Paul,
While burnt caramel, honey, and oxidized apples are sometimes a sign a bottle that age has been ill treated, I often find that, at least on the tiers below sendree, Drappier kinda tastes like carbonated apple cider or apple juice. I’ve had enough bottles over the years to confirm that Drappier’s profile is just not one I really care for, but apple juice would be my base descriptor.
With you on these. 2002 Cristal can be spectacular if you have a good bottle. But I do find the 2014 Emotion to be kinda just pretty good. It’s like it’s correct, but not really a joyful wine.
Weird thing is the 02 cristal is still readily available at a relatively (vs other more recent cristal releases) sensible price.
Exactly my experience.
I just had this last night for the first time and our bottle showed really well albeit matched against a 2012 Delamotte in magnum and 2016 Pierre Paillard les Maillerettes Grnd Cru BdN.
I’ll post notes in a few days as those were the starter wines for 6 mags of fabulous white Burgundy.
Cheers
I love both those wines and to have them on the same evening is awesome.
For me, one of 5 bottles I’ve had of the 2002 Cristal was one of the best champagnes I’ve ever had. The others were really good, but that bottle stood out having more of everything.
Cheers Warren
Thanks. I suspect a key factor here is which “Edition” (i.e. base year) of the wine you had. Mine was the latest Edition 38. I imagine earlier editions might show quite differently.
2014 Gaston Chiquet Special Club
These don’t get much love here, but I enjoy them.
21 years on the lees… Okay…
Blind: no idea but figured mid 90’s based on color.
Really dark gold, like a brown butter. The nose is wild and a whiff of salted caramel. There’s lots of oxidation. Finish is long and frothy. Disgorged March 2025, seriously? This wine was on the lees for 21 years.
Long discussion about oxidation and should it be ruled a flaw. I don’t mind a hint but this wine, sadly, is a fail especially considering the effort.
Our bottle was also the 38 Edition. I’m just starting to do the notes and it may be a day or 2 before finished. I definitely had a different and much more enjoyable experience of this Edition.
Champagne and Sushi night
2006 Tattinger CdC was delicious, it has such a silky mousse now, but still very fresh, immediately citrus and then showing some sweetness and brioche. This was the best showing of this I’ve had.
2008 Henriot Cuvee Hemera - its terrific value, it was in no way overshadowed by Tattinger and in fact this showcased the vintage, sharp and pure with some real depth. Still young, citrus and peaches and maybe some light nuttiness but doesn’t hasn’t acquired the sweetness of a maturing champagne.
Ulysse Collin Champagne Rosé de Saignée Les Maillons (Disgorged 2015) - tonight was a special evening, celebrating my wife’s 50th with friends who can’t be there for her main celebration so I opened one of two bottles I have. Firstly the color of this is indescribable, it’s like a work of art it takes my breath away - I could just pour it and look at it. So powerful on the nose, strawberries, orange peel but there is also something almost chemical as well - not unpleasant but slightly odd. In the mouth it’s all exuberance, fizzy, sharp and tense, very blood orange, no maturity still. Its very unique, I can’t say at this stage its worth the money other than being very different, but I’ll not open my next bottle for a decade.
This is now the fifth of Drappier’s line-up that I’ve tried in the last 3 months. On first opening my perception definitely matched that of @K_John_Joseph: apple cider. But it got better. Having said that, for me the Drappier wine that is most likely to be a repeat buy is one of the cheaper ones: the Rosé de Saignée.
Visiting family in Michigan including a 6 w/o great niece. Dinner last night in Birmingham was the parents’ first night out without the baby.
This cuvée is always good and often great. Last night’s bottle was in the good camp. We flew with it checked, and it was slightly warm on opening before a stint in the ice bucket.
Still, it showed a nice balance between freshness and maturity, with biscuit and ripe pear up front, followed by apple, lemon zest, a touch of ginger, and a hint of coffee.
A generous, nicely open BdB with brioche, cream, and a toasty edge. Happy to have more in the cellar.
Sorry this one didn’t work out for you, but thank you for your note; it sounds like a wine that would be right up my alley, even if it wasn’t up yours. Hope your next selection is more to your liking!
p.s.: the one Rodez I’ve had so far didn’t impress me, either; but it was his entry level, and I’ve a couple of his nicer bottlings yet to be delivered.
harkening back to the Champagne Vintage Chart thread started by @Warren_Taranow — this comment hits the mark for the 2014 vintage, from my perspective. And I say that as someone who really likes 2014. I’ve found it’s a vintage which – so far – runs austere/severe/tight. Not a vintage I would call “joyful”, exactly … at least not yet.
I just pulled one of these out of my long term wine storage. Looking forward to popping it.
1911 is way under the radar. I have to find a bottle soon. It has been years. Those Moncuit '08’s are such good QPR. 
