The Extra-Brut is a real step up for my taste.
double posted:
Celebrate the win. In this case, Kansas beating Houston
We found another occasion to celebrate with a fine champagne as our Kansas Jayhawks delivered an impressive dominating win over one of the best basketball teams in the country, the #4 ranked Houston Cougars.
The win was even sweeter in that the odds makers had picked Houston to win on Kansas home court, Allen Field House, where Kansas has an impressive record of 21-1 against higher ranked teams in coach Bill Self’s 21+ years.
To match the quality of the victory, I pulled this:
2012 TAITTIINGER COMTES de CHAMPAGNE BLANC de BLANC- I’d had a bottle in July 2023 and made note to retry this in 6 months or so and now its been 6+ months and I’m happy I did as this was splendid, if not exceptional; it featured honeyed and hazelnut accented lemon, lime and yellow apple fruit while being delivered in an oily, creamy mousse that pleased the tactile senses immensely; in addition to the fabulous texture, it had some weight to it which added to embellish its full body and richness; as it becomes much more approachable and ready to give, I’m seeing a resemblance to the 2002 which should be much more apparent in another 5 years or so; the question is, can I keep my hands off of what I have or will this be like most others where I love drinking it young and then reload when it is near its apogee? That may depend upon how our Kansas guys do in March.
Rock Chalk!
Cheers,
Blake
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I will confess that I have a huge bias in favor of growers that has existed since I first got deeply interested in Champagne about 15 years ago.
I remember one holiday season, at the first “hobby job” I took in a wine shop so that I could learn more about wine without going bankrupt, the manager brought in about 5 or 6 different SKUs from Roederer. I was aghast, since we only brought in about 20 or so new sparkling wines for the holidays, meaning about a 1/3 of them were all going to be from the same house that year. The nerve of her to do that when there were so many amazing growers out there and now there were 6 fewer spots for them on our shelves. She confessed “When I tasted through them, I just loved them all and couldn’t decide!” I was pissed.
As my experiences with Roederer have accumulated, I’m starting to get it. I mean, I’ve always known about and loved Cristal, but my main exposure to the house was their NV Brut from Anderson Valley and, while it’s always well made and enjoyable, it never lit a fire in me. Then, I started trying their L’Ermitage bottlings and their stuff from Champagne and, honestly, the wines are all impeccable. What is there to complain about??? Nothing, really, in my opinion.
When we opened this bottled, I looked at Gina and asked, “Can you ever remember having a bad bottle from Roederer?” She didn’t hesitate “Nope.” So I pressed on “Setting aside the NV from Anderson Valley, can you ever remember having anything that wasn’t really good or better?” “No,” she answered. And then she reminded me; “Didn’t I tell you a long time ago that I love Roederer and think they’re probably the best grand marquee?” I had to think back, but yeah, she did.
Moral of the story; listen to your wife.
Or maybe, drink more Roederer?
- 2006 Roederer Estate L'Ermitage Brut Rosé - USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley (2/4/2024)
Absolute banger here. Just barely starting to show it's age, suggesting now may be prime time to drink it. Explosive nose of cranberry, strawberry, lemon curd, candied citrus, and baking spice. On the palate, more cranberry and spice, a healthy dose of chalk, and acidity for days. The finish was long, chalky, and lip-smackingly good. You want more with every sip and, before you know it, the bottle is toast. A fantastic wine.
Posted from CellarTracker
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We finally got the Vilmart idea over the goal line. I give credit here to @AstridKG. She drove this idea, galvanized all of us to figure out what we were bringing, and amidst all of that, cooked the main portion of the meal last night, too. When we talk about having good people around us to make us better, to help lead out in front and harness passion, she did that here so a thank you goes out to her.
We were 11 total last night, with some Berserker people and their s/o around the table with us. I’ll let them post as they wish but I am appreciative for the conversations last night, the perceptions shared and the gift you can create when you get people together to contribute, share and enjoy each other.
With the depth of the Vilmart range, and the # of vintages going back into time, it’s not practical to try and boil all of that ocean. So, we started foundationally with Emotion, which was the evolution of what used to be called Grand Cellier Rubis. In 2012, Laurent Champs rebranded his top shelf Rose, and modified the way it is handled. Of note, this is Rose that sees almost 6 years on the lees, and has a texture, acidity and fruit expression that really works. Once we built the Emotion contributions, we then built in the Coeur de Cuvee bottles, in effect doing the best of Vilmart (arguably we could have done the Blanc de Blancs but we had just done that back during the holidays with most of this same group.)
