NV Mouzon-Leroux & Fils Champagne Grand Cru l’Ascendant Extra Brut Réserve- France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru (7/5/2019)
First of two. Disgorged May 2017, 50% 2013 base with a solera from 2010-2012 for the other 50%. 60% PN / 40% Chard from Verzy, with 3 g/l dosage. This has a pronounced dried lime note, with a baked apple (the wine is raised in wood, so perhaps this gives the apple pie note), finishing with some honey and raspberry…Retasting from last night’s leftovers, a little CO2 has remained but most of it has gone. What’s left behind is a gentle effervescence, and the emergence of some citrusy grapefruit. This is a really cool Champagne, one I will look to add reload some more to the cellar.
I will never understand the logic behind the ‘1911’. It used to be one release of 1,911 bottles per year and then it became a couple, then four, and now it seems like twenty per year. The closest release to yours that I have had is cuvee/release 72 which was disgorged about five weeks before your release 76 (each release is 1,911 bottles). The wine is likely based on 2008 with reserves from a blend containing wines from possible vintages of 2006-2010. I would expect something a bit younger and thinner than past releases; maybe it just needs age, but I found it lacking compared to past releases.
Over this long weekend, I opened a couple bottles from Laherte Freres: a BnB brut nature and a rose de Meunier. Enjoyed both immensely. So much so that I ran to my shop to grab more of the BnB (the rose was not sourced locally).
I can see why people like this producer. Easily becoming on one of my favorites.
NV Moussé Fils Champagne Brut Rose Effusion- France, Champagne (7/9/2019)
First of two that were backfills for my initial purchase. The disgorge date has changed with my most recent order too, now listed as 10/02/2017 so I presume that is February 2017? Dosage remains 6 g/l, built with 92% PM and 8% PN. This has a ruby color, and it drinks with a brisk core of acidity and spine, mixing crisp raspberry and strawberry nicely together. I paid $36 US for these, and I wish I had bought more as the wine is delicious.
2012 Francis Boulard Champagne Rosé de Saignée Extra Brut- France, Champagne (7/21/2019)
First of two. Not much experience with Boulard to this point but we’re learning some more here. They are just north (by amount 20 miles) of another favorite producer of mine, Mousse Fils. This bottling is 50% PN / 50% PM, disgorged August 2018 with 3 g/l of dosage and certified AB biologique. This pours a distinctly peach tone. It’s crisp, with strawberry and what my senses want to say as mandarin orange, or a citrusy fruit. Kind of racy and minerally, with a fresh, clean finish. Nothing sweet or heavy here. Terrific.
I’m not very familiar with Boulard but I just bought some Les Murgiers in a K&L auction. We drank a bottle last week, which was shipped to my friends who are hosting Arnaud Lallement’s (L’Assiette Champenoise) son while he’s doing a stage at Manresa. We really enjoyed it so when it came up for sale I decided to go for it. Very dry and crisp with interesting character from 100% Pinot Meunier. I’m looking forward to trying it again.
Big fan of Boulard. We happened upon a large parcel at very attractive prices several years ago, and have been drinking them ever since. I can confirm that both Les Murgiers and the Grande Montagne age beautiful for a number of years from disgorgement.
Sarah, my wife and I finished the Boulard last night, AFTER I had taken it from the freezer where I had left it the previous day.
Actually tasted fine once it had unfrozen.
Since the heat has picked up again in the OC, I think tonight I’ll give the Mousse Fils Anecdote Extra Brut a look. Picked it up yesterday at Hitime for $45, 100% Chardonnay, so interested to try it as I didn’t taste it when we visited last year.
Here is the note on the Anecdote I am enjoying tonight. The Mousse website doesn’t list a vintage and they also show the dosage to be 2 g/l so maybe things get clearer in time with this bottling. Turns out I did taste this during my visit to Mousse last year, with the confusion again being NV versus Vintage as to why I couldn’t find my own TN. Good stuff again from Mousse.
NV Moussé Fils Champagne Anecdote Blanc de Blancs Brut Lieu Dit Les “Varosses”- France, Champagne (7/23/2019)
Bought 2 of these this week for $45 US. Last tasted at the winery in 2018, which I logged as NV. Despite Hitime Cellars listing this as a 2013 on their website, I can find anything to back that up so I am going to use NV as the designation. 100% Chard, disgorged August 2017 with 5 g/l dosage. This is the single plot of Chard that Mousse farrms, formerly planted to Pinot Meunier, but was ripped out and planted with the Chard which does better on this section of the vineyard where the green clay lies. This is what I would call mouthfilling, with plenty of green apple, ginger, lemon and some lees seasoning the wine. A cool swath of saline refreshes the finish. This is a generous, rounder bubbly that is easy to drink, with the right level of acidity and fruit to make it all work. Worth picking up a few more next time I am down in Costa Mesa. Of note, there doesn’t seem to be much of this in CT so I am not sure how much makes it to the US.
Roger Coulon Premier Cru Reserve de L’Hommee About equal parts pinot noir, meunier, and chard. 3g/l dosage. Surprisingly rich and yeasty, with good bread and ginger notes and a hint of fruit and some salinity. Maybe just not all coming together very smoothly but a nice wine. 90
Vouette & Sorbee Fidele Brut Nature Blanc de Noir. This is really neat stuff. It’s got a much lighter mousse and is really vinous. Lovely notes of peach and cherry, graham cracker and a hint of almond. It’s wicked. It’s so smooth and fruit driven, but almost has structure aside from the nice balance of acid and mousse. Very intense and very delicious. I’ll be going back to the well here. This was a very pleasant surprise. 93.
John, do you still have the Vouette bottle? I’d be curious to know which vintage is driving the bottle you enjoyed. As some of us have discussed before, the inclusion I believe of reserve wines in Vouette’s champagnes preclude him from declaring a vintage but there should be label data on there to help us understand which one you had/have. Be appreciative if you would share that.
It was recycled today, I believe. But if it’s still in my in-kitchen recycle bin, I’ll pull it out and let you know. I do love that they print their info on the back label. Actually both of these wines had printed disgorgement and dosage info, and maybe vintage inclusion?
2004 Taittinger Comtes
This has gained a lot of density since my last bottle a few years ago. Not as sweet and viscous as the '06, but more balanced and poised. Equal parts white fruit and citrus, brioche and the light nutty notes of 15 years of age. This was one of my favorite bottles of the year.
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