This is a 1999 bottling from Lelarge Pugeot, disgorged in 2022 after 23 years on the lees. It is equal parts Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Meunier.
I bought two of these from Wine Access over the summer, using a $50 off coupon Warren was posting about, which brought the total down to a price making these worth the gamble. Alas, the gamble did not pay off. There was a decided paucity of fruit, maybe a touch of apricot and lemon, but it tasted mostly of sour acidity. The finish did bring some complexities - smoked rubber, a hint of truffle, some cheese notes, and coffee - but the wine tastes old and hollowed out. It’s drinkable, though not especially enjoyable. Maybe the next one is better.
This evening in the cheap seats (@Phil_T_r_o_t_t_e_r it’s my wine budget that I limit; the view from my window comes with a price!) a rather pleasant bottle of fizz from Francine Loriot who was unknown on CT until I entered a couple of her wines. Perhaps the daughter of Michel Loriot who has been mentioned previously in this thread? Anyway, for the ~US$28 that this latest bottle cost me it is a rather complex and interesting wine - far from the bland generic fizz that many smaller growers produce as their “house wine”.
2002 LOUIS ROEDERER CRISTAL BRUT- 55% Pinot Noir, 45% Chardonnay; this bottle had been in the cellar for at least 8 years since being purchased from an importer; it’s gold color suggested some maturity and the nose confirmed it with distinct bruised apple and a mustiness, neither of which blew off over the 2 hours since being opened; the taste profile had more of the same with some caramel and honeyed yellow apple which tailed off leaving a distinct note of honeyed lemon as if to suggest, it was going back from where it started OR, this was the last hint of where it came from; the texture had some weight and viscosity and each sip seemed to be just bit different from those before it, but never devoid of those musty, bruised apple notes; I prefer most champagnes in their earlier stages, certainly prior to the advanced oxidative notes that show up in the form of caramel, butterscotch and nuttiness; our bottle seemed to be well short of its apogee, but it did not perform as I’d hoped.
This was dramatically different than the multiple bottles of stunning VV21 I’ve had lately. It had interesting elements of ginger, peach, and a little bit of homestyle biscuit, with a super finish. Lovely wine.
NV Chartogne-Taillet Champagne Cuvée Sainte Anne - France, Champagne (11/24/2024)
– popped and poured –
– tasted non-blind over approx. 1.5 hrs. –
– 60% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir, 5% Pinot Meunier –
– dosage: 2.5 g/L –
– bottled: July 2022 –
– disgorged: December 2023 –
This was impressive. Juicy, with good acidity. Oak not overtly noticeable, despite the in-oak ageing. Noticeably better than the couple previous times I’ve had this (different bottlings and disgorgements). Will have to check-in on this again to see whether this is a random excellent disgorgement of this bottling, or if this disgorgement is simply reflective of improving quality overall. Nice QPR, too.
Cristal 2015. 58% Pinot Noir, 42% Chardonnay, disgorged Feb 2023, 7g/l dosage, 25% in oak. Structured and tight on opening this has flavors of lemon zest, and tons of chalky minerality. Loads of acidity and a long finish, hints of flower and a touch of wood. Give this some time and it could be very special.
We had an absolutely lovely bottle of the 2014 Bollinger Grande Année at lunch yesterday. While it benefitted from some air, it was delicious even upon opening. A very affectionate vintage.
Rummaging through my off-site storage I found this unlabelled six pack box whose contents I had no recollection of placing there. Call me very pleasantly surprised. Which to open first?
2008 Laurent-Perrier Brut
2012 Philipponnat 1522 EB
2014 Laherte Freres Les Longues Voyes (2)
2016 Chartogne Taillet Les Barres (2)
It’s funny every time I drink a bottle of this I think I’m going to find something I don’t like that I missed before but I have really enjoyed every bottle ymmv.
I agree with Blake. Sensible choice. That 1522 is delicious but I think there is still upside to letting it age. The Laherte and Chartogne can go a long way still.
