Thanks again for inviting me, Warren. What a treat!!
I’ll chime in here with a few perfunctory notes of my own.
Old Krug:
I have very few positive experiences with wines of this age, and wasn’t optimistic about this one when I saw the color, but this was beautiful. Mature and mellow, with still rather vibrant acidity and toffee flavors. Lots of back end autolytic flavors and a finish which lingered for a long time. Would have liked to have nursed this and contemplated it further, but was watching the 168 get drained while I sipped on it, and I couldn’t miss out on that.
Krug 168:
This was a knee buckler. Full, round body with a lot of presence in the mouth, but ultimately very finessed with snappy acidity and a mineral spine The active mousse seemed to steer the flavors across the palate and drive the very long resonant finish home. Lots of biscuit/brioche flavor and dried fruit nuance. I thought the balance between freshness and maturity was wonderful. I’ll let others with more krug experience decide if this wine is at or nearing its peak, but if I had a supply, I would have a very hard time keeping my hands off them.
Old label Grand Siecle:
This was my WOTN. I’ll admit to rolling my eyes when reading Warren post how fresh these old bottles are. I have just had too many experiences where wine geeks are going on and on about how fresh a 40-50 year old bottle tastes, when my experiences with those same bottles were more akin to Monty Python’s dead Parrot. This bottle certainly had some development, and lots of complexity, but it wasn’t really what I consider a mature wine experience. The palate was packed with fresh peach flavor. Concentrated, but zen like mellow palate, with bright acidity, a beautiful texture. This one, consistent with my experiences with Laurent Perrier, just oozes with class and elegance.
Grand Siecle 23:
This is an excellent wine, I think, but it suffered a bit from being poured right after such a brilliant older wine. Same peachy palate with razor sharp acid and a long finish. This much better than an awkward bottle of the 24th edition I drankast year. Gives me hope that my remaining bottle will round in to shape with a few years sideways.
Ployez Jacquemart Granite:
Complex but with outstanding freshness. Palate was more citrus oriented than expected, with lovely pink grapefruit notes on the mouthwatering finish. I loved the complexity here combined with the refreshing drinkability. Great wine.
Jose Michel Hommage:
I had a bottle of this, from what I believe was the same disgorgement, six months ago. It was wholly unremarkable and entirely too fresh for the amount of old reserves in the wine. I don’t know if it’s simple bottle variation or if it just needed that extra six months to open, but goddamn it, this was a wow wine. Rich and round with some girth, but well mannered and not inelegant. The reserve wines added a ton of complexity without sacrificing any freshness.
Benoit Dehu Rue de Noyers:
This is where Warren and I disagree. I thought this was a stand out in the very strong Meunier flight, surpassing both the Egly and the Prevost, though not by much. Details are a bit fuzzy, but I recall this being rich on the attack with apparent barrel aging and transitioning to a lean, mineral driven finish with a lot of energy. My first Dehu, and I will be seeking out a bottle to spend more time with.
Egly-Oriet Vignes de Vrigny:
My first taste of Egly. it was fantastic! Full bodied and dense without excess weight. I can’t for the life of me remember anything else about it, but while I was sipping on it, someone remarked how happy I looked. I have a severe case of resting bitch face, so it clearly registered with me emotionally, if not intellectually.
La Closerie Les Beguines:
A lot of Warren’s guests were really excited about this one, myself included, but not to the same extent as the rest of the crowd. I recall it being concentrated, textured, and elegant, but I didn’t love the sweet red apple character which dominated the profile for me. I heard whispers of its great complexity, and it while it certainly wasn’t facile, any deep complexities were lost on me. I think it’s outstanding, and certainly a different expression than the two Meunier wines which preceded it, but I didn’t find it special.
Hure Freres:
Meh. Just didn’t have the stuffing to stand up to the other offerings. Might like it better on its own, but it struck me as perfectly forgettable. This was the only Champagne I tasted which didn’t wow me.
Alfred Gratien 2012 Millesime:
My bottle. The only higher end Champagne I own that made sense to bring, as others are frequently posted about and I wanted to bring something which would be new to most attendees. I was nervous about bringing it, fearing it would be obliterated by the high end bottles I knew would be on offer. It was outclassed by the tete de cuvees, but showed very well against the rest of the line up. I didn’t get the marzipan complexity my other bottles showed, but it was peachy, rich, extroverted, and full of vibrant mouthwatering acidity. It was a hit among those who tried it.
Fallet-Dart 1999 R.D:
My palate is fading at this point, along with my sobriety, but I enjoyed the mature profile on this, and found it reasonably energetic. I was surprised the owner of this bottle was so repulsed by it, and she greatly preferred my young Gratien. I have’t had many bottles of Fallet-Dart, but an entry level $30 bottle purchased from k&l fairly early in my wine journey was among my first ah-ha moments with Champagne. Really cool to try this.
Chavost Coteaux Champenois:
This bottle was finished when I got to it. I was able to pull a a sip from it, not enough to really render judgment. I was surprised by its ripeness and mouth coating, high acid intensity. I really enjoyed the glimpse I got. Have had lots of negative experiences from this producer. This appears to be to have been very fine.
Tarlant Cuvee Louis:
I am enamored with the brut zero, so was excited to try this. Typical to the house style it has a zingy, bold acid and mineral presence balanced with barrel aged richness. Tasted a bit young and I think it will take age nicely.
Goodfellow Durant BdB:
Pardon the expletive, but fuck yeah! I am increasingly enamored with WV chardonnay and this only enhanced my enthuiasm. Dry, flinty, and tasting very much of the Durant Vineyard (not that I am an expert). 2024 disgorgment and still a bit tight. I think this is going to be very impressive with more time on cork. Bravo, @Marcus_Goodfellow!
