Champagne notes
Dec. 4th, 2009 08:46 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lagilmanThis is as much for my benefit as yours, but in case anyone's looking to buy some sparkling for their holiday celebrations.... my notes on last night's tasting. With 29 wines poured, I didn't take notes on everything, but I did remark the standouts.
Disclaimer: I have given my heart and my tastebuds to Nicolas Feuillatte. If you really want to impress me, open a bottle of Palmes d'Or Grand Cuvee. Lacking that, however, I am willing to drink around.
Price note: these were all listed retail in the heart of Manhattan. If you can't find most of them slightly cheaper, you're just not trying
2000 Dom Perignon ($159) -- what can you say? Dry, crisp, with rounded fruit in toasted vanilla, and I could have stopped right there. (IMO, Dom is not a "sip delicately' sparkling -- you should consume it with hedonistic pleasure, with food to match.)
NV Moet & Chandon Imperial ($37) -- sharp and sweet, but I found a cloying taste to the finish I didn't like
NV Schramsberg Mirabelle Brut Rose ($25) a lingering brigh cherry flavor I didn't like; I prefer strawberry.
2005 Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs ($33) -- Like a fine Prosecco. A little pricey for that, though.
NV Delamotte Brut ($45) My notes just say "a little musty"
NV Paillard Brut Premiere Cuvee ($50) -- Nice and clean, without much finish.
NV Larmandier Brut 1er Cru Vertus ($48) --Clean and crisp, with hints of lemon. Very polished.
2006 Raventos Cava ($19) -- I'm not a huge fan of Cavas, but this seemed to be popular with the younger women in front of us.
NV Aubry Champagne Brut ($45) -- No notes, but I starred this one, so I liked it.
NV Lallement ($55)
NV Roederer Estate Brut (Anderson Valley) ($21) -- this was nice but nothing amazing
NV Roederer Brut Premier ($40) -- Off-dry and the teasing hints of apple and almonds in a fuller body than a lot of what we'd been tasting. Really just quite delightful, and I thought it was a real value. I bought a few bottles and look forward to opening it in less over-stimulated surroundings.
2002 Roderer Cristal ($205) -- Dude. It's Cristal. Frederic admitted they were putting it on the market young in response to demand, which might explain why I wasn't quite as overwhelmed by it as I should have been. But still worth going back and trying again at the end of the evening, and if I'd had the money to spare might have bought a bottle to cellar for a decade. :-)
[note: when you're pretty sure the guy manning the table is French [T. wasn't sure but I said yes], speaking French almost always gets you a larger pour. Just a helpful hint...]
1999 Grosset Grand Millesime ($89) -- almost too smooth; I suspected the bottle had been open too long at that point.
NV Grosset Grand Rose ($85) -- not thrilling me; just not to my taste.
NV Henroit Blanc Souverain ($50) my notes say "bitter pear?"
NV Henroit Cuvee des Enchanteleurs ($135) -- an interesting 2nd wave of sweeter fruit on the finish
NV Ruinart Rose ($75) Nice, but not spectacular
NV Ruinart Blanc des Blancs ($66) Likewise.. This is purely personal preference/taste; I just didn't seem to like their house style, but nothing I could put a finger on, at that point.
NV Moutard Brut Grand Cuvee ($40) 100% pinot noir, crisp and smooth and all-around enjoyable to sip.
NV Bollinger Special Cuvee ($65)
2002 Veuve Clicquot Vintage ($65) -- Nice, smooth, easy-drinking.
NV Veuve Clicquot Rose ($66) -- the sweetness felt off to me, but my taste buds might just have been getting tired.
NV Yellow Label ($45) Meh. I always think this is meh.
(aside: the Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label is what I used to call the "publishing house special." When I worked in the publicity departments, they always had a case of it stored somewhere in case there was sudden good news the boss wanted to party over. Not sure if that's still the situation)
NV Paul Georg Blanc de Blancs ($40) Reader, I bought it. It's not anything amazing in terms of body (see: Roederer Brut Premier), but the pleasing contrast between the crisp citrus notes and the creamy feel made it stand out, especially at that price.
NV Paul Goerge Tradition Rose ($43) Smooth, sparkling strawberry pleasure -- exactly what I like a rose to be. [disclaimer: I knew going in I liked Paul Goerg!]
NV Philipponnat Brut Reserve Rose ($55)
NV Krug Grand Cuvee ($150) -- Really nice, with a creamy mouthfeel to balance the bubbles (something I look for), but if I were spending the money I'd go for the Dom. Personal preference, that -- I want my Champagne to seduce me, not talk about itself.
I think the best part of last night, though -- other than the wines, natch -- was watching the group of young women at the table with us. It seemed as though one of them was a sparkling drinker, and she was trying to educate the others -- to impressive success. They were so full of giddy delight and totally taking it all in-- neither too serious nor too blithe -- that you could have made a commercial for Champagne just following them.
And now, to work.
Disclaimer: I have given my heart and my tastebuds to Nicolas Feuillatte. If you really want to impress me, open a bottle of Palmes d'Or Grand Cuvee. Lacking that, however, I am willing to drink around.
