By: AJ McClellan
What a great night for some Champagne! I was just having the conversation with one of our members about how Champagne might be one of my favorite wines in the world. In fact, if I was forced to drink nothing but bubbles for the rest of my life I think I could make that quite pleasurable…. Yesterday was a prelude to that very fate. We Started the night simply enough, the newest release of NV Pierre Peters Rose came in and we decided to pop a bottle. It has been almost a year since we tasted this wine and it was just as good as I remember. A powerful style of rose with bright red fruit that leads to a flaunting of limestone and fresh budding flowers. This wine ages very well and I look forward to trying it in another 5 years.
We also popped a duo of lovely tete de cuvee’s – The NV Krug 375ml and 2004 Dom Perignon. Both wines were drinking very well. I will say that I preferred the Krug by a hairs breadth. The newest release of Krug Grand Cuvee has not only the stunning 1990 vintage blended in but also the 2002 which is shaping up to be one of the better vintages of the decade. This wine is fresh and very clean with lemon rind, cantaloupe, and rich toast that accented the long finish perfectly.
One of my personal favorites was up next in the NV Gonet Medeville Rose. I have long loved this wine and every vintage is consistently exquisite. Soft overripe strawberries mingle with Bing cherry and light berry blossom which lead to a pleasant mineral finish.
We finished with the 2007 Louis Roederer and 2008 Chartogne Taillet Champagnes. The Roederer needs no introduction and is a stunning value for the price point. Full of toast and pear this wine is a great every day drinker. The Taillet was a little more unique showing loads of brioche on the nose and a robust sourdough on the palate. This bottle is a mouthful for sure, but also a real treat.
If this was a glimpse of what it would be like to drink Champagne every day for the rest of my life I think I can sleep happy knowing that I have a lot to look forward to…