Even if it sucks, you’ll save 20%!!! 
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I’ve never had the Brochet, but I can tell you that the 2002 Krug is an extraordinary bottle of champagne, with structure to age but insanely good right now.
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2002 Krug is one of the best ever IMHO.
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Had the 2018 monts chretien bdb last night. Polar opposite of your note. So elegant and light on its feet. Absolutely delicious.
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I got to host our Champagne group’s rotation last night, we did it here at the house with Thai food. We all nestled in around my smaller kitchen table and worked through the 8 wines below. I did them blind for the group. I’m thankful for this group because the thoughtfulness of palates and points of view always teach me something new. Here are my own impressions from the evening, with a few photos.
CHAMPAGNE BOOKCLUB (SERVED BLIND)--ME - My House (1/30/2024)
Something Unique
- 2020 Mouzon-Leroux & Fils Champagne Grand Cru Coteaux Champenois Les Fervins - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Tasted over 6 hrs. This has all 7 approved cepages, in equal parts, from a single plot called Les Fervins within Verzy. The early tastes exhibited a lot of acid--lime flesh, grapefruit, peach and zesty pineapple. The aromatics a mix of sea air and fresh citrus. The texture was fresh and plentiful. Later in the evening the aromatic is what really evolved, with aromas of potpourri and crushed pine needle. I found the fruit profile to remain about the same, and overall I thought the table enjoyed the uniqueness of the wine, as did I. Andrew who was sitting next to me commented that he thought there was some Jura-like qualities here. - 2019 Marie Courtin Champagne Indulgence Extra Brut Rosé - France, Champagne
May 2022 disgorgement. 100% Pinot Noir, no dose. The style in which Dominique makes this wine is quite unique, reflected in both the color, texture and flavor. And this uniqueness is the way of this cuvee, as the 2015 and 2018 also show similarly if you were to try those, too. Tasted over 6 hrs.
Pours with a red rose petal color. Strawberry mixed with menthol and eucalyptus. The pressure in this vintage seems lighter too, with the wine going mostly still rather quickly. Without the CO2, the texture is more immediate driven by a hard red fruited candy (Cherry Lifesaver?), candied red apple and blood orange. For me, a wine that makes me think and study, and more practically, enjoy for the uniqueness of the texture and flavors that drink a lot like a complex still Rose of Pinot Noir.
Empreintes across 2 vintages
- 2013 Laherte Frères Champagne Extra Brut Les Empreintes - France, Champagne
February 2019 disgorgement. 50% Pinot Noir (from the Maison Rouge parcel) and 50% Chardonnay (from the Chemins d' Epernay parcel). 3.5 gms dosage, Damn this is in a good place. Tasted over 6 hrs. Caramel aromatic, terrific concentration and density of sweet pear, golden apple, orange and a jazzy cran/raspberry mix. Finishes with golden apple and mango. Seductive yet bright. Later in the evening, and I liked Viet's comment about the red apple skin, we find that note plus more concentration of the yellow apple and now some wet stones comes through. Love the caramel in this and overall the wine's freshness. I still have one bottle of this left, gonna save it and enjoy it overt the next few years. - 2014 Laherte Frères Champagne Extra Brut Les Empreintes - France, Champagne
January 2020 disgorgement. 50% Pinot Noir (from the Maison Rouge parcel) and 50% Chardonnay (from the Chemins d' Epernay parcel). 3.5 gms dosage. In tasting this next to the 2013, I find the 2014 more brassy, less seductive than that wine but with more electricity in the 2014. The citrusy energy is higher, with the green apple and rocky tones more prevalent. Apricot, honey and some lime into the finish. I find the 2014 more powerful and a little more rugged, whereas the 2013 is more suave and alluring. Perhaps in another year, the 2014 softens more and begins to catch up to where the 2013 currently is for development, but also some may find the 2014's power more attractive, as I have on a few past occasions with the 2014. Both vintages are good but the impact of vintage is very present in the contrast of them side by side.
2012 Avize and Cramant contrast
- 2012 Agrapart Champagne Grand Cru Minéral Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Disgorged September 2018. The wine is composed from two plots, with one in Avize and the other in Cramant. 3 gms dosage. Tasted over 6 hrs. Initially this had a smoky/reductive aroma, that later relaxed when I revisited the wine during dinner. The smokiness penetrates the palate, with a deep concentration, and early on in the evening this reminded me a lot of really fine white burgundy. Mashed yellow apple drizzled with a pear syrup, finishing with kumquat. The wine settled down as it aired throughout the evening and became what I thought more subtle. Oddly, i did not revisit the wine enough later in the meal to have more notes. - 2012 Marguet Champagne Grand Cru Avize & Cramant Extra Brut - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Hadn't realized I have tasted this wine 6 times now since release. The bottle for this note is my final bottle, used for a blind tasting, joined side by side with the 2012 Agrapart Mineral and the 2012 Larmandier-Berrnier Old Vine Cramant. All three of these wines have fruit compositions from sites that are very close together, so the intent was do them all blind and see how they compared, given all were of the same vintage. 100% Chardonnay, zero dosage, disgorged October 2017. Buttered pastry was my initial thought on the wine with an intense spine. Lemon, buttered toast, yellow apples, mint and some caramel, even a little mushroom in the finish. Retasted later in the evening, and again Viet with a great comment, calling the wine a little 'wild' in quality. I did enjoy the wine this time and I do think it's in a good drinking place once the chill wears off and the wine can relax. Caramel and green apple are present here at that temp. - 2012 Larmandier-Bernier Champagne Grand Cru Vieille Vigne du Levant Extra Brut - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Disgorged February 2022, and if I do my math, this would have seen the wine go in tirage around the Spring of 2013, which would give it more than 8 years on the lees. And the quality, perhaps the sur latte time here, it really shows. 100% Chardonnay, 2.5 gms of dosage. Spicy, with fennel, almost creamy, with lemon curd and orange. Almost a meal in texture, with some graham cracker on the finish. Since I was able to follow this over 6 hrs, the wine did evolve, with licorice, peach and a gorgeous, subtle creamy texture present. This was what I thought the WOTN for most of the table, with the class of this wine evident to me. Gorgeous.
