Yep. Looks and tastes like apple cider (not the good stuff). We drank very little of the bottle. I know that E-O can have a richer color, but that is just not right.
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We had a great evening pairing nice food with amazing champagnes. We probably should have started with the Parmentier in stead of the Roses de Jeanne. Both 100% PN but the Parmentier was more leaner and fresher than the RDJ. The fun thing about champagne is that we had five different champagnes that were indeed all five totally different. My favourites are the Parmentier and Emmanuel Brochet.
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I saved the bottle of the Egly-Ouriet Les Premices and tried again on day 2. The aggressive cider notes had calmed a bit, but it was still not a bottle worthy of drinking. I then cracked a second bottle and was relieved to find it in excellent form. It still looked like apple cider with a deep golden hue, but it was fresh and lively with all the enticing characteristics one would hope for.
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Veuve Fourny Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature:
I had this and 11 other bottles shipped cross country from Saratoga Wine Exchange and they faced below freezing weather with lows dipping into the single digits the entire journey. It was an axiogenic week, and I am beyond ecstatic to see this wine completely carbonated. Perhaps that has me tasting with rose colored glasses on, but I consider Veuve Fourny to be among my greatest discoveries on my obsessive 18 month Journey across Champagne. Both the wines I have tasted from this estate are among my top bottles, providing more joy than many more expensive, highly lauded and flashy wines. This has ripe, crystalline citrus fruit and a lot of roundness in the middle with a custard like texture. Just when you think it’s bordering on opulence, it makes an abrupt shift towards austerity in a rather jarring manner, akin to making a sudden drop in roller coaster and feeling you left your stomach behind. And similarly thrilling. It delivers this thrill over a spine of chalk, stone, earth, and smoke. It ends with significant bitterness, but it’s a pithy bitterness that brilliantly comports with the citrus/stone fruit flavors of the wine. A most affordable luxury.
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Opened this up to have with some cheese while making coq au vin tonight.
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NV André Clouet Champagne Grande Réserve Brut - France, Champagne (12/2/2023)
Best bottle of this cuvee I’ve had. This was a 750ml, but I’ve had 375ml and 1500ml as well. Where in the other bottles one aspect would be more high-toned and make it a little out of balance, this bottle everything was harmonious.
Lots of lemon on the nose with toast and vanilla. Palate was yeasty with the vanilla and lemon. Add in some boozy red fruit and chalk. This is vinous, med + in body but acid keeps it fresh. Balanced and complex. (92 points)
Posted from CellarTracker
2 Likes
A couple of rose champagnes.
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2019 Jerome Blin Champagne La Pluchotte Extra Brut Rosé - France, Champagne (2/12/2023)
Disgorged April 2022. Vivid, dark pink in colour. Fresh, slightly wild strawberry fruit, liked the vibrancy and vivacity here. Superb tension and acidity, very much in my wheelhouse. (93 pts.) -
NV Marc Hébrart Champagne Premier Cru Brut Rosé - France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru (1/12/2023)
Disgorged April 2022. 55% Chardonnay, 38.5% Pinot Noir, Mareuil rouge 6.5%. Salmon pink in colour. Creamy strawberry fruit, came across as rather one-dimensional because of the sweetness. (88 pts.)
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The challenge with Bedel is that one becomes accustomed to a particular vintage with its unique assemblage, and then the next vintage arrives with a completely different assemblage. The millésime 2010 ‘Ame de la Terre’ is a blend of 90% Chardonnay, 5% Pinot Meunier, and 5% Pinot Noir, with Dégorgement in November 2021 and a Durée sur Lie of 10 years. This Chardonnay represents the highest level of quality, characterized by the intensity and concentration one expects from low-yield, old vine grapes in the hands of a masterful producer. It’s no wonder that Marcel Deiss affectionately calls her his “little sister.”
The champagne presents a linear, concentrated profile with layered lemon notes, while the Meunier and Pinot Noir introduce a subtle hint of spice and red berries, breaking the laser-like focus. This champagne is remarkably young and fresh, with the potential for extended aging. It stands as one of the best-value champagnes currently available on the market. While I may not have much experience with Dom Pérignon, I can see why customers who appreciate Dom Pérignon would also love this champagne.
