That was awesome 
I remember when Pepperidge Farm made good cookies. Capri, Nassau, Tahiti. Now it’s nothing but this Milano c***. Why back in my day…
4 Likes
- 2014 Larmandier-Bernier Champagne Premier Cru Rosé de Maturation - France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru (10/6/2024)
My final remaining bottle of the 14. It's been a year since I opened one of these, was interested to see how my perception (and the wine) has changed. Mostly old vine Pinot Noir from Vertus, with just a small % of Pinot Gris added. This has been open 2 days and tonight I am finishing it with some nice light outside, a quiet environment and just me drinking it. That context matters because it equates to a better focus for me, FWIW. Color is an orange/gold, without much 'Rose' color. This is fleshy at this stage in its development, lots of plump texture. What I sense this time is the imparted oak from the elevage, which adds some of the brown spice flavors like some clove--it's subtle but there. The acid on this bottle is nicely defined, leaving me thinking something akin to blood orange, peach flesh and nectarine. In the finish, there is an anise spice, which just adds a little pop to the finish, kind of like chewing just a few of those candies that you'd find in the brass bowl on the way out of an Indian restaurant. When this has time to sit in the glass and really air out, it's a pleasure to drink. Great plush texture, good length and spice. My view is that this is in a great drinking window, and after several bottles of this now open over the past couple years, this was by far the best of all. - 2019 Vouette et Sorbée Champagne Blanc d'Argile Brut Nature - France, Champagne (10/5/2024)
November 2022 disgorgement. 100% Chard, no dose. This bottle seems to reflect some differences than what I wrote about in my previous bottle back in March. Of note, this showed better when the chill was allowed to leave the wine, allowing the temp to warm. If you serve this too cold, you'll crush what's here. The texture expands too when the wine is warmer. Grapefruit, lemon oil, yellow apple with some light oxidation framing it. Finishes with lime and a light saline, which on night two seemed to show a more citrusy and savory finish with minerality. I do still believe this is not a long ager and is showing fine, reflecting both fruit and soil in the wine, surrounded by acid that all works fine.
Posted from CellarTracker
4 Likes
A friend of mine and his wife host an annual Champagne lunch with bagels and lox flown in from Russ & Daughters. It was quite the day with a few unicorns.
- 2004 Dom Pérignon Champagne P2 - France, Champagne (10/6/2024)
Oh my goodness, perhaps it was the context but this bottle of P2 was absolutely shining. Toasted almond and lemon curd, with leesy oxidation but otherwise in perfect shape, this was a better bottle than I’ve had before and it was totally, over the top rich and impressive. Would eagerly replace it. (97 points) - 2020 I. et S. Bernaudeau Les Terres Blanches - France, Vin de France (10/6/2024)
This bottle was far more reduced than my last. Interestingly, a pretty atypical expression of Bernaudeau but absolutely, mind blowingly delicious. I’ve never had a Chenin that smelled like white burgundy but this did. And then you have all the wanton purity and wild, naked typicity of this variety and producer. Quite remarkable and will intend to replace. (95 points) - 2020 Jérôme Prévost La Closerie Grand Cru - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru (10/6/2024)
I can’t be perfectly certain of the base year (it isn’t anywhere on the label) but based on the timing of the release, we’re going with 2020. A worthy follow up to the 2019 (which I was floored by), this wine is so complete. Prévost’s only blend (to my knowledge), this has much of the opulence of Les Beguines, with a less natural feel, and notes of white peach, raw hazelnut, with great density/concentration and a fresh mousse, this cuvee continues to impress and I’m very lucky to have tried it today. (95 points) - 1996 Louis Roederer Champagne Vintage Brut - France, Champagne (10/6/2024)
Excellent. Firing on all cylinders. Agreeing with the last note, this seems to be in no state of decline. In a beautiful apogee with notes of soft caramel, hints of vanilla, with brisk acidity and remaining in balance, this outshined several vintages of Pol Roger rose (94 points) - 2017 Jérôme Prévost Champagne La Closerie Extra Brut Les Beguines - France, Champagne (10/6/2024)
Completing the Prévost trio today, this was up against LC11 from mag and the 2020 Grand Cru. What a treat it was, remaining in impeccable balance and one of my favorite (along with 12 and 14) vintages of the decade. Foamy mousse (which merely showed how good a shape the bottle was in), this was well integrated with golden apple and raw hazelnut. Great acidity and concentration, this was a pristine example. (94 points) - 2011 Jérôme Prévost Champagne La Closerie Extra Brut Les Beguines - France, Champagne (10/6/2024)
From magnum. While not the best vintage in champagne, this wine in this format was impressive with a toasted almond note, some light butterscotch and pear. Great mousse, maybe a little lacking in depth/concentration, but a wonderful wine to celebrate @NoCTtony (93 points) - NV Marie-Noëlle Ledru Champagne Grand Cru Brut Rosé - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru (10/6/2024)
This was good - way better than the NV brut, it was bottled under Diam, with quite a bit of pressure. Really prominent was the absence of any perceptible dosage, rather austere. Some wild strawberry and cream, this was very good, but more of a novelty than anything mind-blowing. (93 points) - 2002 Pol Roger Champagne Brut Rosé - France, Champagne (10/6/2024)
Two years since my last bottle, and this is fresher and far more interesting than the 98 served alongside. Some wild strawberry, pencil lead, firm and coiled acid profile. This too is a drink now, although it’s quite a bit better than its table mate. (90 points) - 1998 Pol Roger Champagne Brut Rosé - France, Champagne (10/6/2024)
This seemed tired and well over the hill. Drink up (87 points)
Posted from CellarTracker
12 Likes
It was a great weekend for champagne. On addition to the below, there was the 1995 Clos des Goisses I posted earlier and a 2018 base Ulysse Collin Les Maillons.
