A recent boisterous and festive event at K&L Wine Merchants and lots of bubbly.
After figuring out where to pick up my glass I was kindly offered a bit of the N.V. Franck Bonville Champagne Cuvée Les Belles Voyes Brut Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs [100 percent Chardonnay] (Avize) which offered a phenomenal, and I mean phenomenal, nose (as I wrote it twice in my notes). Sort of smelled like a sweet licorice pie. The mousse was very fine and narrow and the taste was light, stony and crisp, with just a touch of ash on the finish. More edgy than elegant right now, and those who seemed to know claimed in four years it would likely be singing. I thought it very becoming and thought it likely to be ungodly good with food. The grapes are from a 3/4 acre plot on a steep hill and the wine is aged in old oak casks. The wine is all from the 2002 vintage, but evidently the producer doesn't traditionally label the Champagne as vintage. $68 for a very impressive wine.
Next up was a magnum of the 1996 Fleury Champagne Brut [20 percent Chardonnay, 80 percent Pinot Noir] (Couteron). The nose on this one was tighter and heavier. It had a superb tiny mousse, light, delicate and delicious apple skins at first. A fellow taster wisely advised me to let it warm in my hands after which it open up into a licorice and herbal/basil/majoram/mint fascinating mix. Delicate and soft with a really long finish. Treated with care, this wine was really showing beautiful things. $80 for 750 ml or $169 for 1.5l.
One of the most fascinating wines to me was the N.V. De Meric Champagne Catherine de Médicis Cuvée Prestige [50 percent Pinot Noir, 50 percent Chardonnay] (Ay) served from a magnum. This particular wine was a blend of the 1995 and 1996 vintages and aged on the lees for 19 years. The nose was strikingly different from the other wines, with a strong carrot cake or similar pastry-yet-savory nose. The bubbles were sharp and the taste was initially salty and very tart. Behind the tartness it felt like there was much more interesting things lurking. They never showed, but did it ever feel like there was something there. A wine for the future certainly—though it's already been around for a decade! $90 for 750ml or $200 for 1.5l.
Hip-hop moguls have moved on, so it was now time for me (ever the latecomer) to take my first taste of Dom—specifically the 1999 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon. Though those who seemed to know told me that Dom usually shows poorly at such comparative events because it needs time so badly, many thought it showing quite well young that day. I smelled pumpkin muffins and allspice in the nose and thought immediately of raisin toast. And that was my dominant impression, though it had a light touch about it and was reserved, that toasty element and being more still wine than sparkling was my dominant take. There was a small amount of buzz about it with green, anise and licorice background, but overall gentle and toasted. $137 for the high rolling.
A visit to the N.V. Krug Champagne Grande Cuvée Brut was of particular interest to me as it was a previous experience that inspired/cursed me to start taking notes on what I drank. This one's nose was mighty similar to the Dom Perignon, with toasty notes, cassis, raisins, currants—but much more explosive. Great complexity on the nose. The taste followed that lead with salty raisins, pastry, tart apple, lots of floral notes, citrus acid. It was good and dry and clearly was not lacking complexity, but felt like it wasn't fully resolved yet. A trailer perhaps for what will likely be a very good movie. $140 for 750 ml or $77 for 375 (wow, I'm glad I splurged for this a few years back, prices have gone up much more than inflation). My info sheet says it is a blend of 50 to 60 base wines from six to 10 vintages from 20 of the 22 terroirs, all Premier or Grand Cru. Thirty to 50 percent from reserve wines and neutral oak used.
Next was the 1998 Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Champagne Brut La Grande Dame [62.5 percent Pinot Noir (from Verzenay, Verzy, Ambonnay, Bouzy and Ay) and 37.5 percent Chardonnay (from Avize, Oger, Les-Mesnil-sur-Oger). It had a nose of orange, peach pit, and cointreau/triple sec and tasted heavier and thicker with solid guava fruit/tropical, rich and sweet, citrus. A fellow taster said marzipan, which I could see. I found it high octane, intense and not to my taste, others meanwhile raved. $150.
Finally was a magnum of the N.V. Tarlant Champagne Cuvée Louis Brut Prestige [50 percent Chardonnay, 50 percent Pinot Noir] (Oeuilly), which was a blend of the 1996 and 1997 vintages from the Les Crayons vineyard in Oueilly. The nose was licorice, narrow and leafy and there was tons going on in the mouth. Green apple as a base with a great broad midpalate, fantastic, freshness, and vibrancy. Yummy and yummier still. One of my favorites, though there really wasn't much that wasn't in my zone of interest. $55 for 750ml or $129 for 1.5l. Delicious tasting.