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Goodness, I love Blin Pluchottes. I have two disgorgements, and a new one coming. Cannot wait to get them in. I like that new label.
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Love E-O, but you are right, they can vary from bottle to bottle.
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A few recent champagnes:
2009 Jean Vesselle Champagne Grand Cru Cuvée Le petit Clos
From a .25 acre clos, with a total of 750 bottles produced that year. 100% PN from Bouzy, vinified in three different barrels, 4g/L dosage, disgorged 23/9/2022.
I initially tasted this months ago at a “Clos Champagne” tasting where all champagnes were from clos and the tasting included CdG. As odd as it may seem, I preferred the Jean Vesselle to the CdG. Last night, this came across as a beautiful “classic” champagne. At first, the PN wasn’t very evident, but as it warmed, yellow and red apples came through. Slight yeastiness, and a long yellow raspberry finish. On the second night, it developed a bit of “browned” apple and pineapple notes, but still exuded class and elegance. So delicious that before I knew it, the glass and then bottle were empty. Will repurchase despite the price.
2011 Moutard Père et Fils Champagne Brut Cuvée des 6 Cépages
Technically a negociant, but 85% of their production is from their own estates.
1/6 each of PN, Chard, PM, Pinot Blanc, Arbanne and Petit Meslier. Short skin maceration. No dosage, 1250 cases made. Disg. 2022.
I have had a few champagnes with the “ancient” grapes, and none were nearly as different as this one. The nose was unusual, with banana (Cris nailed it) and something akin to sweat/slight BO. On the palate, it is slightly less strange, tangerine, a tad spice like cumin, and a bracing acidity on the finish, reminiscent of pomelo. We had a discussion as to whether it was the year (2011… not known for its excellence), the blend, the vinification, or bottle variation, or whether it’s supposed to be this way. Initially, I was amused by how different it was, but on the second night, in the absence of food and great company, I was not enthralled. It also developed a kind of cured meat/prosciutto? note and the pomelo acidity was very strong. If that sounds unappetizing, well, it is. And now, having retasted the Jean Vesselle above, I am not that interested in purchasing a different vintage of this Moutard.
NV Moussé Fils Ratafia La Vie en Meunier
100%PM, with Marc de Champagne from 2018, and grape juice from 2019
I have tried two other champagne ratafias recently, Mouzon Leroux (PN) and Vilmart (Chard). Both were delightful, stunning in their own way, and had a great acidity to balance out the fresh fruit and sweetness. Sadly, this Moussé ratafia had no such balancing acidity, so it came across as flabby and heavy… The taste reminded me in an unpleasant way of fig newtons, and the nose emanates alcohol in a way that the Vilmart and Mouzon Leroux did not. I really wanted to like this, but sadly, do not. Won’t be repurchasing.
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Alfred Gratien Brut Classique:
Quite complex and powerful right of the bat. The barrel aging was immediately apparent, as it’s coconut and coffee notes were quite intense. As the wine warmed, those notes folded into the wine and it’s other complexities - apricot, green apple, lemon, pear, peaches, plum, dill, grapefruit, salt, smoke, pencil lead, almonds, ginger, chalk, and barrel spice - introduce themselves with an excess of confidence. (Apologies for the laundry list, I am clumsily trying to convey how much is happening in the mouth). It’s very full bodied and red wine like with a broad and mouth filing palate presentation. (I wouldn’t hesitate to pair this with a steak). Its richness is impeccably balanced with very, very racy acidity. Complex and long.
Electric.
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The Drappier Cuvée Grande Sendrée 2008, a blend of 55% Pinot Noir and 45% Chardonnay, is presented as a Brut. About two months ago, I enjoyed a glass of this champagne. With age, my preference has shifted towards what I call “slow tasting,” a deliberate exploration that contrasts with a quick sip. I spent a few hours savouring this bottle.
On the nose, it displayed delicacy, elegance, and balance, signaling its status as a top-notch champagne. Intricate lemon and lemon zest notes mingled with hints of stone fruit, subtle vanilla pudding, and almond undertones.