7 Likes
- NV Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée Edition 172eme - France, Champagne (10/5/2024)
I’m getting baked apples, lemon, and little touch of yeast on the nose. The palate is rich and dense, but there is piercing, mouth-watering acidity. Dense white fruit and mineral flavors abound, cresting into a long, long finish. Night and day difference between the 171eme, which I thought was incredibly uninteresting and tight, while this feels very open, dynamic in flavors, and oh-so crushable right now. Base 2016 vintage (58%) with the remaining 42% from reserve wine going back to 1998 (a blend of 11 different vintages). 146 separate wines in this blend. Aged on the lees for about 7 years.
- 2007 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Rosé Brut - France, Champagne (10/5/2024)
Initially a little closed, some red berry and forestry, earthy Pinot notes develop on the nose. The flavors feel understated, with some red fruit interlaced with citrus and salinity, tied together with a tangy acidic spine. Perhaps still a little coiled today, this may benefit from some more cellar time. All in all, though, this is comparatively delicate and elegant, in contrast to the more forward, bruising Krug. 70% Pinot Noir (15% still wine from Bouzy) and 30% Chardonnay.
- 2008 Dom Pérignon Champagne - France, Champagne (10/5/2024)
A very bready, yeasty nose with notes of apple and citrus. The palate is very tightly coiled at this point, dominated by a cutting (though not angular) acidity and a steely, mineral-forward character with a hint of spice on the finish. Right now, this is more about potential than pleasure, but it seems to have a bright future.
6 Likes
True late disgorge with the LDV or whatever sticker on it from the chateau
1 Like
I bought original release ‘96 CdG. They did not age as I expected and, after several disappointing bottles, I sold the remainder. At the outset, I had great expectations that never came to fruition. YMMV.
Last night…
Selosse Substance
2018 Chartogne-Taillet Les Couarres
2014 Larmandier-Bernier Terre de Vertus
All wonderful, each very distinctive from the other.
3 Likes
NV Aubry Brut 1er last night. Paired perfectly with fried catfish.
1 Like
Like the 14 TdV also. Finished all of mine, wish I had saved one for aging. Holding onto a 13 still for age. 16 is good too, I think that is still the current release. Give a try if you like the style of TdV, Pat.
2 Likes
Every once in a while, like every couple weeks or so, this thread just goes off.
Great photos and notes, everyone! 
- 2014 Larmandier-Bernier Champagne Grand Cru Les Chemins d'Avize - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru (10/7/2024)
My final bottle of the 2014, and like the past few, still the same December 2021 disgorgement. All bio-d farmed Chard, from the couple of Avize plots, and a few grams of dosage. Man, I think the 14s are really coming around now. Had the Maturation a few nights ago, that was drinking really well. Now, the 14 Chemins d'Avize, and this is drinking great right on pour. Lots of golden apple, lemon curd (think lemon that is on the other side of the savory spectrum), lime. When this shakes off the cool jacket of the fridge, it becomes softer and delicate. Even some of the pastry butter comes through, too. There is enough citrus here, both orange/yellow/green to be tasty, and just enough energy to say 'I think I am ready to go, and not sure you want to make me sleep a lot longer'. In a good place to drink now, glad I opened it.
Posted from CellarTracker
Hey @Warren_Taranow …slight subject change but related. The 2014 Old Vine Levant. Have you taken delivery of these yet? Looks like in CT you own a bunch. If you got one, would you take one for the L-B team here and open one and post a note? I have yet to buy the 2014, and based on how you might read the wine, it would inform my purchase. And @Cris_Whetstone, you show a bottle owned of the 2014 Levant too? You try it yet? 
CT says I have one in the cellar and six pending. I’ll plan to open it soon and share my thoughts. Honestly, since they excelled in the 2011 vintage, the 2014 should be exceptional.
Cheers,
Warren
I think the 2014 Levant is really great, but let’s see what Warran says.
Just my one bottle. I buried it in a recently cellar inventory/rotation next to the '12. I have struggled with '14 out of the gate but I’ve also had some winners. I figure the Levant would be a wine I want to wait at least a couple years anyway and I’m betting it will at least get a tad better than whatever it is today.
I’ll chase some down and post my thought on it. Looks like the wine is now at $150 per? What happened to the days when the 2011 was $99?
1 Like
$89