Charles Dufour no. 10 Tchin Tchin. Delicious!
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I’m usually not much on kitschy labels but that one kinda works.
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Works well enough that I saw it and my immediate response was holy shit, I gotta get some of those!
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We shared a bottle of Lanson Extra Age Brut the other night. No notes taken, it was after dinner in a happy environment; a good showing with balance and harmony in an aged champagne with a gentle mousse, although not a lot of complexity. Disgorged 2015. Drink in the near future, it won’t gain anything with additional aging. We have a few bottles left; well worth the €29.
I’ve been banging on about this wine for a while. A consistent winner and ridiculous value at that price. I just bought ten cases of mags so I’m definitely all in!
label aside, the wine is absolutely delicious. And at $60-ish I would consider it a strong buy.
I guess this counts?
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NV Drappier Coteaux Champenois Coteaux Champenois Blanc de Noirs - France, Champagne, Coteaux Champenois (2/18/2023)
My first coteaux champenois, so I wasn't sure what to expect. First, that cork was stubborn, requiring vice grips to coax it out of the bottle. It poured a beautiful golden color. Not knowing what to expect, the best way to describe it was a perfectly still blanc des noirs, so I guess the name is quite accurate. No idea on base vintage or any background on the winemaking behind this. But it was a pleasant surprise and quite wonderful. Not the most complex or deep flavors, my mostly some red apple and a little bit of biscuit. Well balanced and interesting, and well worth the $40 tariff.
Posted from CellarTracker
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Wait, what?! You recently were able to buy ten cases of MAGNUMS?!?
THAT’S INSANE!!! I wish I could! I could only get ahold of 1/2-magnums; though very good, still not as good as magnums! Well played sir, I salute you! 
Question: I purchased 2008 Lanson Gold Label Brut for $80, which I think is a steal, and can buy more for $95, which is roughly the same price that Lanson Extra Age is currently selling for in the US.
Is Extra Age still a buy, comparatively, at those prices?
Speak to vinum. They had plenty of mags left even after I took 10 cases!
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I’ve only had the 08 lanson once but I would buy the EO every time instead. Most of my champagne drinking buddies in London aren’t fans of the 08.
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The Extra Age is a good mature champagne, but I would probably choose to buy other wines for that price… unless it’s a magnum.
Sweet jesus!
I was unimpressed with the Gold Label 2008, which lacked the richness I would expect for the vintage, even considering Lanson’s crisp style. I thought it was a bit searing and the crisp acid overtook the fruit a bit.
Here was my note from Nov.
2008 Lanson near 50-50 blend of pinot noir and champange, brut, no-malo. A decent wine that takes a bit of time to open up. This champagne is all about lemon-driven intensity, with granny smith, light florals, and a faint hint of white toast. The acid level is high, giving the wine an impression of coiled intensity, and it may end up being something special in 20+ years. I am concerned, given the level of acidity, that this will just remain a bit too bracing in the years to come, as I am not sure the richness keeps up with the very high acid profile. Just a bit imbalanced for me, but has some decent complexity. 91 .
I did not think the wine presented good QPR, and frankly would rather pay the tariff for the Black Label vintage 2012. Or the EO. Or really just $45 for the Brut black label NV.
Thanks for the review! Glad to have a couple coming
Larmandier-Bernier doesn’t have a national importer and a lot of wine makes it through the grey market which leads to crazy price fluctuations. My wholesale price is often the same as or close to retail in other markets. $80 retail would be a good price here.
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And the good prices I got in the past were from B-21 in FL which often seem to have low prices.
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Doesn’t Valkyrie bring them in? I don’t know how many states they run in, but I could’ve sworn they were the principle importer for Larmandier-Bernier
For my market, yes, but that’s not true nationally. There are some state distributors that DI as well as grey market.
There is a certian feeling developing among producers, it is better not to work with importers. In Europe certian importers do extortionate prices which are totally out of synch with the french market. The importers complain incessantly to the producers to put up their prices so they do not come across as greedy as customers compare. However for grower champaghe the french market is the mainstay and the french in general are only willing to pay so much. The french market sustained the grower producers through covid, so they know on which side their bread is buttered.
More and more producers are going over to the modus of just let the market do its job. I have it third hand that Larmandier Bernier are taking this attitude. I think they are pushing the limits of pricing, this has a lot to do with certian importers. My feeling is those times are gone and a certian amount of normality will return to the pricing. I believe L-B know the grey or as I would call it the parallel market will do the job of regulating prices.
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