I tend to drink a lot of very bright, higher acid, low to no dose wines–it’s what I like, and I drink it because it suits me. So, when I think of Vilmart, I think of a counter-balance, as there is usually 6-8 grams of dosage in these wines, but for me it works. In fact, despite how I get good-natured sh*t from the guys around here, Vilmart is the top producer in my cellar. I LOVE these wines. I’ve visited the estate twice, tasting last time with Laurent, who is a great human being, and his wines reflect this joy, warmth. When I get back to Champagne, hopefully this year, he will be on my visit list.
The notes that follow, I tried to explain how I tasted the wines. Some I had the good fortune to taste 3 times: once during yesterday afternoon before people got here, then again over dinner, then finally again tonight for those bottles that the gang didn’t take before they left my pad last night. And it’s a luxury and a QC check for my own palate to taste something 3X over 2 days. The contexts are different, my palate is different, it’s another opportunity to make sure I am giving an honest take in my notes. And you can take what you want from them, yet they are honest, and I write what I find.
Thanks to the gang for last night, for your fellowship and sharing.
- 2000 Vilmart & Cie Champagne Cuvée Creation - France, Champagne
The cork stamp says 2010, so that may be the disgorgement year. I heard a # of positive comments about this wine last night, and fortunately I have enough for another glass tonight, so I can get one final impression. But, from last night's notes, at almost 24 years old, this remains fresh and lively. Yeah, some of the color has gone gold, but the flavor has not tired at all. Lime chew, juicy stone fruit, and a little light apple oxidation with persistent citrus to keep it lively........retasted again on Day 2 from what was leftover, and there is good CO2 remaining, too. Man, this is nice for a 20+ year old Champagne. Honeyed golden apple, toffee, savory lime and peach. Just a touch thick in texture but I don't mind it here. I'm feeling good that I was able to share this within a Vilmart dinner and have a # of people enjoy it, with one person saying to me today that he thought this might turn out to be one of the best wines he will have in 2024. Nice. And thank you to Steve Nordhoff who gifted me this back in 2018--thanks, brother. - NV Vilmart & Cie Champagne Premier Cru Cuvée Rubis - France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru
October 2020 disgorgement, Cherry, strawberry with a nice lick of minerality in a zesty package....fortunately I have the leftover bottle from last night, with plenty of wine (and C02) for retaste today. Salmon/pink in color. This is a very good iteration of Rubis. It has the density of a riper year, yet the acidity is plentiful, allowing both parts to work together. For me, more in the unctuous side of things, with a cool blood orange coil running through it, alongside a vein of strawberry. Stylistically, this works really well, so long as you're Ok with a richer, fuller expression of Rose.
- 2009 Vilmart & Cie Champagne Premier Cru Coeur de Cuvée - France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru
It's been 4 years since I had the 2009? Man, I deprived myself as this bottle is showing beautifully. May 2016 disgorgement. 80% Chard / 20% Pinot Noir. Fortunately there was some of this leftover, which I am going to revisit later today with tonight's dinner but for now, let me capture last night's impression. This, along with both the 2013 Emotion and 2013 Coeur de Cuvee were my wines of the night yesterday evening, and a credit here to the 2009, as this has 4 additional years of time in the bottle, which it represents beautifully. The usual tangerine and lime is here, both bright and concentrated in tone, with a persistent, balanced push of flavor, finishing with a light imprint of graham cracker....retasted again on Day 2 from what was leftover, with a good pop of CO2 hangin' in there. This kinda reminds me of the 2012 Emotion, with that same seductive quality. There is a tropical green note in the wine today, maybe pineapple but also mint, so if we mash those up, perhaps I get the descriptor I want to use. Even some ginger is flowing into this, plus some white chocolate and a pure tangerine. The kind of wine that lights up my senses, with a long imprint of fruit that lays joyfully on my palate and into a long finish. Limey acidity, pure fruit and a gentle but persistent slate. Just a beautiful bottle of Champagne, a gift of joy for my evening and one of the best Champagnes I have had in some time. - 2010 Vilmart & Cie Champagne Premier Cru Coeur de Cuvée - France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru
Disgorged January 2017. 80% Chard / 20% Pinot Noir. This vintage gets outclassed when it stands alongside 2009 and 2013. Reflective of that are my very brief notes from last night. Lemon custard, orange marmalade and a honeyed quality. The bottle went home with someone else so nothing to retaste today. - 2013 Vilmart & Cie Champagne Premier Cru Coeur de Cuvée - France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru
December 2020 disgorgement. Opened earlier in the day, gave it a good taste with a temp of 67f. My first impression was a big amount of chalky mouthfeel, crushed rocks, lemon and ginger, with an electric character. With some air and sitting in the glass it now exhibits the consistent profile of what I think of for CdC: tangerine and chalk, with brisk lime, and perhaps because of the vintage, pineapple and orange oil. Over dinner much later, retasted again with several small pours, the wine has softened and melded into something more seductive. Rich yet intense. Sweet lime, honeyed sliced green apple with fresh grated lime zest and a creamy profile with some wet rock in the finish. We tasted the 2009 within the same flight and the 2013 reminds me of the 2009 a lot. Gorgeous vintage for Coeur de Cuvee, but hey, this is the gift of Vilmart......retasted yet again on Day 2 from what was leftover. Quiet setting, no food, a good focus to really get one last impression of the 2013. This is really a lot like the 2009, which affirms my perceptions now 2 days in a row. The 2013 has that same pineapple/mint that crosses, in tandem these are delicious. Where the 2013 diverges from 2009 is in the weight--it feels lighter in the 2013, with the 2009 just a few degrees more seductive. Then, caramel covered green apple on a stick, drizzled with mandarin orange. I believe in the end the acidity of the 2013 is just a touch higher than 2009, yielding a wine that seems a little more coiled. Fantastic. - 2014 Vilmart & Cie Champagne Premier Cru Coeur de Cuvée - France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru
March 2021 disgorgement. 60% Pinot Noir / 40% Chardonnay. Bright mandarin orange, with pears and saline. Great depth here, too. This is gonna age really well.
- 2010 Vilmart & Cie Champagne Premier Cru Grand Cellier Rubis - France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru
My last bottle of the pre-Emotion Rose, when this was called back at that time Grand Cellier Rubis. One immediate difference between it and the new iterations of Emotion is the sur latte time. The disgorgement on this 2010 was listed as November 2014, and in doing the math, puts this at about 3.5 years. In contrast the new versions of Emotion are between 5.5 and 6 years. So that is a significant difference. And, then we have the challenge of the vintage. So, what I find in this 2010 is a more candied impression, much as I did with the 2010 Coeur de Cuvee that we had earlier in the meal. The GC Rubis here is spicy and tangy, with lots of red fruits and red apple, and what seemed too like some wood still poking out? Would seem odd to find that after a decade but I sensed something like it. (over dinner my notes say 'cinnamon' so perhaps that is the marker I was sensing earlier). The acidity is what I would call moderate at best, finishing with a candied impression....retasted again on Day 2 from what was leftover. Gold/salmon in color. I think Ramon may have even called this wine last night flavored like Cherry Lifesaver--this seems accurate to me now, along with lime rind and some maple (again, maybe my inference to the wood yesterday). As it may be clear now with my note, there is a lot happening in the wine, with a candied, syrupy tone. My advice would be to open these now, as I don't see the gain in letting these age, which would differ from Rich Nanda's take (who has a smart palate FWIW). - 2012 Vilmart & Cie Champagne Premier Cru Rosé Emotion - France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru
Disgorged January 2018. 60% Pinot Noir / 40% Chardonnay. I got kinda smitten with both the 2013 and 2014 last night, as we had all of those, plus the 2015, side by side. Somehow, the 2012 missed my attention, although I got some notes scribbled down, and I seem to have some leftover stoppered wine from the 2012 bottle to taste again later so that is good. For now, from last night's notes, I found the 2012 to be citrusy with plenty of acid. Has the expected brightness that is present in Emotion, too. Strawberry, raspberry, tangy with really good length. And, I even found some cranberry in the finish, giving the wine some good grip...retasted again on Day 2 from what was leftover last night. Good pop of CO2 which held well. More pink then salmon, both are adding color. Wow, seductive. The acid in this vintage is more relaxed, it's more on an equal, even deferring position with the fruit. This works because the fruit is spot on. Peach/nectarine (this is what the acidity reminds me of, along with of course, lime), strawberry, green apple and tangerine. The 2012 seems really seductive to me right now, in balance and drinking great--it's hard to not keep pouring an ounce after an ounce and just wonder why the glass keeps emptying! - 2013 Vilmart & Cie Champagne Premier Cru Rosé Emotion - France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru
March 2020 disgorgement. 60% Pinot Noir / 40% Chardonnay. Pinkish salmon color, zingy but just a little less electric than the 2014 that I sampled right alongside it, both at about 67f. It has the same chalky impression of the 2014. Concentrated green apple, orange zest, strawberry pastry and red apple. Then, we retasted with the group over dinner, several hours later, this really put on some big-time deliciousness. In fact, one of my WOTN. The concentration and flavor depth here is delicious, with good citrus, slate, all well balanced in a coat of raspberry compote, zesty and bright. This, and the 2013 Coeur de Cuvee, are both showing some high-class stuff right now. - 2014 Vilmart & Cie Champagne Premier Cru Rosé Emotion - France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru
April 2021 disgorgement. 60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay. When first opened, this was room temp (67f). It's a little darker than the 2013. Stuffed with power and concentration. Citrusy and spicy, with a chalky finish and power. Flavors of golden apple with some honeyed edges, along with tangy pineapple. Later with dinner and with the ability to retaste a few more times, this gives me a little licorice in the aromatic. Plenty of raspberry and fresh lime zest that sits within a nice spine of structure. In the finish, there is both some toffee and tart strawberry and raspberry jam. As you might infer from my note here, there is a lot going on in the wine and it would be instructive to be able to retaste this again once more but the bottle went home with one of other smart palates. Like the 2014 Coeue de Cuvee, there is lots of life here and runway ahead. - 2015 Vilmart & Cie Champagne Premier Cru Rosé Emotion - France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru
February 2022 disgorgement. 60% Pinot Noir / 40% Chardonnay. When I opened this up earlier in the afternoon to taste it, my early impressions were neutral to positive. I found the wine to be solidly fruit-centric, meaning that was the core way the wine was showing, without the usual Emotion energy and cut. Cantaloupe, kumquat, juicy red fruit and juicy apple. Well, fruity. Then, we used the same bottle for the larger tasting over dinner. Many of us at the table had a hard time with this vintage. The wine seems to be one-noted, round but lacks balance with astringence. It's hard to think of a Vilmart Emotion showing like this but I am writing what I sensed. I have another bottle, I plan to open it when I finally get an offer on this 2015 and then I'll see what I find (we got these current bottles from Saratoga in NY). For sure, without question, the 2013 and 2014 are far outclassing the 2015 now, which at this time drinks with some disappointment.
- 2013 Vilmart & Cie Ratafia Chardonnay - France, Champagne, Ratafia de Champagne
Took a brief note here as I was so focused on the sparkling flights. Nutty with apricot and caramel. This is really good with dessert.
Posted from CellarTracker
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Never had a Bouchard show like that. Have to believe something bad happened to that bottle.
Thanks for the detailed and informative notes Frank, and welcome back.
Different experience here a few months ago. Leaning towards David’s thinking. Agree re: the price, though (but I started at $80) 
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Bernard Lonclas Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut:
Meh. It tastes like second rate fruit exposed to long lees aging. It’s perfectly pleasant and completely uninspiring.
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I will try another bottle from the 6-pack soon and see how it compares.
Popped a Krug 170 last night for fun with some fried chicken since we had some celebrations to commemorate. It was singing and still youthfully tight at the same time. I tend to like all my Champagne on the younger side, but obviously this bottling will have the stuffing to go for a decade or more happily. I found this pretty refined for Krug MV, and it was just a delight. Of course, I tend to prefer the MV to the vintage from this house. Wonderful wine and always a treat.
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Frank, I appreciate the thought you put into these notes and am jealous of your tasting group. Awesome lineup.
Like you, Vilmart is a bit of an outlier in my tastes, but I became enamored with these wines as soon as I tried them. I’m still dialing in which bottles are right for me, so I especially appreciate how wide you went with this tasting. My first bottle of Emotion jolted me awake to a new possibility of rose champagne and I almost immediately began buying more. Your use of the word “unctuous” to describe Rubis tracks with my experience: on the wrong night I have found it too rich, dense, and even simple for my mood. That said, it’s high time I start paying much closer attention to base vintages and disgorgement dates to better connect the dots.
I’m excited to open more Vilmart this year, and I’m learning more and more that I need to take more care to match the right bottle to the right mood or food. It was a helpful realization that as much as I love Vilmart, it is not the producer I reach for across every occasion.
Thanks for the notes here.