Price note: these were all listed retail in the heart of Manhattan. If you can't find most of them slightly cheaper, you're just not trying
2000 Dom Perignon ($159) -- what can you say? Dry, crisp, with rounded fruit in toasted vanilla, and I could have stopped right there. (IMO, Dom is not a "sip delicately' sparkling -- you should consume it with hedonistic pleasure, with food to match.)
NV Moet & Chandon Imperial ($37) -- sharp and sweet, but I found a cloying taste to the finish I didn't like
NV Schramsberg Mirabelle Brut Rose ($25) a lingering brigh cherry flavor I didn't like; I prefer strawberry.
2005 Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs ($33) -- Like a fine Prosecco. A little pricey for that, though.
NV Delamotte Brut ($45) My notes just say "a little musty"
NV Paillard Brut Premiere Cuvee ($50) -- Nice and clean, without much finish.
NV Larmandier Brut 1er Cru Vertus ($48) --Clean and crisp, with hints of lemon. Very polished.
2006 Raventos Cava ($19) -- I'm not a huge fan of Cavas, but this seemed to be popular with the younger women in front of us.
NV Aubry Champagne Brut ($45) -- No notes, but I starred this one, so I liked it.
NV Lallement ($55)
NV Roederer Estate Brut (Anderson Valley) ($21) -- this was nice but nothing amazing
NV Roederer Brut Premier ($40) -- Off-dry and the teasing hints of apple and almonds in a fuller body than a lot of what we'd been tasting. Really just quite delightful, and I thought it was a real value. I bought a few bottles and look forward to opening it in less over-stimulated surroundings.
2002 Roderer Cristal ($205) -- Dude. It's Cristal. Frederic admitted they were putting it on the market young in response to demand, which might explain why I wasn't quite as overwhelmed by it as I should have been. But still worth going back and trying again at the end of the evening, and if I'd had the money to spare might have bought a bottle to cellar for a decade. :-)
[note: when you're pretty sure the guy manning the table is French [T. wasn't sure but I said yes], speaking French almost always gets you a larger pour. Just a helpful hint...]
1999 Grosset Grand Millesime ($89) -- almost too smooth; I suspected the bottle had been open too long at that point.
NV Grosset Grand Rose ($85) -- not thrilling me; just not to my taste.
NV Henroit Blanc Souverain ($50) my notes say "bitter pear?"
NV Henroit Cuvee des Enchanteleurs ($135) -- an interesting 2nd wave of sweeter fruit on the finish
NV Ruinart Rose ($75) Nice, but not spectacular
NV Ruinart Blanc des Blancs ($66) Likewise.. This is purely personal preference/taste; I just didn't seem to like their house style, but nothing I could put a finger on, at that point.
NV Moutard Brut Grand Cuvee ($40) 100% pinot noir, crisp and smooth and all-around enjoyable to sip.
NV Bollinger Special Cuvee ($65)
2002 Veuve Clicquot Vintage ($65) -- Nice, smooth, easy-drinking.
NV Veuve Clicquot Rose ($66) -- the sweetness felt off to me, but my taste buds might just have been getting tired.
NV Yellow Label ($45) Meh. I always think this is meh.
(aside: the Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label is what I used to call the "publishing house special." When I worked in the publicity departments, they always had a case of it stored somewhere in case there was sudden good news the boss wanted to party over. Not sure if that's still the situation)
NV Paul Georg Blanc de Blancs ($40) Reader, I bought it. It's not anything amazing in terms of body (see: Roederer Brut Premier), but the pleasing contrast between the crisp citrus notes and the creamy feel made it stand out, especially at that price.
NV Paul Goerge Tradition Rose ($43) Smooth, sparkling strawberry pleasure -- exactly what I like a rose to be. [disclaimer: I knew going in I liked Paul Goerg!]
NV Philipponnat Brut Reserve Rose ($55)
NV Krug Grand Cuvee ($150) -- Really nice, with a creamy mouthfeel to balance the bubbles (something I look for), but if I were spending the money I'd go for the Dom. Personal preference, that -- I want my Champagne to seduce me, not talk about itself.
I think the best part of last night, though -- other than the wines, natch -- was watching the group of young women at the table with us. It seemed as though one of them was a sparkling drinker, and she was trying to educate the others -- to impressive success. They were so full of giddy delight and totally taking it all in-- neither too serious nor too blithe -- that you could have made a commercial for Champagne just following them.
And now, to work.
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no subject
Date: 2009-12-04 02:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-04 03:41 pm (UTC)Argyle is an Oregon producer that makes a lovely Pinot Noir, so I'm not surprised that they make a nice sparkling from it. But it's a sparkling wine, not a Champagne. Only wines actually grown/crafted in the Champagne region may legally be called Champagne. You know better than that! *tsks finger reprovingly*
no subject
Date: 2009-12-04 04:39 pm (UTC)I also find terms like "surrender monkeys" offensive as any other ethnic slur, and I would request, one friend to another, that it not be used here again.
no subject
Date: 2009-12-04 07:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-04 07:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-04 07:43 pm (UTC)And I stand by it, anyway. Champagne is from Champagne. The rest is sparkling wine, and proud to be so. We refer to Bordeaux blends or Bordeaux-style, here -- why not give Champagne the same props?
no subject
Date: 2009-12-05 08:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-07 01:54 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-07 02:44 am (UTC)