I think you’re probably right on both fronts, Kyle: prices are going up, but more exposure to wines of the region (including some “nice” ones, ever how you want to define that term) cause one’s palate to change somewhat. That said, I agree with your closing point, too: Champagne continues to be an appellation in which I feel like I can dabble in some of the nicer stuff, sometimes.
This resonates, for sure. I’ve been through this with other regions/appellations, and perhaps I’m going through it now with Champagne, too. My huge hang-up (in the past, present, and likely the future, too) is that I always manage to find some producers/wines that blow me away at a price I deem affordable. Part of the fun, for me, is finding those screaming good deals. Does that process require the kissing of frogs? Sure. But it’s worth it. And, furthermore, I’m still exploring Champagne — I’d say I’ve been “into” it for only five or six years, and I’m looking to have broad exposure before I decide where to dive deep. But, to your point (and with my ruminations in mind), perhaps I should be sprinkling-in more “obviously nice” stuff — when I do dip toes into those waters, I rarely regret it.
2008 ALFRED GRATIEN CUVEE PARADIS BRUT ROSE- blind; this is a blend of 63% Chardonnay and 37% Pinot Noir from premiers and grands crus, was vinified in small oak barrels without malolactic fermentation and spent a wowzer 13 years on lees; it was disgorged in November 2023 and dosed at an unperceptible 8 gpl; the salmon copper color gave us the heads-up this was a rose and the huge nose confirmed it with aromas of rose petals, clove, spice and cardamon accented mature red raspberry and strawberry fruit; the taste profile contained more of the same while also confirming some advanced notes of an early oxidative stage; this was very concentrated with layered depth, had subtle power and a wealth of acidity; it was mindful of some of the NV Ruinart Roses I’d had many years ago when that was our house rose and we were going through 6 packs monthly; so; I called it a NV Ruinart with a 2008 base.
Agrapart Terroirs Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut - 2021 version, Oct 2024 Disgorgement. Nose is pear apple blend with almond and a big white floral note with underlying lemon citrus. Good minerality in a bracing low dosage style. The strong floral note is the signature here, with a cool almond note next on the list. White the pear and lemon fruit profile is present, it’s not giving a lot of “sweet” fruit to pair with the chalky minerality and brisk acidity. Overall, the wine shows good complexity but does not come across to me as a completely knit and integrated wine. Perhaps it will improve with time as it evolves in bottle. I also would not have nailed this as a BdB blind. Still, a nice enough champagne of good quality though certainly not Agrapart’s best work. 91+.
It’s my final day in Italy after 2 months of travel. That could only mean some champagne to celebrate!
NV Waris-Larmandier Champagne Grand Cru Particules Crayeuses - Blanc de Blancs - Brut - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru (7/18/2025)
This was bought off the list at Enoteca Pitti e Giola. The nose is lovely and balanced with excellent interplay between the citrus notes of red apple, Meyer lemon, pears, and stone fruits before giving way to fresh, autolytic tones of baking spices, warm bread, and vanilla beans with some apple blossoms and yellow florals on top of flinty notes. There is excellent balance and poise with freshness to boot. The Medium bodied feel carries through the freshness and balance with crisp, high acidity that shows off a seamless integration. It’s been a while since I’ve had this and it’s still delicious. I couldn’t find a disgorgement on this, but given the profile I’m assuming it’s a current release. (91 pts.)
A new one on me - Franck Pascal Cuesta - an exclusive for Caves du Forum.
54% Meunier, 26%PN, 19% Chard. No dosage on disgorgement in September 2022.
Very Meunier, ripe yellow fruits, maybe even a few grams of RS - in any event not a severe zero dosage. Juicy and fun if not really refined, quite heavy.
2012 Charles Heidsieck Brut Champagne - 60-40 pinot-chard. Pours a nice golden color and has a big biscuity nose with a bit of spice and good fruit, with perhaps a hint of candied orange peel. Good cut cleans things up and keeps it fresh. Overall, a wine with nice complexity and a reasonably good bargain. Perhaps just a touch rough hewn, but I’d happily drink this again. Almost like an old-school Krug MV meets Heidsieck’s more reductive winemaking style. Pretty fun. 92-93.
2008 Geoffroy Champagne Premier Cru Empreinte Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut
Opened by Allred from magnum. Last had this wine in 2019 and it has really opened up since then. Really beautiful. Disgorged July 2015. Most of the fruit comes from Cumières, with a bit of Hautvillers. 70% Pinot Noir and 15% each of Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. Very fresh with a lively bead. Notes of citrus dominate with a fine minerality on the finish. 93-94 points.
2017 Jérôme Prévost Champagne La Closerie Extra Brut Les Beguines
Opened by Futronic. An estate started in 1998 which has garnered a loyal cult following. 100% Pinot Muenier. This was served a little too warm by the time I tried it. Notes of chalk and brioche. Lengthy finish. 92+ points.
Another fantastic Clouet Un Jour du 1911. I’ve had better luck with this cuvée than others, but it’s as close to a house champagne as we have. I love the interplay between freshness and maturity this seems to consistently demonstrate. Perfect with halibut cheeks and polenta on a fresh tomato saffron sauce.
