Tasting Notes 51 found

A private dinner with friends (Restaurant Auberge, Amsterdam, NL): Made from 100% Pinot Meunier from the Vallée de la Marne and from Chavot, fermented in barrique and foudre, 30% rosé de macération, 10% vin rouge and 60% vin blanc (of which 40% vin de réserve), dosage 2.5 gr/l, disgorged March 2023. No detailed notes, but the fruit struck me as particularly impressive and beautiflly layered. (944 views)

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A private lunch (Restaurant Showw, Amsterdam, NL): Made with 90% Meunier from the réserve perpetuelle, vines in Vrigny, Coulommes la Montagne and Villers-Allerand, bottled unfined and unfiltered, disgorged April 2022 with a dosage of 3 gr/l. Notes of brioche noted in particular this time, fresh and energetic but creamy and rounded, flavoursome and stylish. Almost two years of post-disgorgement ageing seem to have served it well. (843 views)

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Made from 100% Meunier. Slightly cloudy, orange-pink colour; fresh and minerally nose, flowers and a touch of spice, slightly shy, tarragon, watermelon; fresh but ripe acidity, slightly creamy texture, watermelon and pomegranate, attractive tannic grip; good resonance and length. At Bar du Champagne, Amsterdam, NL. (633 views)

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Le Tour de Champagne Tasting (Olofskapel, Amsterdam, NL): Trade tasting, brief note. Zero dosage. Powerful, spicy, lovely Meunier typicity, quite direct, yeasty finish. Arguably the best of the quartet tasted today. (1044 views)

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A private dinner (Restaurant Benjamin, 's-Hertogenbosch, NL): Made with 100% Pinot Meunier (quite rare in the Côte des Bar), single vineyard of 2.85 hectares, stainless steel only, 5 years sur lattes, bottle no. 1141 from 6500 produced. Expressive nose, citrus and Meunier spice, hint of white nuts; remarkably silky and refined palate, especially for Meunier from the Côte des Bar, elegant and flowing; complete finish with very good length. Very stylish. (1091 views)

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Single vineyard (La Garenne) in Treslon, 100% Meunier, maceration and spontaneous fermentation in stainless steel, aged for three years in wood, 12% ABV, 600 bottles produced. Initial whiff of funk dissipates quickly. Pure and fresh Meunier expression, light and transparent style, minerals and cherries and spices, supple and juicy, mild but grippy tannins, dry finish with hints of almond and green apple. At wine bar Oocker, Amsterdam, NL. (986 views)

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A private lunch (Restaurant Flore **, Amsterdam, NL): Made with 90% Meunier from the réserve perpetuelle, vines in Vrigny, Coulommes la Montagne and Villers-Allerand, bottled unfined and unfiltered, disgorged July 2022 with a dosage of 3 gr/l. Playful and layered, elegant freshness and limestone minerality, ripe orchard fruit and fruit blossom, spiced honey, dry but supple and seamless, silky mousse, relaxed but pure and precise, very good resonance and length. A very stylish Meunier. (1782 views)

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Pierre Overnoy Tasting (with many bonus bottles) (Restaurant Bak, Amsterdam, NL): An undisgorged bottle. Very interesting to taste, but objectively dominated by yeasty notes. Alessandro tells me they fade with more bottle age. (1824 views)

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Organic viticulture. A special cuvée for the Dutch importer, vin naturel from 100% Pinot Meunier, bottled unfiltered with very little sulfur, 12.5% ABV. It's a lovely vin de soif, uncomplicated but pure and direct, with crunchy fruit (berry, citrus) and typical Meunier spice, light and bright and transparent, with drive and energy and a whiff of slightly grippy tannins, hint of sweetness on the finish, good resonance and length. Good value. (853 views)

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A private dinner with friends (Restaurant Bar du Champagne, Amsterdam, NL): Organic viticulture. Made with 100% Pinot Meunier (planted 1965) from the lieu-dit La Motelle in Villers Aux Noeuds, 24 hour maceration on the skins, fermented and aged for 11 months sur lie in wood, bottled unfined and unfiltered, production 5,176 bottles. Brochet 2019. Just like the Jardin d'Ulysse which preceded it, quite Burgundian in style, but this time it's like a light red. Rich Pinot fruit, supple and well-balanced, with a lovely yeasty, minerally energy, cherries and berries, excellent resonance and length. (1597 views)

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A private dinner with a friend (Restaurant Le Collier le la Reine, Paris, France): Made with 100% Pinot Meunier from the Premier Cru Villers-Allerand on the Montagne de Reims, non-interventionist wine making in large oak, full malo, bottled 28 August 2017 with low sulphur, disgorged without dosage, 2,385 bottles produced. Direct, spicy, minerally, natural and relaxed, flowers and red apple, dry but ripe and supple, very good persistence. An impressive, natural terroir Champagne. (1243 views)

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A private dinner (Restaurant d'Oude Schuur, Sint-Martens-Latem, Belgium): A blend of La Béguines with red wine from the same vineyard. Almost 100% Pinot Meunier, fermented and aged in oak, full malo. Apple, crushed red fruit, brioche, toast, stony minerality, rich yet elegant, excellent resonance and length. (2564 views)

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Originally a wine from the legendary René Collard in Reuil; after his death in 2009, De Telmont in Damery took over his stocks. Made with 100% Pinot Meunier, disgorged 23 November 2010. Medium golden colour; honey, apple and pear nose, truffle and hazelnut, ripe but fresh, good depth; caressing mousse, savoury and sweet palate, rich and rounded but fresh and energetic, delicately yeasty; lemon and spices on the finish, very good resonance and length. (979 views)

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Made from 100% Pinot Meunier, disgorged July 2019. The perfect aperitif on the terrace on a gloriously sunny day in September. Fresh but rounded off by the dosage (9 gr/l) perfectly integrated by the post-disgorgement ageing, brimming with the flavours of autumn, ripe red apples and spices, very gentle bitters and lovely flowing length. Comforting. (1750 views)

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A private lunch (Wine Bar 4850, Amsterdam, NL): Bottle No. 286 / 588 bottles produced, bottled 3 November 2016 after 12 months in oak, minimal sulphur. Made from 100% Pinot Meunier from the Montreval lieu-dit. A great example of what Champagne will be capable of with continuing climate change. Bright red cherries with a hint of amarena, forest floor and spices, cool and chalky but supple and charming, rounded and balanced, bright freshness and refined tannins, very good length. This is the future of Pinot Noir in France. (1486 views)

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