On the palate, it showcased balance, solid structure, and an elegant, fresh, and smooth character - the quintessential attributes of a fine champagne. Over time, flavors evolved, revealing crushed apple, stone fruit, and citrus notes, with pastry-like elements becoming more pronounced.
What sets this champagne apart is its terroir expression. It doesn’t overwhelm but rather subtly conveys its sense of place. It’s a fantastic champagne from a fantastic vintage from a house deserving more recognition.
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Yay Saturday! Got to go to the Big XII Championship and my Longhorns stomped OkSU in a game that was not nearly as close as the 49-21 final score suggested. Texas stomped.
Saturday evening was a holiday party (which included a fun wine tasting with some Waris-Larmandier and Diebolt-Valois, Thivin, Felsina Bernardenga), and then dinner with my wife at Georgie in Dallas, which is a lively, chic place that was absolutely popping.
Georgie has a very fun wine list though like all Dallas restaurants, they’re pretty proud of their selections and charge accordingly. I chose 2008 Pierre Moncuit BdB.
2008 Pierre Moncuit BdB Brut - Beautiful wine with a lovely combination of apple, lemon curd, and orange blossom on the fruit/floral profile, transitioning to a leesy, honeyed biscuit note with a touch of spice. The acid to richness balance is lovely here, and it’s such a clean and delicious wine. Really appreciate the open leesy style, which balances good acid with creamy leesy breadiness. A joy both times these last four or five months. Need to source some of this.
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The Elise Dechannes Essentielle 2020, a Blanc de Noirs that was bottled on June 15, 2021, and underwent dégorgement in December 2022. Contrary to my initial expectations, which were shaped by previous encounters with this champagne, I was surprised by its sophisticated profile. Far from the jagged edges I anticipated, this champagne revealed a harmonious suave blend of elegance and complexity.
At first encounter, the aroma captivates with what can only be described as ‘apricotelle’ – a term I coin to articulate the transcendent quality of its scent, surpassing even the natural fragrance of apricots. This seductive aroma is further complemented by undertones of red fruits and the briny essence of sea spray.
On the palate, the Elise Dechannes Essentielle 2020 is a revelation. For a brut nature, it possesses an unexpectedly seductive and creamy texture. The flavors are clean, sharply delineated, and exquisitely balanced. A melange of red fruits and raspberries plays harmoniously with the more robust notes of stone fruits, particularly apricots, creating a taste profile that is both bold and refined. The champagne’s minerality is striking, reminiscent of an intense coastal salinity, akin to the sensation of salt-laden winds on a seaside cliff, adding an invigorating edge to the overall experience.
This champagne is not a heavyweight; rather, it embodies a refined elegance, a seductive allure that makes it very drinkable, I wish I had a magnum. My inclination would be to drinkin the short to medium term, before it loses its vibrant vivacity. I think Elise Dechannes Essentielle 2020 will become our new house champagne, this is fust so drinkable.
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2016 Benoît Lahaye Champagne Grand Cru Extra Brut Millésime - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru (10/21/2023)
– popped and poured –
– tasted non-blind over 1.5 hrs. –
– 80% Pinot Noir, 20% Chardonnay –
– dosage: 3 g/L –
– disgorged: Nov. 2021 –
NOSE: rich and moderately chalky; hints of honey and grass.
BODY: rose gold color; medium-sized bubbles; light to medium-light bodied.
TASTE: quite good; dry, but not austere; some baking spice; a bit appley - Fuji; obviously not a BdB; great pairing with sushi rolls.
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2015 Pierre Gimonnet & Fils Champagne Grand Cru Special Club Chouilly - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru (10/4/2023)
– popped and poured –
– tasted non-blind over 2 - 3 hours –
– 100% Chardonnay –
– dosage: 4 g/L –
– disgorged: June 2022 –
NOSE: rich, bright, and buttery.
BODY: bright pale yellow color; fine, active bead; light to medium-light bodied.
TASTE: a bit light/watery compared to the Nose – at first I thought this was on account of it needing more air, but it never really changed; lacked oomph; lacked zip; it would be good at $30, but this was more than twice that. I’m hoping this was just too young, but overall it was disappointing.
6 Likes
Any thoughts on the Coeur de Noir? I was underwhelmed by the Tradition.
Who is the handsome guy in the background? 