It was 3pm when members started trickling in for 2013’s first official bubbly tasting and it did not let up until after 8pm. And where was I? Right in the thick of things energized by all the sniffing and sipping going on around me.
First in the line-up was the elegant and creamy NV Henriot Blanc de Blancs. This was showing so well throwing some mature notes of brioche, toasty biscuit, vanilla custard backed by a core of ripe apples and pears. Dry with very persistent and delicate mousse on the palate. I just love the freshness in this wine.
The NV Guy Charlemagne Brut Extra was poured next which showed more structure and body packed white peach, apricot, baked apples and lemon notes with undertones of toasty oak. Round and creamy but with lemon-tinged acidity. I found this wine lacking in length and palate depth. Champagne Guy Charlemagne is a grower House which means that their wines are only produced from vineyards they own and control; major Champagne Houses buy most of the fruit they need from other grape growers in addition to owning their own vineyards.
Next opened was the NV Bollinger Special Cuvee Brut which wasn’t showing its best. I have always liked this bubbly but somehow it seemed disjointed on this tasting. It was full-bodied, dry and toasty but the palate seemed austere. The huge acid was great in theory but the fruit was so muted that the wine seemed out of balance. I’ve had many bottles of this wine that I know this wasn’t how the wine was supposed to drink. I think it just needed some extra bottle age to round the palate and allow to fruit to catch up with the high-acid, firm structure.
We tasted the 2002 Lanson Gold Label next which blew me away… lovely and penetrating aromas of flinty minerality, golden delicious apples, lemon custard, honey, sweet yeasty notes and acacia emanated from the glass; beautifully focused, defined acidity; full and creamy mouth feel. Incredible finish that went on for minutes. This was one of my favorite bottles of the night; impressed by the intensity and focus.
Next up was the NV Guy Charlemagne Rose which packed tons of red fruits in every pour; high-toned and tangy cherries, strawberries, plums, pink grapefruit and a touch of floral and baking spice notes. Creamy and persistent mousse; medium-bodied and dry. This is produced from 100% Pinot Noir and made in the saignee method where the juice is allowed to macerate with the grape skins to extract color and more flavors.
NV Bruno Paillard Rose was next in the line-up. Compared to the Guy Charlemagne, this had more finesse and elegance and much more delicate mousse. On the palate it was lighter but with deeper fruit flavors. The delicate mousse gave this wine an airy quality about it with wild strawberries, plums, hibiscus, red currant, cotton candy and cherries with a twist of fresh ginger. A touch of almond brioche. Zippy acidity marked this wine’s mouthwatering finish. Bruno Paillard only uses the juice from the cuvee or the first pressing which gives you the juice with the greatest intensity and depth of flavor; in practice, the first third of the first run (tete de cuvee) are reserved for the Houses’ premier offerings like Cristal from Louis Roederer and Dom Perignon from Moet Chandon.
The NV Bollinger Rose was up next and tasted next to the other two roses, this was obviously more hefty and structured. This was also showed more mature notes and complexity. Autolytic notes of lees, brioche and baked dough were more pronounced. Core of ripe red berries and cherries. Very dry, full bodied with laser-like acidity.
And just to finish the night off, David E decided it was time to pop the cork on his 1999 Clos des Goisses which was my WOTN. Philipponnat’s tete de Cuvee is truly an outstanding single-vineyard Champagne. We all learn in Champagne 101 that majority of Champagne is a blend of vintages, of grape varieties and of vineyards but there are a handful of vineyards that truly express terroir requiring that they be bottled unadulterated. This is the case with Clos de Goisses, a 5.5 hectare walled vineyard in Mareuil-sur-Ay. This Pinot Nor-dominated bubbly wowed me with its savory characteristics; notes of grilled hazelnuts, brown butter, baked pastry and subtle truffle notes, chalk, minerals, spice, floral. Full yet delicate with tremendous depth on the mid-palate. Very focused acidity and fine, persistent mousse.