Laura and I were lucky enough to be invited for the second year in a row to a friend's tasting group for their annual Chamagne bash & dinner. The rough theme is prestige cuvees, though some other bottles that are of extremely high quality are grudgingly accepted. We drink the wines through the meal, and while the list seems a bit crazy, the wines are treated with great respect & not just tossed off in a sniff, sip and spit fashion.
The prestige bottlings are getting out of hand price-wise these days, so I really wonder for the future of this annual event, but I certainly enjoyed this year's edition.
1993 Moet & Chandon Dom Perignon
I have never been a DOm fan, but recently enjoyed some bottles much more than I have in the past. This was not a great Dom, but showed very good richness & class.
Billiot Cuvee Latitia NV
This grower/producer has become a favorite for both Laura and me over the last few months, and their "special" NV bottling did not disappoint. Young and so quite fresh, it was precise, minerally and very fruity. Elegant wine that fit right in.
1988 Pommery Cuvee Louise
Our first contribution for the evening. Mature & slightly nutty. Very focused and food friendly. Delicious.
1989 Veuve Cliquot La Grande Dame
Very fruity for a nearly 20 year old wine. Mature and very enjoyable. I think this was potentially the group's second favorite (we only did some rough voting).
Laurent-Perrier Grand Siecle NV
Herbal yet also very fruity and mineral. The most unexpected showing of the night. I liked it, but have had better luck with other bottles.
2003 by Bollinger
Bollinger did not release a "Grand Annee" in 2003, instead putting out this unusual wine in an unusual package. I think the box weighed more than the bottle. Anyway, it's very rich and very fruit forward, but I would not age it. Atypical but enjoyable as an acompaniment to my roast chicken.
1996 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne
Consensus wine of the night. Wonderful Champagne with all the precision you expect from Taittinger, and all the depth you would expect from a great vintage. Years from maturity, and yet worth drinking now.
1996 Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill
Delicious and nearly the equal of the Taittinger. Again very young, and in this case I think a bit shut down. I would cellar this wine rather than open it. The depth, breed and class is there, but needs time.
Krug Grande Cuvee NV
This bottle showed very young. Lots of richness and depth, but it needs time to knit together. I prefer my Krug NV with a few years on it.
Vilmart Cuvee Rubis NV
Strawberry fields forever! Lots of fruit here. The most playful wine of the night. Tasty, but totally outclassed by the next wine.
1995 Bollinger Grande Annee Rose
Our second contribution & a revelation. This is serious red wine with bubbles as an afterthought. Meaty, fruity, mineral, earthy layers upon layers are all over the wine. This is a wine for meat (served just prior to dessert unfortunately) & well worht owning despite the crazy pricing. amazing stuff even after 10 other fantastic wines.
All in all not a bad evening.