Taille Pressing!
- 2018 Déhu Père & Fils Champagne La Pythie Brut Nature - France, Champagne
Disgorged December 2021. 100% Pinot Meunier, no dosage, one barrel made. This is exclusively from the taille pressing, using the La Rue de Noyers plot. Had not tasted this before so I had bought a bottle recently and last night decided to pull it on the fly and open it at the end of a blind tasting. Man, this is so floral, with just a light hint of peach color. Lavender and pretty gentle to me overall, what I thought was drinking pretty well.
Posted from CellarTracker
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I usually find Savart wines to be very elegant on the whole and wines I am happy to buy. And again, this feels to me like it just wants some time.
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Agree, had a lot of champagne throughout the years. Initial, V.O. Substance, Selosse Lieux Dits, Cristal, Dom P., Comtes, Ulysse Collin, Bouchard, Prevost and I can say the 2002 Krug is among the top 3 champagnes I have had so far. It’s that good.
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The Mont Benoit tends to be the easiest drinking of Brochet’s cuvees for me, so I don’t think it’s necessarily meant to stand up to a bottle of the 2002 Krug. I’ve had the Mont Benoit opposite more recent Krugs, and I much prefer the Brochet.
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Gamet Rive Droit Blanc de Noir (Brut)
Disgorgement: Mar 2023 (Base 2020)
85% Meunier,15% Pinot Noir
This is surprisingly great. Not that I expected anything bad, but just didn’t really know what to expect, honestly. The color is rose gold, showing perhaps some time in contact with the skins, albeit a short time. There’s that red apple skin smell I often pick up from Meunier, but it’s fresh, not bruised or oxidized in any way. There’s also a toasty note, but it’s not sweet, more like a freshly baked pretzel roll. On the palette there’s excellent acidity. Feels like no malo, or partial malo here as it hits that extra high note. The palette brings a whole host of additional fruit, raspberries, strawberries, peaches and apricots. Finish is medium long and beautifully dosed here, not too lean, not too fat, expertly judged (just not printed on the label, a shame). Overall, this feels like a more linear, slightly harder edged (and less complex) version of an Egly Ouriet Grand Cru which is high praise, especially considering it comes in at half the price (I paid $44). I may need to keep some more of these on hand!
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We’ve been enjoying this for a couple years. I think I have one bottle left. Probably time to reorder.
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I haven’t had many bottles, but I would say Marie Courtin is my favorite champagne producer
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@Brian_G_r_a_f_s_t_r_o_m I had an opportunity to pull out a Bergère tonight.
Disclaimer: we sell A. Bergère champagnes.
Champagne A. Bergère BdB Grand Cru Extra-Brut
Côte de Blancs baby! Chouilly, Cramant, Avize, Oger et Mesnil-sur-Oger.
100% Chardonnay, some in oak barrique. Unfiltered.
Base vintage: 2021
Dosage: 3 g/l, Disgorgement? I just asked the producer 
I liked this a whole lot more than my wife and mom! This is a quintessential BdB: the nose is chalk and preserved lemon. The palate is all minerality and bright citrus with a clear linear acidic line running through it. But it never feels simple. It has focus but concentration and great length on crushed chalk and lemon. I really love this.
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You sell a lot of interesting wine. Where is your store?
France
But we ship to US and have a US importer for some of our small producers (Éléonore, Choppin, Rutat, etc.).
I’m sending you the URL by DM!
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Phil, it’s not my business, but perhaps you should speak with a marriage counselor or divorce attorney? As for liking champagne more than your mom, I’m not sure there is much to be done there unless she’s game for some family counseling. But have to say, sounds like a helluva bottle of champagne!!!
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I tried this before and had very limited success (read utter failure) 
!
Me too, please!
Thank you, Phil! I’m a BdB guy, and that one sounds like it would be right up my alley.
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Here as well
Extracted from a thread just posted re a dinner with 6 wines:
2013 GASTON- CHIQUET SPECIAL CLUB BRUT- blind; disgorged 8/21; everything about this bubbly exuded femininity, elegance and charm from its light pale yellow color, its aromatics of mild citrus notes with lemon and lime most prevalent, its frothy, cotton candy like mousse and it taste profile that began with the mild lemon lime and expanded to include some yellow apple later on; there was a spicy, toasty accent that reminded me of the spice and brioche that I often find in Dom Perignon; but, the mild and gentle nature of this champagne suggested it was not DP; I was all over the place with guesses and never having had this specific wine negated any recognition.
Cheers,
Blake
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