Andrew was intrigued by the idea of focusing on a single great champagne vintage so decided on 1996. He scoured all of the United States and even tried to get the exact disgorgements that he wanted. As always, his dinner was matched with the incomparable cuisine and service of Langdon Hall.
Canapes
Cave Aged Gruyere Gougeres, Parmesan Shortbread with Herbs and Fresh Cheese, Lamb Tartare, Marinated Trout with Cucumber and Ginger
Caviar
Caviar with Buttermilk, and Garden Herbs
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1996 Drappier Champagne Grande Sendrée - France, Champagne
This seemed advanced but held up over the course of the evening quite well. Some definite sherry and bruised apple notes augmented by honey, marmalade, citrus fruits and roasted hazelnuts.
The palate is honey dominant with orange marmalade, lemon, lime, hazelnuts, minerals, creme caramel, white flowers and apple baked in bread with brown sugar and spice.
The finish is rich and round. Drink now. (92 pts.) -
1996 Vilmart & Cie Champagne Coeur de Cuvée - France, Champagne
This was quite herbal on the nose and for a brief moment I thought it might have been subtly corked but the musty basement and dust aromas blew off revealing lemon, salty oyster and chalk.
Vilmart blows malo-lactic fermentation for tho cuvee and it shows…there is tonnes of malic acid…green apple, ginger, chalk, minerals, lime zest and a bit of a musty transition to the finish.
Finish is medium and a touch simple.
This is a bit of a disappointment as I have loved Vilmart in other vintage…the 2001 blew my mind. (90 pts.) -
1996 Henri Giraud Champagne Fût de Chêne - France, Champagne
Wow…cheese cave central! Mature gruyere, earth, mushroom, umami, beef broth, bovril, blood, and wet dog are all wrapped around citrus, honey and nutty flavours. Beguiling nose.
The palate is quite complex with pure lemon, honey, brûlée, spice, hazelnuts, caramel, apple compote, saline, gruyere and apple cider.
Thie finish is medium+ and for me the weakest part of this wine…but a captivating style of you like an umami’d edge to your bubbly. (93 pts.)
Snow Crab
Snow Crab paired with cured Foie Gras, Grapes and Sumac
Halibut and Spot Prawns
Halibut and Spot Prawns paired with Chanterelles, Sweet Peas and Berkshire Lardo
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1996 Charles Heidsieck Champagne Brut Millésimé - France, Champagne
Pretty champagne…nose of asian 5 spice, spiced pork butt, star anise, smoke, white flowers, citrus and minerals.
The palate presents pure lemon and lime, minerals, honey, acacia flowers, biscuit and a whiff of lightly roasted coffee.
Finish is medium+ and quite complex. Great showing. (92 pts.) -
1996 Bollinger Champagne La Grande Année - France, Champagne
Aromas of ginger, minerals, flint, hazelnuts and lemon-lime…the nose really rounds out with some air to become rich and caramel laden with honey, peanut husk, almond paste and minerals.
The palate is so lush…typical Bollinger. White flowers, ginger, honey, minerals, creme brûlée, lime zest, saline and almond.
The finish is long and mineral driven but still lush and powerful dominated by pretty flowers, nuts and preserved lemon notes. Great bubbly. (93 pts.) -
1996 Billecart-Salmon Champagne Grande Cuvée - France, Champagne
Quite autolytic…brioche, biscuit, yeast, honey, preserved lemon and minerals. This is right down the middle champagne…very typical.
Mousse on the palate is quite creamy…flavours are dominated by biscuit, yeast, honey and lemon.
Finish is long and quite correct. (91 pts.)
The Queens Risotto
Risotto with Truffle, Buffalo Milk Parmesan and Chives
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1996 Ruinart Champagne Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs - France, Champagne
This was quite intense…so much going on. Saline and mineral notes mix with oysters, quince, white flowers, marzipan, lifted white fruit, pastry, smoke, ocean and tropical stone fruits.
