You sure? 
Hmm maybe dodgy Alpine WiFi.
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Much better picture than the generic one I uploaded 
I tend to agree with this sentiment. It’s not one that I’ve heard before but in the last six months I’ve had 1990, 1997 and 2002 all of which were fading. Surprisingly 1990 was the strongest of the group.
The 97 felt as though it was about to fall off a cliff and had little mousse remaining. The 02 felt tired was far outshined by a 2002 Tattinger Comtes.
What I will say, though, is that 08, 12, and 14 would seem to have longer runways ahead.
This is my third bottle of this and I’ve progressively enjoyed each bottle more. I’m really glad I grabbed a handful of the 2013s for $50 as the 2018 are $65. I’d call this wine a “preference.” Nothing round and lush about it, the dominant impression is fresh squeezed lemon juice (no lime or grapefruit) and some saline. It leans screechy and jagged like a harmonic dissonant (which I enjoy). A wine for the AWCWE (Anti-White Chocolate Wine Elite).
Each bottle has had a different caricature on the cap. Family members?
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Appreciate the note, Chris. I’ll use your comment as some inspiration and source a few, as it’s been a while.
Family members…I think that is a good guess. Roland and Dominique’s daughter, Jeanne, makes wine too. I met her on my last visit. Her stuff (I think all of it) is across the border where Champagne abuts Burgundy’s northern edge. Here is some info on her to add some color to the family connection. FWIW, she looks so much like Dominique, the genes are strong!
I wouldn’t want to sit down and eat a big hunk of white chocolate but i can’t imagine life without white chocolate macadamia nut cookies.
For what it’s worth, the white chocolate note I perceive in some champagnes has never come across as confected. I am fairly certain it’s a barrel influence and I get it more often in zero or low dosage cuvees.
Rare one. 467 bottles from a single fut. a field blend of Meunier, Pinot Gris and Petit Meslier. All 2015 disgorged in October 2018 with no dosage.
A little atypical, but not as much as some other wines with large proportions of the ‘other grapes’. Medium rich, yellow fruits, tart acids that push through on the finish. More gastronomic than apero style. Weighty but fine.
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Thanks for clarifying that. It is the confection nature of white chocolate that I dislike. Of course, I am just joking with you. And I will admit, I ate my share of those cookies back in the day when weight gain was not an issue. But I avoid all such things now and my palate has changed accordingly.
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Happy hunting Frank. Sec seemed to have the 2013s forever and then jumped straight to the 2018s. I would have liked to try some of the in between vintages.
Wow, Krug’s next vintage release is 2011… I wasn’t expecting that year.
Info now live on Krug’s site:
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Every bottle of Hugues Godme I have opened so far has been intensely concentrated and powerful but on a lithe frame that makes the wines seem almost airy. The intensity of the fruit, which comes with just a hint of sweetness, softens the authoritative austerity of high acidity and its deeply mineral expression. It achieves a Jungian integration of its shadow; it’s Maslow’s fully self-actualized wine - an entirely harmonious union of its polarities.
This is unquestionably Pinot, though it has the freshness and finesse of a Blanc de Blancs. It tastes of red delicious (sans mush and wax), cherry, peach, and citrus peels; It’s vividly salty and smoky with a soy sauce savoriness. This is unquestionably a complex, powerful and mineral wine. The volume, however, never overwhelms. It is as refreshing as it is complex. Love these wines.
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A couple of free glasses of Laurent Perrier NV were quite sweet and simple to my tastes. I certainly wouldn’t buy it.
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As part of a tasting I got to try my first bottle from Pierre Baillette, and more specifically the premier cru “Le Village” extra brut bottling. I found this to be a really great bottle of champagne. Medium plus acid, tons of rich, toasty notes. A little lighter on the chalk, but still present. Dosage is just about perfect. For the $50 price tag Thatcher’s is offering on this one, I think it’s a QPR rockstar.
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A little afternoon champagne with friends. First bottle of Mousse after the label design change and I didn’t expect the note on the inside of the (paper, nice) foil. Clever! Maybe a bit creepy to with the whole love thing, but I appreciate it.
This is another QPR rockstar. Peach cobbler in a glass while also expressing so much earthy, perfum-ey terroir at the same time. Really enjoying this champagne and it’s one that I think a whole group can enjoy while also being seriously pleasurable for the wine nerds. This wine punches so far above its price class, it’s wild. Delivering a very close experience to a recent Egly Vignes de Vrigny I had.
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Amusing foil! (yes, leaning in a bit of a weird direction, but nonetheless …)
Pretty high praise with the Egly comparison!
I was surprised too. I tasted it a couple of weeks ago along with the '11 base year GC 167. They did a lot of sorting and tasting with the '11 Vintage to get a decent Champagne. Most people preferred the GC that night.
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2008 Comtes rosé was really nice. I was afraid it was going to be shut-down or need time to open up, but it was great as PnP. Cristal, Comtes and DP all made great rosés in '08. In stark contrast to the Comtes was the '12 Starck. This did not have the fruit of the Comtes, but had great minerality and acid. The Comtes was easy to drink on its own, but the Starck is a food Champagne. It would have paired well with some sashimi. I was not a fan of the '18 base year Couarres. It came across as too sweet for me. I had the '12 base a year ago and really enjoyed that. Picture credit goes to Gary Z.
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Yes. Don’t get me wrong, Egly is probably my favorite champagne producer period. But I’ve been on a search to find a champagne that delivers close, but at a more agreeable price point, and this wine is right there for me. Egly delivers a touch more concentration and a longer finish, but otherwise, these are fighting in the same weight class if you ask me.
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