feuillatte Champagne Brut Cuvée Palmes d’Or for Christmas. Is it something to hold onto or is it drinking well now? Debating opening it for New Years if it’s drinking well.
I can’t really speak about the 98 but the 1990 drank really well at that age. I have always loved the silly bottle. It reminds me of Monty Python’s holy hand grenade from The Holy Grail.
The Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch? No that’s Chambord.
It reminds me of a golf ball.
King Arthur: Uncork the Holy Golfball!
As it happens, I recently bought two bottles of this from a JJB private email. We drank one shortly after they arrived and put one in long-term storage. I didn’t take formal notes but I remember that we really enjoyed it. I think it’s drinking well right now. I don’t know whether it will improve or not, but my second bottle will be the experiment.
I had some over the Holiday. I think it is good to go now, and just isn’t of the brooding style, like many of the 98s. For example it seems more ready than 96 Dom. It has just a bit of the toasty, vanilla, nutty flavor of short-term aging, while any sharpness that might have been there isn’t prominent. I’m sure it will develop over another five years, but IMO it won’t improve significantly.
I haven’t had it, but just picked this up as well. Had my hand on the 02 Dom, but the owner said this would be better now (and is drinking well now). The packaging is a little silly - I don’t know if this is typical, but the ‘hand grenade’ I picked up is further packed in what appears to be a plastic toothbrush travel case, further stuffed in a black velvet bag…
Thanks for the thoughts on this one. We’ll be opening this on New Years Eve.
The Palmes D’Or is kind of a flashy wine, so if you like that style, then go ahead and drink it now. But I suspect that if you hold on to it for a few more years, some of the more garish aspects of it will tone down.
I have been through quite a few btls of it this past year. (The PLCB had it on close-out for $49.99) It is a very nice drinker. Very ready to be consumed and enjoyed.
BTW: There is nothing flashy or garish about the '98 Palmes d’Or