That’s one that I’ve enjoyed too as a “daily drinker”. As an aside, Julien was very responsive to email when I wrote to clarify some details of the bottles I had (which had been labelled up specifically for the Italian market, but made their way to Hong Kong).
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To date, this is my favorite rosé. Absolutely loooove it, and am an idiot for not buying more of it.
Agreed that it is great. I pick up more every chance I get.
Cristal Rose, L’Enfer, and Amour de Deutz are pretty good.
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Grand Siècle 25 served with homemade raisin walnut sourdough. This has opened up nicely since release. 2nd bottle in the past few months and both were drinking great.
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Last night. Preferred the Laherte to the oxidative quality of the Moussé but they both performed well.
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When these hit, they are great. Sometimes (and even my final 2019 Papillon) I had last XMAS was showing some light oxidation. You don’t mention any, but instead your note is more aligned to why I buy the R-L wines, for the qualities you wrote. I have some mix of the R-L wines with some age, something that might be with some risk so I should revisit those with some those this year.
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Good work. Still waiting on my Mousse to come in with Lopa–haven’t had the Esquisse yet. I reloaded more of the LF BdB last week from Caveau. I keep a handful of those around all the time as we open them pretty regularly when we want to test drive people on no dose that is built right.
Looking forward to seeing you in a few weeks, Rat.
I loved this wine, my favorite at a very large local tasting. So I bought the store out - all 2 bottles LOL.
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I haven’t tried to back fill yet, but I’m guessing it’s probably hopeless at this point. I think the 2020 is out now.
Just bought out NoLimit. All 1 of the bottles of ‘20.
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It really is beautiful. I got hooked drinking the '04 and that experience convinced me to go deep on the '12. I am going to a party this afternoon and I am going to open a magnum for the first time.
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Nice looking loaf! Are you the baker?
Thanks Jim. Yes I am the baker, I started about 12 year ago. Below are yesterday’s and today’s bakes. I was behind schedule yesterday and had to put the bread in before my Dutch oven was up to temp, so I had to cook it a bit longer than usual and had a well done, albeit still tasty crust. Today my timing was spot on so crust was a nice golden brown. We serve this loaf with honey goat cheese and lots of Champagne.
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2004 Diebolt-Vallois BdB Brut Millésimé LD.
Great grower, good vintage in the Côte des Blancs, a late disgorgement after 17 years on the lees. High expectations dashed. A sour cider flavor and scent was a dominant presence. Others at the table liked it more than me. While it improved with air, for me it never rose above tolerable. Thankfully I purchased just this one bottle.
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I continue to be enamored with this wine. I love its density, married to wrath of god level acidity, which still somehow manages to have some roundness. It has a remarkably resonant finish that delivers a colossal amount of chalk. It tastes of green apple, asian pear, herbs, vanilla, and cinnamon. It’s lacking a bit of complexity, I suppose, but I don’t miss it. It more than compensates with drama, poise, and pure refreshment.
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Give it time. All of my Vilmart bottles have improved with age.
I have no doubts this will age beautifully. It’s so refreshing after my weekend hikes, I can’t keep my hands off it.
A little bit late writing up tasting notes from the event Frank referenced above. The WTN seemed to be the 2002 Vincent Couche. I have a bottle that I will be drinking shortly because a brassy/browning apple note that became more prominent towards the end of the tasting suggested it’s not going to go the distance. The Thiénot and the Tarlant BAM were my two second-favorites. The revelation of the night was the Chartreuse V.E.P (far right in the picture). Absolutely amazing digestif, I have no words to describe. It was like an entire herb and provence flower garden in a sip. It was also topped with the thickest and robust wax capsule I have ever seen. Opening it without injury is a miracle…
Anyhow, onto the tasting notes:
- 2002 Vincent Couche Champagne Sensation - France, Champagne
50% Chard from Montgeaux & 50% PN from Buxeuil. Fermented and aged for 4 months in barrel before aging for 20 years in bottle, then disgorged with no dosage. Some websites indicate there is dosage, but the bottle says brut nature and V. Couche's website indicates no dosage.
Deep gold. Lemon curd, v. ripe red apple, ripe lemon, slightly bruised apple note. Something a bit brassy in the mid-palate. Quite acid on the finish. Upon revisit, the bruised apple note seemed more pronounced; I think this is at its glorious peak (or near it) and would recommend drinking up. - 2002 Thienot Champagne Cuvée Alain Thiénot Vinotheque - France, Champagne
70%Chard, 30% PN.
Lighter in color than the Vincent Couche 2002 Sensation that preceded it. Tastes a lot fresher than the V. Couche too. Yellow apple, fresh lemon, saline mid-palate, lots of acidity. I preferred the Sensation overall, but upon revisiting both towards the end of the evening, the Thiénot opened up with more citrus, while the Sensation started to develop some oxidized apple notes. My sense is that the Thiénot's most fabulous years are ahead of it, while the Sensation is at its delightful peak.
- NV Laherte Frères Petit Meslier Champagne Extra Brut - France, Champagne
Disg 12/21, Dosage 2g/L. 50% from 2017. 100% Petit Meslier.
Oof. I could not get over the nose, which had a medicinal herb/tincture aspect to it. It did not express the way the prior bottle tasted. Some lemon/citrus pith, raw green pepper in the mid palate. It was interesting, but odd. Is it the much-maligned 2017 vintage+age making the "green" notes so prominent? Is it my nose / palate? Did something go sideways with this bottle? Who knows. - 2010 Tarlant Champagne BAM! - France, Champagne
2010 Base with reserve wines. Fresh apple, sweet grapefruit, lemon. Very pretty, cohesive, and fresh overall, with a little "wink" of mystery. It outshone the Lahertes Frères by miles. I was lucky to take this home, and the next day it was just as delicious, fresh tasting and lively.
- 2018 Domaine de Bichery Champagne La Source Extra Brut - France, Champagne
60% PN, 40% Chard. No dosage. All from 2018, but I don't know if it was aged long enough to be vintage. Grower started own label around 2013-ish.
Plantain/unripe banana note, almond skin => some bitterness. Grapefruit pith. I was surprised that there was no new oak in this (old oak is used). Perhaps it needs more time to integrate? My sense the night of is that this could have used just a hint of dosage and been the better for it. - 2017 Domaine de Bichery Champagne Desir Noir - France, Champagne
100% PN from C, 0 dosage. Not sure when it was disgorged, so uncertain whether it was aged enough to officially qualify as vintage.
Fluffy mousse. Unripe lemon, unripe mandarin, with air had some green apple. Loads of acidity. It seemed like it would have so benefited from a touch of dosage because it came across as a bit punishing. I was fortunate to take it home. On day 3, it seemed to have evolved to a better place and was more open. There was some green stem in the mid-palate, but nothing too prominent, and the fruit seemed to be in a nicer place. Overall, I believe the Bichery bottlings need to rest a lot or get a lot of air before they are a their best.
(not blind)
- 2018 Domaine de Bichery Champagne Les Fontaines Rosé Brut Nature - France, Champagne
Not blind. Opened at the end of the tasting.
Blood orange, pink grapefruit, unripe raspberry, something akin to Seville orange. On the finish, a savory expression of nutmeg (couldn't quite place it). Lots of acidity. Interesting overall! Again, I felt that even a super light application of dosage would have made the fruit express itself more.
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