Ehh, honestly, it was fine. But if you want to know what I am going to grab, it’s the Starck, R-L and the Marguet. Those were all way better for my palate, Scott. Just being honest.
2 Likes
What glass(es) are you drinking out of these days Frank? Any difference for different styles?
Nah, I tried a bunch of different ones, and got tired of the fragility of the things and gave them all away. I did though stay married to the Glas StandArt. I have a bunch of them and I use them for guests and for everything I drink for my notes. They’re durable, yet not heavy, and I really like them.
What are you using, Kris?
1 Like
Lehmann no. 3 when it is me and wife. Otherwise Glasvin Universal if family is over, but that has become expensive as we are now down to 2 and if more want bubbles they get some restaurant Riedel Vio glasses. Looking for some options, or maybe just give in and get the in-laws Solo cups.
1 Like
Man, I had some Lehmanns and I broke one, and then I had one left, then said screw it, and I gave away the last one to someone. I think I had to get it all the way from Montreal too. Give the StandArt a look if you haven’t yet. Around $35 a piece and they seem strong and show well (for me).
2013 Philipponnat Grand Blanc Extra Brut. 4.5g/l, disgorged Sep ‘21
This is pretty awesome and exceeded my expectations. Acidity here is high and long. Meyer lemon, lemon curd, lemon pound cake, all things lemon here. With air, the autolytic notes really come to life, and they’re incredible in this wine. Brioche, but French toast, and you can almost pick up the maple syrup and powdered sugar, with of course some lemon compote on the side. I’m actually surprised this is only extra brut as it brings incredible sensations of sweet from the fruit. Really nice, and glad to I have another in the cellar to enjoy.
9 Likes
2006 Andre Clouet Dream Vintage
100% Grand Cru Bouzy Chardonnay
I don’t have super detailed notes on this. As it followed a wine that’s pretty much impossible to follow…anyway, this was drank over two days.
Day 1 - lots of butter and brioche on the nose upon opening, hints of seashell and honeysuckle.
Palate was creamy with a lemon core. Higher acidity and body than I would’ve expected. After some time acid and lemon core became a little clunky and pushed this out of balance.
Day 2 - the nose of butter and brioche gave way to the lemon and sea shell. The wine became more focused and put together. Lemon and acid still on the palate, the other notes were accompaniments. The weight of the wine kept the acid in check. Much better, but I think I prefer the Clouet’s Pinot Noir champagnes, based on this example at least.
6 Likes
Nice! Although this is causing me to call an audible on the “my style” for next weekend … no matter how hard I might try, it’s damn near impossible to stay one step ahead of you!
Doyard Vendemiaire:
This straddles the line between opulence and austerity, like the Godme I enjoyed yesterday, but does so without the puritanical, stern manner. It’s broad and creamy on the palate; loaded with lemon curd, lemon oil, asian pear, spice, almonds, and chalk. The high acidity gives it a lot of drive, but it feels more like a spirited drive around twisty coastal roads than James Bond in an Italian sports car chase around Monaco. (That Godme was thrilling!) I would think this could bridge the gap between the “Champagne with hips” partisans and the “Oh, white chocolate is so gross” anhedones. Enjoyable bottle.
4 Likes
Which disgorgement was this?
I had the base '18 Vendemiaire, and I felt it leaned more towards the opulent, but in a good way (broad and creamy as you say, but not soft nor overly angular).
You probably got them from Alambika in Montréal.
Same two for me: Lehmann Jamesse Grande Champagne and Gabriel Glas Standart. Love both but I prefer the Lehmann when I take my time with the wine (in glass for a bit).
This evening in the cheap(-ish) seats, a new producer for me, but a rather “meh” bottle of fizz - nothing wrong with it exactly, but nothing very interesting either.
Ullens Lot 02
- NV Domaine de Marzilly Champagne Ullens Brut Lot 02 - France, Champagne (19/02/2024)
56/37/7 PM/C/PN. Tirage 03/2016. Disgorgement 06/2019; dosage 4g/l.
