Ehhh, probably not. It’s out but i don’t think it’s here yet? I haven’t tried the 19 yet but would like to. Fwiw, the 18 opened last year i really enjoyed it.
I trust your information there better than my own 
awesome bottle
Benjamin, since you liked Pinot Noir from LF…give Les Empreintes a try. It’s 50/50 PN/Chard. I just got my 2017s so i know it’s around. There is a less expensive bottling called BdN with a purplish label. It’s 50/50 Noir/Meunier.
Longues Voyes I believe is also going/gone away as that fruit source in the Montagne is not going to LF anymore…this is what I recall.
1 Like
Couple from last night. Was able to bring the remainder home of the Bereche. Both very good.
- 2004 Laurent-Perrier Champagne Grande Cuvée Rosé Alexandra - France, Champagne (4/14/2024)
Had this over dinner last night. Never had the wine before but at 20 years of age, it's holding up very well. Plenty of peachy color and a fruit-anchored palate that to me seemed fresh and well-defined. We crushed the bottle in about 45 mins and nothing left to taste today. I just appreciate the kindness of my friend who continues to bring these kinds of grand marque things for me to taste, to keep my perspective open given I own nothing in the grand marque category. - 2014 Bérêche et Fils Champagne Campania Remensis - France, Champagne (4/14/2024)
Opened yesterday, preserving about a full glass for today. Disgorged March 2018, 3 g/l of dosage, made up of roughly 2/3rds Pinot Noir, a little still red wine with it, and then rest Chardonnay. When I had my first one back in summer 2020, I wrote I would enjoy the remaining bottle within a year. I'm glad I forgot, as this is holding up fine more than 3 years later/. Same color as the previous bottle--a golden peach hue. This has a texture on it that I flagged last time, but it's even more noticeable now. It's got weight, liked a lot of fruit stuffed into the wine and it does a great job of covering my palate. The same nectarine-like note is here again, akin to a nectarine skin, with both the acid and the imparted flavor. There is a tangy red fruited note that flushes across my palate, too--a cranberry/raspberry, plus a bit of pippin apple and a gentle cinnamon note. Finishes with a stone fruit and orange flesh, floating in a cool minerality. Damn, this is tasting really good, full of life, flavor, energy. I paid $70 for these and looks like the wine since has gone up a bunch since that time...ugh
Posted from CellarTracker
7 Likes
I had a 2014 Laherte Remensis at the first social event I attended during the pandemic, a backyard dim sum and Champagne lunch in Sept 2020. We also had a couple of vintages of the Laherte Les Grand Crayeres ('14 and either '13 or '15). I loved the Champagnes but am especially fond of the memories.
-Al
1 Like
I have one Les Grandes Crayeres in the cellar. Looking even more forward to it now.
Al…do you mean Bereche Remenis? Or something else Laherte?
Oops, I meant Bereche Remensis, was distracted but, alas, by figuring out dinner rather than by a Bereche or Laherte Freres this evening.
-Al
This is a bit of a head scratcher. It doesn’t taste of much of anything aside from a subtle note of Red Delicious and a hint of spice. It doesn’t have much acidity, lacks body, and has no finish to speak of. It doesn’t appear to be corked nor does it taste like it’s tightly wound. It’s just a glass full of nothing. Bottle has been open for three hours with zero evolution.
1 Like
In Hong Kong Les Longues Voyes is basically twice the price of the Ultradition Extra-Brut, so I guess that’s not totally unexpected.
That would have been a great follow-up (or the 2002 Ruinart). However, I went off script our last night in Whistler.
Dinner at Araxi was outstanding. I’ve always liked this restaurant, but they brought it up a level. Plus, their 4 course prix fixe special for $43CA possibly made it the best Q/P fine dining experience (sorry if that phrase violently triggers those prone to irritation). The potato leek soup, Fanny Bay oysters, halibut in green shellfish curry, wild mushroom risotto and desserts were all perfect.
