Which Champagne are you drinking?

Last night, before Barolo. Always on point and makes me smile.
All day long in the world of $40 Champagne.

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One of the few times my yak palate saves me money is I actually prefer the regular 740 to the late disgorged version.
Those 3 bottles are a dream line up for me, thanks for posting.

Nice Dennis, one of my go to BdB favs

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Haven’t had this one yet Frank, thanks for reminding me! :joy:

We had 3 fantastic magums last night. The 1975 Deutz Vinotheque was simply stunning, incredible enough to outshine a great magnum of '96 Krug

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CJ, that’s an interesting remark because I have yet to do the regular and DT together. I had a 737 DT several months ago and it didn’t make me think the extra time was making a difference, at least not in that iteration. I’ve got a bottle left of 736DT and 737 DT and I wonder about how that 736DT would show given the 2008 vintage. You had the 736DT yet?

Ki! Long time, man. What are you up to these days?

Which wine were you talking about?

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Short answer no. I have a vertical (if you can call it that) of the 736-37-38-39-40 and the DT of 739-40 only. Honestly I was afraid I’d be SO impressed with the DT that I’d want the Avize & Dizy but I think not-especially considering the price on those now; the only bottles available in this area I got the offer for and I think they were in the $250 range-Kane got the same offer he might remember.
And again the obligatory thank you to Brig for bringing that 736 and turning me onto Jacquesson.

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A stunning 2002 Philipponnat Clos des Goisses last night.

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I guess to close the loop that i need to drink my 736DT with @brigcampbell then. :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

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We did just crush a 740 last night! :clinking_glasses:

FMIII,

Thanks for the notes on the 2012 Hugues Godmé Champagne Grand Cru Millésimé. I also have some coming, which I got sort-of on a flyer. We were in Verzenay in June, although we stopped at Sabine instead of Hugues. Without much thought, I figured we should give it a go.

You also kinda tickled me by describing the blind tasting featuring the same wine twice. I have had that same experience a couple of times, and it is always entertaining to the crowd. Especially for the adamants who gushed one time and poo-pooed it the other. My most recent theory is that the previous wine tasted has more influence than you want to admit.

John, the double bottle we had this week reminds me of how tasting wine is dynamic and subjective. We do the best we can to taste blind, and my group does that almost always when we’re together. We try hard to learn, discuss and remove what bias we can. We honestly do. To see those wines show different, it had the sincerity of the blind format and some really smart palates at that table together.

I tell you that 12 Godme Millesime last night was really good. I hope that the bottles we get (Lopa?) show as well as that one my buddy brought. It’s those kinds of bottle experiences that cause me to jones so hard for Champagne. Did you like Verzenay? During my visit in 2019, I visited Hugues but he didn’t speak much English (at least to the extent of his wife, who did the appointment with my wife and I). How was Sabine?

FMIII, I liked the Laherte Freres Les 7 Extra Brut last night.

Was it a better wine? Probably not, I just appreciate the 7 variety solera process. A labor of love. :heart:

The Pinot Blanc was definitely poking through.

Curious what the tell was for you. For what it is worth, I drank a 2015 Marie Courtin Presence (70% Chard 30% PB) with a wine maker who works with both grapes. They could not detect the Pinot Blanc.

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The visit to Sabine was actually much better than I expected.

We were greeted by the dog, which is always a good start for me. Jean Marie Guillaume then took us into the tasting room and hosted the tour. Sabine was there, and I am just a sucker for when the name is part of the visit. Sabine was very cordial to us.

The tour included the caves, which were much larger than I expected, and an interesting conversation with Jean which covered a lot of ground. He focused on the wines that were available in the US. Language was not an issue.

We had already enjoyed the BdB and BdN, so Jean sampled three we had not had, including the Terre de Verzenay which made the best impression that day.

Sabine did float in and out of our conversation in the tasting room; there was another group of 3 that bought at least 10 cases. We bought a bottle, so it was understandable.

It was a great visit; the other group was French speakers in their 20s who were friendly. The wine was very good.

After returning and buying some, it seems like the same dynamic applied as if it was a blind tasting. Sometimes they seemed very rewarding, and other times less.

Again, I think it is the previous bottle or circumstances that affect those opinions. I acknowledge that even sophisticated palates move around to a certain degree.

The joy of being human.

For me, in champagne, Pinot Blanc shows a bit like Del Monte Fruit Cocktail. The stuff we ate as a kid. A perception fruity sweetness regardless of dosage.

I taste way more champagne blind than not so if something seems unique or different from a typical PN or Chardonnay then I head down the PM influence or that fruitiness I’m thinking PB.

Then I’m wrong. :sunglasses:

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Champagne Antoine Chevalier
Tecta Silva 2018
Brut Nature 100% Chardonnay
Lieu-dit Les Renardes Village Couvrot
Vendange 22/08/2018 Tirage 04/05/2019
Degorgement 25/04/2022 Dosage non dosé

At first a very linear champagne with pronounced lemon peel aromas, pronounced acidity and a persistent finish. Delicate perlage and a quite rich yellow in colour. With times becomes less linear, light tropical fruit notes, spice and ginger. There is also a subliminal english custard creaminess. At the moment embryonic but I see great potential for this champagne with some aging.

This producer seems almost unknown over on CellarTracker. Could you possibly add this wine over there?

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Meanwhile, in the cheap seats…

  • NV Bruno Paillard Champagne Extra Brut Premiere Cuvée - France, Champagne (05/12/2022)
    45/33/22 PN/C/PM, 32% from the perpetual reserve, 20% vinified in old wood. With 3 years en cave and a disgorgement of August 2021, I infer a 2017 base. Dosage is 5.5g/l, putting it right at the top of extra-brut and at a level many producers would label as brut.

    The nose offers minerality, and citrus tending towards pineapple and hints of tangerine. The palate is initially citrus with a complexity of fruit flavours, some slightly sweet tropical notes waft by. This is undoubtedly the fullest, fruitiest "extra-brut" that I can recall, but not at all cloying. The finish is crisp and cleansing, despite the fruit that went before. With air some creaminess appears on the nose, and slightly earthier notes also enter into the mix on the palate.

    Overall this is an excellent and interesting fizz. Approachable enough that casual drinkers won't be put off, but offering lots of interest as well. It's decent QPR at the ~US$42 that I paid. (91 points)
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