Thanks guys. Your post on the mycorhize got me thinking about my most transcendent experience with BdB. I think it was probably a bottle of Bereche Les Beau Regards, but I can’t remember the vintage.
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2002 Ruinart Blanc de Blancs was probably my favorite BdB this year, closely followed by 2002 Taittinger Comtes BdB. There have been so many that were outstanding; 2008 Pierre Péters Blanc de Blancs Les Chetillons (still a holding back a bit), 1999 Pascal Doquet Champagne Coeur de Terroir Vertus (fully evolved), 2013 Claude Cazals Cru Blanc de Blancs Clos Cazals for its future potential, 2009 Deutz Champagne Amour de Deutz. Other vintages of Comtes were all outstanding.
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I recognize all those except Claude Cazals. I loved the 04 Comtes, they had a bottle at The Oyster Bar on the list a few years ago that was so good. I haven’t tried the 02. Great list.
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The bubbles gone so early? This was only released about two years ago, right?
I am asking because I had the same experience with a 244 last Summer and I thought maybe my bottle was defective. But it might be a generalised problem
I don’t think this should be a concern with the 244, especially since I probably did so many things contrary to keeping the bubbles going.
- we enjoyed the bottle outdoors on a warm evening
- instead of gently easing the stopper out, I twisted it to the point that it had its own momentum, took my hand away, and let it fly. Seemed more celebratory to me. This particular stopper had a very vigorous flight (but at the cost of many bubbles)
- the bottle was left unopened for over an hour and I didn’t bother to keep it cold
That said, it was only the last couple of ounces where were no discernable bubbles . The wine was still tasty to the last drops for both of us.
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Extracted from a thread just post re: Another Monday night dinner with 4 wines taste blind: 2006 Dom Perignon, 2012 Boillot Clos de la Mouchere, 2003 Lafite, 2012 Esmonin Ruchottes-Chambertin
2006 DOM PERIGNON- due to the telltale neck foil, this was poured and served blind to the others; I have had many a bottle of this vintage as I found it to be so easily approachable when it was first released plus I drank way too much over the course of an afternoon and evening at a champagne event in LA and a good friend was pouring it graciously and often; I was not sure what to expect as it had been a few years since last tasting it, but I did expect it to be more evolved and mature which is not what this bottle represented; in fact, it was quite the opposite being feminine featuring elegance and charm and low on acidity even though it is Chardonnay dominate; the color was a youthful light straw yellow with a little gray hue running through; the nose offered mild notes of spicy lemon and yellow apple which continued on all the way to the back end where the last taste was of lightly honey coated yellow apple; it was delightful, super mellow and as stated, charming. I enjoyed it, but expected a little more richness, weight, complexity and expression; bottle variation or typical of this vintage?
Cheers,
Blake
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I love this wine.
100% Sarah, I couldn’t have said it better myself.
Thanks for the note Frank. I have a couple of bottles of this waiting, but haven’t opened any of them yet.
- NV Julien Prélat Champagne Extra Brut La Lemblee - France, Champagne (10/23/2024)
from the vineyard made famous by Cedric Bouchard, this version is 100% Pinot Blanc (as opposed to Cedric’s Chardonnay). Disgorged with 4.5 g/l dosage. Bottle was very rich on opening, but after two hours of air, it begins to emerge with crisp green pear, some straw notes, a bit of persimmon, and red berries on the finish. It’s well balanced, and the light spice hangs through tasting for a good bit. It’s actually probably a champagne you could call Pinot Blanc blind (in a good way), and a really good example at that. I think this will definitely benefit from some age.
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I’m looking forward to trying my assortment of Prelat when they arrive. Thanks for the note.
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I have had bottles of the 06 exactly as you describe and others that were much more evolved and powerful. I keep chasing the latter but wonder if I just leave them for another year or two whether they will all progress in this direction.
Good question and certainly a re-visit in a few years is warranted to see what is what with this vintage for DP.
From last night. Just 5 of us, all linked together by a lotta years of friendship through this great hobby. @ToddFrench @brigcampbell @Andrew_Christiansen @Rob_Winn Great time and cool sharing these all blind over Indian food @ Basanti. I have a few ounces of the Vouette to finish tonight, we’ll see if that evolved some more.