Back to the wine…2009 Vilmart Coeur de Cuvée. I’ve had bottles of this in the past that were restrained, atypical of this cuvée and the vintage in general. Last night’s however was quite bold and more typical of what I’d expect from a 2009 tête de cuvée. It’s matured into a magnificent wine. Dense and creamy lime and orange, great complexity. I sensed a hint of mint. Despite the richness, it is lively and energetic. The bottle reaffirms why Vilmart is amongst my favorite growers.
6 Likes
2009 Coeur de Cuvee is top shelf. Power and richness, together. Thank you for posting the note, Warren. Hope you enjoyed your trip.
Adrien Renoir Les Epinettes 2017; deg 9/21.
Exhilarating for its tactile qualities even more than its smells and tastes. A sharp cut that falls just on the right side of the line before entering the land of “too severe”. A very long and acidic finish. Tart apples and a mix of lemon and lime dominate the tastes. My wife loved loved loved this.
6 Likes
One of my best friends (who happens to be a food / travel journalist) came to town this weekend. Her favorite thing on the planet is champagne and she’s always sending me pictures of the champagne lists at different restaurants and hotels so we can judge them and make choices. I did a terrible job but, as a little joke/fun exercise, I made her a little menu of the champagnes I had so the she could review her options and pick while she’s staying at ours for a little bit.
The champagne she chose was a grower that she had been wanting to try - and I’d say she chose right! Etienne Calsac’s Les Rocheforts is excellent. 100% Chardonnay, pop and pour. Meyer lemon, apples, and even a bit of peach flavor to start. Started to show off some brioche-y flavors and a little more intensity with time.
There are some other bottles on the menu not pictured (the Reserve List 
) but she insisted we save that for a future special occasion
8 Likes
What a wonderful gesture and great execution! I’d be ecstatic with the list too (and probably would have chosen the Calsac or the Doyard!). Cheers.
2014 La Rogerie Heroine Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs - 100% grand cru, spends 90 months on lees, bottled at 2 g/l according to the internet. This wine shows nice floral notes, watered down honeycrisp and bartlett pear, a hint of almond, and the faintest whiff of lees. Maybe a touch of ginger spice. Generally speaking, a wine missing it’s mid-palate and complexity. Middling, and for the price, disappointing. My wife and I agreed that this was, unfortunately, quite meh.
2 Likes
Thank you I’m proud of it! (She picked the 2004 Perseval Farge and Amaury Beaufort for today)
Opened tonight to have as I watched @Chris_Seiber’s son get the start for Vanderbilt. Good showing by #34, and I know how proud Mr Seiber is of Brennan, as too am I!
As for the wine, went well with the Vandy broadcast. Some folks don’t like sans dose, and even give it a tough bar to achieve, but I think these same folks would have a hard time knocking this sans dose, as it’s terrific. I do like what L-B does with this cuvee, and I buy it every release. Thank you for reading.
- 2016 Larmandier-Bernier Champagne Premier Cru Terre de Vertus - France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru (4/16/2024)
First crack with this vintage. September 2022 disgorgement so a good solid 5 years on the lees. 100% Chard, farmed bio-d, no dose which is the way for this cuvee. I didn't start drinking this wine until the 2012 vintage, and I have liked them all, aside from the 2015 which is pretty lean. This bottle pours with a brassy color. Real good fruit presence and texture in this vintage. It reminds me of an orange marmalade with a generous yellow apple, shaded by a gingery spice that energizes the wine from palate through the finish. Then, when I had let the wine get pretty close to room temp 70f, a thought shot through my senses....hey, this is like a slice of apple pie. The apple, some cinnamon spice and a bit of pastry. Pretty cool moment. Yep, some saline here too, to be expected given the style and soil but it's more present when the wine is cooler, replaced by more of the fruit when the wine is allowed to stretch out and shed its colder jacket. And plenty of citrus in the finish, even some anise and toast (likely from the wood). Really good iteration of Terre de Vertus--good stuffing, definition and balance.
Posted from CellarTracker
5 Likes