2018 Laborde Champagne Les Écus - France, Champagne (5/5/2025)
– popped and poured –
– tasted non-blind over 2.5 hrs on Day 1; revisited on Day 2 –
– 100% Chardonnay –
– Dosage: 5 g/L –
– Bottled: July 2019; Disgorgement: March 2022 –
NOSE: slightly vinous, with Fuji apple and a hint of Lemon Pledge. Seemed to tighten/narrow over 2.5 hrs on Day 1.
BODY: light maize color; loose, lazy bead at first, developing to nearly still over the first hour open; medium bodied (heavier than the sparklers I typically drink).
TASTE: this gives a sense of moderate richness as it sits on the palate, but then the finish is a total mineral bomb. Very light and gentle Granny Smith apple note, but the emphasis here really is on the mineral aspects. Although the dosage is noticeable, I enjoy this sparkler – I find it quite interesting. This comes across as a little bit buzzy (even after being open for a couple hours); really, quite unique. This certainly leans austere, as far as the fruit expression is concerned — this is a 2018 with 5 g/L dosage – I can only imagine how undrinkably severe this would be in a vintage like 2014 with no dosage! Day 2: not much different than Day 1, except it’s nearly flat now; leans austere and bitter. Will buy again.
NV Famille Moussé Champagne Eugène Longue Garde - France, Champagne (23/07/2025)
80/20 PM/PN Perpetual 2003-2017. Total malo. 60 months sur lies. Disgorged 06/02/2023; zero dosage. Full info via NFC chip and the WID app, which is rather intrusive - requiring high-res GPS location information in order to work.
Quite a golden yellow colour. Some rich orchard and citrus on the nose. And a little minerality of the type I call iodine, although I've no idea if that's the WSET descriptor!
The palate is quite well-rounded despite the zero dosage. A soft mouthfeel with creamy apples, more of that minerality, a nice crisp (but not tart) citrus bite. Quite a long mouthcoating, but not cloying (but not jaw-clapping either) finish.
Overall this is an excellent wine, showing a little roundness and complexity after 5 years aging, but still being easy-drinking enough to have broad appeal. Decent QPR at the ~US$50 that I paid. (91 points)
2012 Roses de Jeanne / Cédric Bouchard Champagne Blanc de Blancs La Bolorée - France, Champagne (7/22/2025)
La Boloree tues! This is drinking FANTASTIC right now! Explodes with freshness right out the gate…sour tarts, lemon squeeze, popping ginger bubbles…absolutely LOVE the salted tangerine in this…very savory and loaded with crushed rocks and chalky minerality…the 100% Pinot Blanc brings out an exotic tropical companion to the crisp orchard fruits…such vinous, yet light as air. Very youthful still…some nuanced dried honey and leese…insane white flower, lychee, shortbread florals…such harmony and pureness…just blows me away every time I have one of these! La Boloree is his best wine imo! (97 points)
This evening my first bottle of the Louis Roederer 245. I enjoyed the 242 and 244 (the 243 less so); this is quite different in style - much more crisp, direct, refreshing, but for me a bit undistinctive.
I note that the LR app/website said that the code on my bottle was not recognized - is anyone faking this level of stuff?
2006 TAITTINGER COMTES de CHAMPAGNE BLANC de BLANC- poured for us blind and rightfully so, as the bottle shape alone would have been quite telltale; initially the nose had aromas of spicy lemon dominated citrus mindful of a young Dom Perignon to me, but that faded quickly and I moved on to other considerations first because of the pure yellow color and then the nose and tastes that had different aromas of white pepper, ginger and anise accented citrus and nectarine; it had bracing acidity, was full bodied, rich and round while expressing loads of power and energy and I’m thinking this is maybe a new world sparkling wine, perhaps a non-vintage blend and definitely not a blanc de blanc; so then I started thinking this was a Roederer Estate L’Ermitage or a Schramsberg ‘J Schram’ {which are both vintage wines}; so, I was conflicted until at least 40 minutes later, a replenishing pour provided an entirely different sparkling wine, definitely more suited to my palate; it was perfectly balanced, still big, rich and bold and now challenging me to consider other options, but I did not cave in and called it a new world, CA, non BdB with some trepidation.
Once revealed, we were amazed at what it was and it was clear this bottle was very atypical for all of the numerous 2006 Comtes each of us has had over the years and especially with recent bottles; in fact, if anything, it was more like the 2008 Comtes in many ways with its massive power and concentration, but still the taste profile was so different.
One of our other geeky members brought his pH meter and measured each wine- this one had a pH of 2.89.
NOSE: rich: light strawberry with ripe apples; also has a lovely breadiness to it.
BODY: rose gold color; persistent fine-bubbled bead; was a bit of a gusher upon opening, despite being at fridge temp…
TASTE: equally fruity and chalky; Fuji apple skin; this is comprised of a perpetual reserve spanning 2011 - 2020, and it saw 34 mos. on its lees, but I’d love to see another year or two, as I believe it would respond well to such treatment; nonetheless, this has the beginnings of some aged breadth and depth. Drink Now or in the next couple of years. Will buy again.