On first opening this had an aggressive mousse, and acidity that was tart bordering on bitter; it was not very approachable. However, with maybe 20-30 minutes air, and coming up in temperature a little, things smooth out and it is a very good wine.
The nose is saline and citrus. These follow to the palate where the fruit is perhaps candied lemons but with a slightly rich mouthfeel on the mid-palate. I'm not getting as much orchard as I might expect from the meunier. The finish is quite long, clean, a little minerally and drying.
Overall this is a decent general purpose fizz - it would work as an aperitif when cooler (but after a few minutes air) and has the oomph to partner food as it warms more. But it's a bit generic and doesn't have any wow factor for me, so I'm unlikely to be buying more at the ~US$46 that I paid. (88 points)
1 Like
Nothing new on the true champagne front here, just plodding through a sixer of Etienne Calsac’s L’Echappe Belle which I think is a delightful wine, refreshing and satisfying on a Friday evening after a brutal week of work.
I did have a Schramsberg 2017 Extra Brut North Coast but cannot find any materials about it online. It was a very odd sparkler, with a huge dose of apricot and peach liqueur, some florals, and heat. It really seems the fruit was over-ripe. The wine was oddly tropical, but with a driving peachy apricot note that I found cloying, and finished hot with a scent and feel of alcohol. Enough so that I walked back into my kitchen to check. Clocks in a 13.3% abv. I had one glass and switched to bordeaux (a 2019 Brane Cantenac I was curious to check in on, and which was big and bad, but also had nice acid to balance things out. A serious and complex wine that needs much more time, obviously). Wife didn’t mind it, if not her favorite. But I would absolutely not seek this out. Among the most disappointing wines I’ve had from Schramsberg.
1 Like
17 base. I would agree that it’s more opulent than austere.
1 Like
I’m assuming you got this as one of the Q1 club shipment items (2017 Extra Brut & 2013 BdN Late Disgorged… plus some library selections if in the Riddler’s Circle tier)?
Unfortunate this was such a dud.
1 Like
Question for those of you who like/buy California sparkling wines rather than Champagnes at a similar price: Why do you prefer them to Champagne similarly priced?
For $105, I can swing a dead cat in my cellar or the available retail universe and hit dozens of Champagnes that I like.
I admit to tasting relatively few California sparklers recently, but those I’ve tasted (Ultramarine, Schramsberg, a few others) don’t compare well to similarly priced Champagnes, to my palate.
5 Likes
Yeah that’s the one. Hey my note’s not too far off, though the takeaway is undoubtedly not what Schramsberg was hoping for. It was not my style.
This is a fair question. Part of this is sleeping on pricing, since I joined years ago and get a series of small shipments. It may be financially irresponsible to say it, but I didn’t even realize this shipment was coming (and club price is less than suggested retail). Some of the J Schram wines are very nice and a change of pace from Champagne in a way that Oregon and Burgundy are changes of pace. It’s not the same, but that doesn’t mean it’s always worse. A decent number of the single vineyard Schramsberg’s drink very much like champagne, even in a way that the J Schram stuff does not. I’ve slipped these into tastings and folks rarely ever raise a question or point the wines out as materially different then others in the lineup. They are usually very enjoyable, and at their price point, can compete with champagne (i’m sure I’ve got some notes on this thread for some of that stuff).
I’ve stopped buying my shared allocation of Ultramarine because I felt that was moving in a worse direction than it began, but no need for me to beat that dead horse. I did make the call there to reallocate spend to champagne. Or to new Oregon projects.
I am really excited about Oregon sparkling wine and what it might become. Climate should be better suited, and I think Oregon is already making the best pinot noir and chardonnay in the country. Or among the very best. Good winemakers, good grapes…hoping for very good things.
4 Likes
I doubt there are many on here who buy CA instead of Champagne. I buy both as I think they are different and I like variety.
Thanks for replying. What itch do the domestic sparkling wines scratch that Champagnes don’t?
I’m sincerely interested in this, not making a point in the form of a question.