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2014 Cedric Bouchard Roses de Jeanne PR / Presle - A lovely pinot noir, whose profile makes you immediately think “white.” White fruit, white cherry, white flowers, cool cream, nice balance between fruit and acid. A generally cool but delicious profile, and excellent class and complexity. While not a wow wine, it is clearly of excellent quality (and paired well with sashimi). 94+
2020 Perkins Harter Bracken Sparkling Pinot Noir - I’m not entirely sure what to make of this. It opens with a distinct natural wine aroma and some kafir lime leaf, followed by salinity, pear, lychee, and then banana pudding with nilla wafers. Almost like there is an odd combination of natty, oak, and an unusual yeast for it to get such an untraditional set of flavors and aromas for a pinot noir sparkling wine. Reminded me a touch of Mouzon-Leroux but without the citrus pop. Would love to see some other notes. I’ve been fairly consistent about it, but I don’t really think the natural no or super low sulfur approach is my favorite when it comes to champagne. I haven’t really been able to find much on this bottling, but would assume from its profile that it’s pretty low to no sulfur.
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Jay, I am glad that the notes and perspective are helpful. My intent in sharing these is to create some benefit for those who might be interested in these wines, in Vilmart too.
Not sure where you live but if you are in a bigger area like I am, then it’s possible to leverage the common passion of people to go after a theme, and to enjoy the perk of having folks contribute to build an experience like these. All of it takes is a few passionate people to carry the flag and run out ahead with the idea.
As you get through more Vilmart, share your perspective. I would appreciate hearing it, as it teaches me and others who want to hear it.
I’m letting my Parkins Harter 2020 sparklers settle a bit after shipping, but will post a note here in the next couple weeks with my thoughts as well. I’m wondering if that initial aroma you described as “natural aroma” is just the Oregon Pinot funk, which I find quite often in both Dundee Hills and Eola Amity Hills Pinot Noir. I don’t mind it, personally, but it also typically blows off with 20-30min of air. Curious if you saw much evolution with air, or not.
+1 to your compliments of Frank — Frank, I always love reading your notes - thank you for sharing. 
Jay,
I’m a big fan of the Cuvee Rubis, but I tend to find it’s at its best with a few years under its belt. For example, last year I had a 2016 disgorgement that was drinking beautifully, and showing no signs of decline. Sometimes, in its youth, I find it a bit boring.
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NV Egly-Ouriet Champagne Premier Cru Les Vignes de Vrigny - France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru (1/21/2024)
– popped and poured –
– tasted non-blind over a couple hours –
– 100% Pinot Meunier –
– disgorged: July 2022 –
– dosage: 2 g/L –
– 2018 base –
NOSE: pretty tight initially, but light, slightly oxidized, apple aroma is here and expands with air, but never really gains complexity.
BODY: fine bead; light tan-yellow color; medium-light bodied.
TASTE: high acid, and richly flavored (which, as I’ve started to taste through the low end of this producer’s range, appears to be an Egly hallmark); somewhat underbrushy, which I often get with Pinot Meunier. Overall, I liked this, and that’s remarkable because I typically don’t like Pinot Meunier when it dominates a blend or is the basis for a varietal bottling; but, that having been said, I don’t see this as a rebuy for me, particularly given the quickly-escalating prices this producer is enjoying. I have to believe most fans of P.M. would enjoy this greatly.
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Help me understand what you mean. I have to admit that I don’t really know what people mean when they say “funk” and then note it blowing off and ceasing to exist in 20-30 minutes. How does that work if specific to fruit from terroir? If it blows off quickly, is it not something affected by oxygen, like reduction? For instance, high SO2 at bottling combined with reductive winemaking can lead to a flinty or smoky note (or even a burnt rubber note) on opening which can certainly blow off. But that is not fruit specific. Fruit and source can accentuate that, like Walter Scott Freedom Hill chardonnay, but then it does not blow off; the flinty gunsmoke note remains during consumption. It has always been my understanding that if the phenolics are specific to the fruit from a terroir, they should remain noticeable during consumption. A signature with each pour. If the funk is something like brett or TCA, then it cannot blow off with air.
Regardless, By holdings I own more Oregon wine, pinot and chardonnay, than anything else and did not observe the “natty” note as Dundee/Eola Amity Hills Pinot Noir. It was more Chavost, Mouzon-Leroux, Ruppert-Leroy, and Charles Dufour than anything I’ve previously equated to Oregon Pinot Noir.
But give one a spin when you see fit and share your notes.
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How much did you pay for this? I see prices at $65 pre arrival, which I think is a great price for this wine.
$65. I thought this was tickling $80 now, but I’m perhaps just not looking closely enough on account of my P.M. aversion. I’ll take the Bisseuil over this pretty much every time.
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I bought a bottle for $80 or so at the Wine House, but it had an extra 6 month on the lees, so I wonder if that’s why it cost more or if they just arent as competitive as other shops.