BLIND CHAMPAGNE TASTING - Basanti in San Juan Capistrano, CA (South OC) (10/24/2024)
- 2012 Pierre Paillard Champagne Grand Cru La Grande Récolte - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
March 2022 disgorgement, so just under a decade of lees time. I gm of dosage. Old vine Chard and Pinot Noir from Bouzy, but not sure of the ratio. Thought this had more dose as it tasted like it was showing more. Initially ripe pear, peach and pastry with some old wood tones. With air and some warmer temp in the glass, I felt like the wine lost complexity and became for me less interesting. - 2007 Tarlant Champagne Zero Brut Nature - France, Champagne
2007 base with some portion of reserves. Disgorged September 2014. This has the 33% blending parts of Meunier, Noir and Chard. When I first tasted this, something seemed off, with a sour note in the finish. With a little more time, the TCA emerged and that was it for tasting any more if it. Kind of an old bottle and would have been cool to taste, especially with how long Brig held it. (NR/flawed) - NV Laherte Frères Champagne Extra Brut Ultradition - France, Champagne
October 2022 disgorgement, and looking at my notes for the bottle of this I had recently, my notes are quite consistent between the two. Started off lean, with lemon and lime peel. With air, the balance comes into the wine. A little warmer temp and the red cherry pit and peach skin arrives, which were the same notes I captured in my previous bottle. A light cinnamon stick note is here, too. Still under $50, I really dig this wine and even mores last night with how it showed as blind, without any bias. - NV Stéphane Regnault Champagne Grand Cru Mixolydien No. 29 - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
October 2020 disgorgement from mostly 2015 base with some 2014 included. 100% Chard with a single gram of dosage. The wine really fans out over my palate. Spicy, with a good imprint of minerality and chalk. Lots of green apple. Cool example of a precise no dose Chard. - 2018 Vouette et Sorbée Champagne Blanc d'Argile Brut Nature - France, Champagne
November 2020 disgorgement, bottle 555. No dose. Lemony and juicy. Lots of energy. Tangy with green apple, lemon and stone. - NV Françoise Bedel Champagne Entre Ciel et Terre - France, Champagne
The group found this bottle unique, and I agree. 50% Meunier, with 30% Pinot Noir and the remainder as Chard. Kinda similar in that way to the previous one, where there is some cool complexity that just has something different showing. Little woody and savory, with tangy nectarine.
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Finished up the V et S Argiles tonight. I’d call it a still Chard now, as the CO2 is gone even with the cap closure from last night. I dig the V et S Chard, there is a cool purity that I get consistently from their white. The lack of dosage, even when the wine is still, doesn’t convey any lean aspects, as the wine has rounded out since last night, mainly with a fuller texture. Really a delicious bottle of Chard, probably made more round from the warmer vintage.
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Prior prudent planning…
NV Roger Coulon Champagne Premier Cru Brut Nature Esprit de Vrigny
Palate: taffy apple, baking spice, sourdough crust; long finish floured bread crust, chalk, and faintly nutty; dry; medium+ body with high- amount of strong bubbles; medium (almost med+) acidity
Overall thoughts: Very rich, with great notes seemingly from oak and lees. Nice, fairly fuller body. Sufficient, but not especially high acidity (still nicely balanced). I find the bubbles a bit aggressive (which I normally do with young NV), which surprises me for this producer. I think it’s ready to drink now, but will improve in a few years if the bubbles settle a bit. Really great wine!
93 points
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Doyard Vendemiaire Blanc de Blancs - base 2017, disgorged April 2022, 4 grams/liter. This was really good, and got better as it warmed up, and was just as good on day 2. Somewhat electric, but the dosage seemed just right.
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I admit, I am a big house Champagne drinker. However, due peer pressure from some of my geeky Champagne friends (you know who your are), I am trying to open my horizons and drink more grower. So I jumped at the chance to attend a Bereche dinner at NY Vintners earlier this month. It was a fun dinner, great food, just a dozen attendees and while I enjoyed the Champagnes, this dinner did not convince me that I need to buy them. On to the next grower.
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