2016 Larmandier-Bernier Chemins D’Avize. A lovely rendition of my favorite cuvée from the house, but it definitely needs to be chilled to proper temperature around 40-45 F I’d say as it’s a tad richer than say 2012-14. Coconut cream / lime / ginger / green apple notes, vibrant, palate-staining and long.
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Mine is the VV du Levant, although I haven’t had much of the d’Avize. I’ll have to remedy that sometime soon.
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Our New Year’s Eve bottles:
José Michel & Fils Champagne Hommage.
Here’s a funny story about this wine. This June I hosted a Champagne tasting on our deck, with several board members and a number of seasoned collectors in attendance. The biggest surprise of the night was a NV José Michel Hommage, which showed spectacularly. I’d always liked José Michel for its value, but this was the first time the wine truly impressed me. It was a different level, and on the list of the top wines from several attendees.
That bottle sent me on a months-long search. I contacted every retailer, importer, and even the winery, only to be told it was gone everywhere. Eventually an Oregon retailer called their distributor and uncovered an unrecorded case sitting in a warehouse, which I promptly bought.
Fast forward to last night’s New Year’s Eve party. The host, who knows little about wine and even less about Champagne, emerged from the fridge holding a bottle of Hommage. He’d bought six bottles online from a California retailer about a year ago and had no idea why. Once again, the wine showed beautifully. Dense, complex, and delicious. Perfectly balanced, showing a nice blend of age and freshness.
André Clouet Champagne Un jour de 1911…
This cuvée can be a little inconsistent, but it’s always good and sometimes great. Last night’s bottle was clearly the latter. It again struck a balance between freshness and maturity, opening with notes of biscuit and ripe pear, followed by crisp apple, lemon zest, a touch of ginger, and a hint of coffee bean. Loved it.
Robert Allait Champagne Cuvée Prestige from magnum.
Fantastic balance and elegance. Fresh apple and toast layered with white flowers and a pronounced mineral edge. This must be one of the best Champagnes for the money ($90/magnum). Hopefully, some of you followed my advice on the “Envoyer Crushing Champagne” thread and picked up some magnums. Here are some details:
details
A small grower in the Marne Valley. Organic farming. A blend of 50% Pinot Meunier, 35% Chardonnay, and 15% Pinot Noir. Base vintages are 2021 and 2020, with 30% reserve wines going back a decade, dosage 7g/l.
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I’m with you on this, maybe not fridge temp, but definitely chilled. I don’t get the people advocating for letting wines of this style warm to near room temperature.
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I’ve always found Champagne preferences are so idiosyncratic, mine included.
I find Levant (from Cramant) more oxidative and leaner and dryer and a less exotic precocious profile. It’s been pretty hit or miss to me always. Actually, the Chemins D’Avize (first vintage was 2009) is the only L-B cuvée I consistently like.
I’ve also found over the years that my palate really connects with Avize Chardonnay among the different villages in the Côte des Blancs.
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Is Chetillons the sluttiest vineyard in Champagne? Will lay down with anyone, everyone. Such a libertine.
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Love this little producer. Hard to find tho’.
It’s a beautiful sensory marriage of levain, lemon, and slate.
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Adding to the L-B party here. This started out very coiled and tight. Back in the fridge for a few hours and a big transformation. Really nice. Pumpernickel and rye breads, clearly some oak showing, and perhaps too much at the moment. I’d love a touch more acidity, but I also really enjoyed the creamy qualities here. Really interesting wine, and need to try more in the producer’s lineup.
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• 2017 Adrien Renoir Epinettes GC PN
Forceful and sharply cut, but full bodied enough/enough oak treatment so that the low dosage is not an exercise in masochism Electric mix of lemon, light brioche, almond, hint of baking spice. I liked it quite a bit despite being done in a style I often have a problem with.
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new producer for me, 100% meunier with 72 months on lees and an additional year post disgorgement in bottle before release. no info on base vintage. pretty tight upon opening. very refined mousse. zero dosage but perfectly balanced. not quite the vinous and high volume style but rather quite compact, linear and restrained. after some air the nose develops a distinct fruit loops note that i often get in chartogne’s les barres.
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2015 Louis Roederer et Philippe Starck Champagne Brut Nature Blanc
NYE bubbles for a quiet night at home. I opened early in the day and glad I did because it took 4+ hrs to open up. Then, zippy lemon and golden apple, just a bit of bread, salty chalk, but above all a core of Lemonhead acidity. Finish is long. This could’ve been overwhelmingly acidic but the leesy salty texture and purity of the fruit keeps it together.
Biodynamic blend of equal parts PN, Chardonnay, and PM pressed as field blend from three adjacent lieux dits. Certainly a different character from standard Roederer NV but a fun bottle.
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Good, not great showing yesterday. It’s a complete wine and may just be a personal preference thing for me.
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The World’s Best Champagne according to the 2025 champagne-sparkling wine world championship:
The champagne made with rare, ancient grapes:
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Apparently they (Robb) have not heard of Laherte Les 7. Good.
Is this a new name for their Cuvvee du Pere Houdart?
Apologies for the stock image and the rather pedestrian label, but we opened this on NYD and it reminded me of why Gratien is my favorite “big” house label. Tart, just a tad of toast and cream, but absolutely bursting with Granny Smith and skin on the palate with lime, limestone and ginger. Just delicious and very lingering on the palate. Also a whiff of sulfur dioxide (gotta suppress the malo somehow), but not objectionable.
This was a tremendous value from our local Costco at about $43.
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Gaston Chiquet Blanc de Blancs D’ay (Disgorged 10/23). Brioche and creaminess. First time trying this producer and I was very impressed. Definitely going to have to keep in the rotation.
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