The palate is just gorgeous…minerals, lime, biscuit, salted butter, custard, deep fruit bordering on fig with notes of passionfruit, coconut, melon and pineapple. This shows great balance and texture.
Finish is long with a lovely interplay between saline notes, ripe pure fruit and biscuits. Almost 94 points (93 pts.) -
1996 Salon Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut - France, Champagne, Le Mesnil Sur Oger, Champagne
This was quite tight on the nose initially…with some time strawberry shortcake came out…then red berries and strawberry leaf. This is was a weird place aromatically…just so closed down and very different from the last bottle that I had 3 years earlier it terms of its accessibility.
The palate is utter class…so broad and expansive with ginger, lemongrass, minerals, citrus, chalk, and strawberry coulis.
Finish is long, layered and lush.
Overall this wine is definetly not firing on all cylinders…it just seems like it is holding something back on this day. (93 pts.) -
1996 Taittinger Champagne Brut Blanc de Blancs Comtes de Champagne - France, Champagne
Nose is dominated by coffee…pure coffee grounds and then augmented by garlic scapes, grilled meat, citrus, dirt, wet coffee grounds, burned toast and and almost hairspray note.
Palate is dominated by hazelnuts, brioche, crich citrus fruits and garlic.
Finish is long and complex. Very pretty wine that is also showing a touch off piste today. (93 pts.)
Heritage Hen
Leg Presse, Morels, Baby Leek and Sherry Jus
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1996 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon - France, Champagne
This was not a fabulous showing for this bottle…too young? In a weird place?
Nose was dominated by garlic, citrus fruit, sweat, mushroom, earth, burlap and an ode to Nirvana and puberty that we called “Smells like Teen spirit”
Palate is dominated by hazelnuts, citrus notes, earth and mushroom.
Finish is long but seems clamped… (92 pts.) -
1996 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon Oenothèque - France, Champagne
This was utterly reduced on 1st pour…so we waited. It was utterly reduced on second pour 25 minutes later. When we checked in 2 hours later it was…you guessed it. Reduced. All rubber and plastic. Not rated.
Strawberry
Strawberry with Rhubarb, Ginger Cream and Brown Butter Biscuit.
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1996 Pol Roger Champagne Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill - France, Champagne
This was rocking from the get go…such a powerful and complex nose filled with 20 different citrus and stone fruit flavours layered in white flowers, ginger, honey, caramel, hazelnut, dough, biscuit and mushroom.
Palate was so rich, textured and layered…lemon, lime, acacia flowers, brûlée, biscuit, dough, minerals, ginger and honey.
Finish is never ending…stunning champagne. (96 pts.) -
1996 Philipponnat Champagne Brut Clos des Goisses - France, Champagne
Wow…oh wow…unreal nose of liquified flowers galore followed by waves of honey, ginger, hazelnut, thyme honey, sweet strawberries and minerals.
Palate is so svelte…flowers, flowers, flowers, honey, ginger, mineral , a myriad of nutty and autolytic flavours that end in a note of fresh cut strawberries.
Finish is beguiling…stunning…never ending. Amazing champagne. (97 pts.) -
1996 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut - France, Champagne
Similar to the Salon…this seemed to not be showing its best on this evening. The nose was a bit muted and showing some reduction that blew off after some time in the glass revealing honey, ginger, minerals, ripe fruit, biscuits and coffee.
The palate had seeding acid…very citrus driven but still showing some rich honeyed character, ginger, citrus and minerals.
Finish is long.
Have to admit that I expected more from this bottle… (93 pts.) -
1996 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut - France, Champagne
This was so closed on first pour but opened to show lemon zest, lemongrass, wild honey, biscuit, minerals, and ginger. Quite linear, crisp and mineral driven.
Palate is like biting into a lemon…so tart and dominated by lemon zest, ginger, lime, and hazelnuts.
Finish is where this wine really shows its pedigree…complex and layered wine. (94 pts.)
Cheese from the Trolly
Mignardise
What a tasting! Excellent food (the Queens Risotto required a second order) paired with great wines. Many thanks Andrew
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