I believe I’ve seen Brad’s remarks previously and trust his opinions. My first few bottles of the 2008 Comtes were stupendous AND strongly suggestive of needing a lot more time, but this last bottle was just shut down and I’m hoping it’s just a phase as I’ve experienced with other champagnes, especially Salon.
NV Fallet-Dart Champagne Les Hauts des Clos du Mont
A ripe 2006 vintage, French oak barrel fermentation, and 15 years on the lees combine to produce a generous, full-bodied Champagne from a single walled vineyard in the Marne Valley. Although labeled NV, this was entirely from the 2006 vintage and was disgorged in April 2023.
Dense mandarin, dried apricot, and brioche. More broad shouldered than elegant, with impressive depth and concentration. Less about tension and elegance than depth and richness. Very good with a variety of food.
Good writeup on a champagne I’ve had a few times as it certainly possesses a different profile albeit a good and interesting one.
Opened two bottles of the 2012 Comtes this past weekend with family. It was full-bodied and fairly open with a panoply of flavors. Served in large white wine glasses (unetched), it lost some bubbles pretty quickly. Still, no shame in opening now.
Meanwhile, I only own one bottle of the 2008, so I plan to hold until you nerds give the green light. ![]()
The 2013 CdC was very enjoyable. I hadn’t had the CdC yet. It was a bit different than what I was expecting, but in a good way.
My in-laws aren’t big wine drinkers but they both commented how great it was. A fun bottle to celebrate some anniversary milestones for us and them (21st and 52nd, respectively).
This wine has a funky cured meat nose to it that I just can’t place and I’m not real fond of. Everything else is real nice. Light fruit, green apple, almonds, zippy acidity, tiny bubbles.
I’ve never had that on this cuvée and I’ve probably emptied more than 100 bottles of it. Last one was a long time ago though.
All that to say I wouldn’t hesitate to try another bottle, base year or disgorgement.
We’re those 100 bottles adjacent to an extra large shipment of Flannery?
Was at Boizel in May of this year. They made the point of 2012 was a great year for their Champagne. Tasted both Brut and Rose, purchased a bottle of each. Drank the 2012 Rose at Maria Teresa’s summer home in Campora, Italy with my wife and her 93 year old mom! Nice wine. They said their importer is in Florida but does not import the vintage champagne.
Extracted from a thread just posted: 6 fine wines tasted blind with dinner: NV Fallet-Dart Eocene, 2020 Vincent Les Hauts, 2017 Roulot Meursault, 1994 Lopez de Heredia Tondonia Blanco GR, 2012 Girolamo Calderara Sottana Etna Rosso, 2012 Lucine Le Moine Charmes GC, 2009 Rostaing Ampodium
NV FALLET-DART CHAMPAGNE EOCINE EXTRA BRUT- blind; this had a bold yellow color, super active bubbles and major stone fruit aromas with a ginger accent; once tasted, it gave bold, rich, honey baked yellow apple with hints of red cherry and strawberry with a touch of peppermint in the background; later on, some peach and apricot joined in while all of the goodness was being delivered to the back end in a honey like viscus texture; I loved the champagne and due to the color and stone fruit dominance, thought it to be from a 2004 blend with a greater percentage of Pinot Noir and a dosage of 6-8 gpl from a small grower thinking Agrapart or Gosset; this is comprised of 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir all from 2009, bottled March 2010, disgorged June 2023 and dosed at 3 gpl.
About EOCENE: “A period in the Tertiary era.
This period, in the Tertiary era, lasted about 21 million years. Characterized by a great diversity of mammals, the Eocene period is also well known for its gasteropods which were very well established. These molluscs took part in slowly creating the sedimentary layers which now makes up our terroir. These stratum, of marine and land origin, are made up of alternating layers of rocks, clay and limestone in which a great variety of fossils were trapped. This authentic terroir of the Marne Valley gives a typical mineral quality to our wines.”
Cheers,
Blake






