NV Louis Roederer "Brut Premier"
Gee, I thought this was very nice. Balanced, lively, appley, bready taste. And a pretty, centered bubble cone as a visual bonus. A 375 ml bottle.
****1997 Diebolt-Vallois Fleur de Passion - Scrumptious, mature and nutty, a perfect caviar pairing and utterly satisfying.
In contention for Champagne of the year, last night a perfect Roses de Jeanne Blanc de Blancs “La Boloree.” If some Champagnes are identified by their yeasty/bready character, this one was forward in the floral department. I loved it.
Merrill, nice. I need to open one of these.
Just opened a Vouett et Sorbee Argile, base of 2014. Love the focus of the wine.
I didn’t buy any; I was unsure I’d like a pure Pinot Blanc champagne, and the price wasn’t conducive for experimentation. Maybe I’ll try one next time I see it, or rely on the generosity of a friend.
Cheers,
Warren
A couple from last night, and finished the V et S tonight, as we had some leftovers that I kept under a tight seal.
-
2010 Vilmart & Cie Champagne Premier Cru Coeur de Cuvée - France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru (7/29/2019)
Same specs as the bottle a few weeks ago. December 2016 disgorge date. This showed well. Limey, spicey with the Vilmart acidity at play. Bitter lemon and lees in the finish along with a good dose of slate. Terrific. -
2014 Vouette et Sorbée Champagne Blanc d’Argile Brut Nature - France, Champagne (7/29/2019)
Disgorged October 2017. 100% Chard. Lemon peel, saline, and as we tasted this next to the 2008 Vilmart CdC, there is a striking difference. The V et S is steely, chocked with acidity, apple and a zesty, lemony finish. The cut in this wine, I can feel it going down my palate. The power of the wine is evident, and I do think some age will soften some of that energy and round out the edges.
Posted from CellarTracker
-
2013 Chartogne-Taillet Champagne Beaux Sens - France, Champagne (8/4/2019)
First bottle of two. Dosage is listed as 4-5 g/l. This has a briny quality, with yellow apple, black cherry, lime chew with a cool, creamy texture. Perceived a little oxidative quality here, too. Enjoyed this. -
2016 Lorimar Grenache Rosé Sparkling - USA, California, South Coast, Temecula Valley (8/4/2019)
It was hard to drink this alongside some other Champagne, like Godme and Chartogne-Taillet. The net result is that this wine ends up coming off to me syrupy with hard red candy. -
NV Camille Savès Champagne Grand Cru Brut Rosé Bouzy - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru (8/4/2019)
Don’t have any back label info, as we tasted this blind. Peach colored, strawberry, zesty lime, lots of acid. Tangy finish. Dominant here is the zesty core, but this was beat in the blind side-by-side by the Hugues Godme NV Rose, which was much better balanced to me. -
NV Hugues Godmé Champagne Grand Cru Rosé - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru (8/4/2019)
Drank in a blind format. Disgorged January 2019, 3 g/l with 65% PN and 35% Chard. This showed excellent. Lightly peach colored with raspberry and saline, lightly creamy with spot-on balance, finishing with a fresh citrus note.
Posted from CellarTracker
opened a 1996 Duval-Leroy last night. Drinking fantastically right now, very similar to the last time I’ve had this back in 2014.
Gabin et Felix Richoux Irancy 'Cremant de Bourgogne’
Delicious strawberries and cream, with none of the mid-palate hollowness you expect from a cheaper bottle; all fun and frivolity and a perfect mid-afternoon tipple; good minus
2012 Jean Milan Blanc de Blancs 'Terres de Noel’
This is all finesse and balance; pear and yeast; fresh and yet not searingly acidic; light and airy yet with real weight on the palate; dosage perfectly judged; more of an aperitif-style champagne at this point but with lots of promise for the future; going to hold some bottles for 10 years (!); good plus with upside
Great note. Bought a few 08’s on reputation, promptly took them to offsite. Will have to look around for some aged expressions.
My '08s are all in storage as well, but I had one recently courtesy of a generous friend and am very optimistic on its future.
Two on very different planes:
2008 VC Rose- I had this a year or two ago and liked it. We polished several bottles on a group dinner for my Wife’s bday. Light cranberry/orange color. Smells of strawberries. Very nice balance, good acid and not too heavily dosaged. Very tasty and ready to go.
2008 Cristal- The wife got this for her bday. My first. Crammed to the gills with Champagne goodness. The depth and breadth here are amazing, but this is way too young right now, imho. The 2009 is much more open and pleasurable. Bury these, but a legend with time for sure.
Bereche brut reserve - disgorged January 2019
TN = tasty. Would re-buy, just wish my local source was cheaper
TN Night 2 = Even tastier.
-
2012 Vazart-Coquart Champagne Grand Cru Grand Bouquet - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru (8/9/2019)
Third bottle, as I reloaded some a few months ago. Seeing Rocknroller and chablis28 TNs, I decided to give another bottle tonight a go. Disgorged June 2018, 100% Chard from Chouilly with 6 g/l dosage. This bottle showed well, with same lemon peel and fresh apple notes, with the ‘dry stone minerals’ that chablis 28 made reference to in his (?) TN. This bottle is refreshing, with some honey from the dosage mixing in as the wine warms. I had to put the stopper on the last 1/3rd of the bottle or I may have just plowed through the rest of it.
Posted from CellarTracker
2012 Moussé Fils Blanc de Noirs 'Terre d’illite’
Mostly meunier; disgorged 2017; 5g/l dosage
Lively citrus and red fruit shot through with a curious vegetal note that makes me think of coriander. Maybe from the pinot meunier? Light, brisk and refreshing. Delicious this hot summer afternoon. Surprisingly substantial on the palate with a long mineral finish. Well-made though if I’m honest I prefer blanc de blancs. Decent plus
Guillaume Sergant Le Chemin des Chappes
jacquesson 741
Egly-Ouriet "Les Vignes de Vrigny. We cancelled our restaurant reservation and decided to celebrate our 44th anniversary relaxed and “al fresco”. This Champagne was recommended to me a while back by Doug Schulman. This was a WOW for us. DELICIOUS! Dry, fruit, spice and leesy yeast playing nicely together. Brought home to me that good Champagne has the flavors and complexity of a fine wine with the added bonus of bubbles and that yeasty/bready thing. We have opened Dom Perignon our last few anniversaries and this was in no way less enjoyable. Thanks, Doug!
P.S. Disgorgement July 2014
I had this I think it was over the past weekend. I really enjoyed it, and particularly for the price. What did you think of it?