Bubble Bash 2014

A tasting of over 70 champagnes, featuring anywhere from growers champagnes to grande marque houses. Went with Jen to this event.

• 1999 Salon Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut 97 Points

  France, Champagne

  Very fine mousse, almost microscopic bubbles from the wine of Le Mesnil. Pours a golden, slightly copper color. Nose of sugarcane, stewed plums, candied lemon peel, brioche, some brett. Very very creamy and unctuous that just oozes class from chardonnay. Mineral backbone. Palate of brioche, peaches and cream, citrus, earl grey ice cream, marzipan, and mint. Some eucalyptus. Low acidity and the harsh edges are all gone, yet the wine is still quite coiled. Needs time. Carbonation is almost minimal. Incredibly long finish that just lingers on for over 30 seconds. WOTN for me.

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• 2006 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut 94 Points

  France, Champagne

  Such an elegant champagne. Pours a pale golden straw color with very thick long legs. The floral nose is smoky at first, then comes granny smith apples, lemon peel, ginger, wet stones and toasted marzipans. Smells very Burgundian. Very fine mousse with microscopic bubbles. On the palate, the wine is concentrated but effortless with a mineral-dominated backbone. Notes of orange zest, spices, mint, cinnamon, bacon brioche and caramel. Very creamy in the finish with moderate acidity to keep things fresh and focused. Such an incredibly balanced wine but needs time for sure, just like some other white grand cru Burgundies.

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• 2004 Pol Roger Champagne Blanc de Blancs 92 Points

  France, Champagne

  Pours a light straw color. Some heat towards end of the picking season. So a bit more fruit. Pours a golden straw color with fine bubbles. Nose of some brett, butter, mint, apples and marzipan. Some nuttiness. On the palate, quite creamy with bright acid. Fruit dominated the core with moderate sweetness. Medium finish.

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• 2004 Ruinart Champagne Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 93 Points

  France, Champagne

  All chardonnay. Surprised to see that LVMH group distributes for Ruinart. Incredible pour with a nice golden hue. Long legs. Nose of bread, brioche, toasted nuts and some tropical fruit. Not much citrus. On the palate, fine mousse, unctuous and some minerals. Notes of pudding, cream, some lemon curd and sugarcane. A very masculine wine - powerful but not fat. Finish is very long with much toastiness to boot. Minimal acidity. Great stuff.

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• 2004 Veuve Clicquot Champagne Brut Rosé La Grande Dame 95 Points

  France, Champagne

  Popped and poured a pinkish salmon color with very long legs and fine bubbles. Expansive nose of cherries, pineapple, peaches, brioche and strawberry jam. On the palate, the wine has a masculine structure, powerful but somewhat tight. Needs time. Flavors of mint, toasted nuts, macerated berries and lemon. Incredible concentration. Every drop of this just oozes class and finesse. Some acidity in the end to keep things fresh. Finish is very long. Sniffed the empty glass and the bouquet is still singing from the rim. My second WOTN after the Salon 1999.

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• 2004 Billecart-Salmon Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut Millésimé 94 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  Popped and let sit for an hour. Pours a golden hue with medium legs. Nose is very sweet, almost viscous, with considerable bubblegum, sugarcane, marzipan and some citrus. The mint keeps it fresh. Very elegant structure on the palate, if not somewhat feminine, alluring and mysterious. Needs time for sure. More notes of cashews, lemon curd, pot de creme and brioche. Expansive wine that just coats every inch of the palate effortlessly. Finish is long but not cloying at all. Medium acidity. Quite incredible but try again in a couple of years.

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• 1999 Billecart-Salmon Champagne Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart 94 Points

  France, Champagne

  Also popped for an hour before consuming. This was pitched against the 2004 Billecart-Salmon Blanc de Blancs. Pours a golden straw hue with copper tones and long legs. As with the chardonnay, nose is somewhat sweet, with notes of brioche, lemon curd, preserved apricots, roasted pineapples and almonds. A lot more bready and toasty on the palate which is first dominated by tropical fruits, peaches, sugarcane water and cream. Finish is long, close to 30 seconds, and acid is light. Great but a tad too fat for my liking.

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• 2004 Dom Pérignon Champagne 93 Points

  France, Champagne

  Pitched against a strong showing of other prestige cuvees but the Dom still held its ground. Pours a golden straw color with very long legs. Moderate mousse with medium-sized bubbles. On the nose are notes of toast, honey, lemon, and citrus fruits. The nose is quite expansive and just envelops the olfactory senses. On the palate, somewhat dry, some mineral, and moderate acidity. The wine just rolls effortlessly down the throat. Very toasty on the tongue, notes of rye bread, tropical fruits and nuts. Not as creamy as the 1992 Rose I had last time for sure. Finish is quite long. Needs time in the cellar. Will probably be a stronger showing in 5 years.

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• NV Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée 93 Points

  France, Champagne

  Pours a golden straw color with thick long legs. Very fine mousse. Extremely expansive and concentrated nose of bread pudding, lemon souffle, marshmallows and enough citrus to keep it fresh. On the palate, the wine is so unctuous and creamy. Very unctuous structure with minimal minerality. Notes of espelette, mint, brioche, roasted peaches and pineapples. Just an adequate touch of acidity in the end to keep things fresh. A very masculine champagne. Finish is very long. Honestly very impressed with this. Definitely shows the pedigree of this champagne house.

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• NV André Jacquart Champagne Premier Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut Experience Vertus 86 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru

  Pours a straw color, as typical of Blanc de Blanc. Fine mousse. Nose is very feminine, dominated by notes of Concord grapes, lemon and mint. Very light and crisp, with much mineral to boot. On the palate, very light on the feet with notes of citrus, ginger and honeysuckle. Incredibly fresh and high in acidity. Finish somewhat muted. An easy drinking champagne but there is not much complexity or depth to it.

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• NV André Jacquart Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Experience Le Mesnil 88 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  Pours a deeper golden color. Also a Blanc de Blanc. Uses 30% second-use oak from Burgundy and aged on the lees. Nose is more masculine, still dominated by cassis but more bread, with notes of brioche, peach jam, and sugarcane. On the tongue, the wine definitely flaunts its masculine structure. Notes of cassis, pecans, bread pudding and lemon oils dominate the palate. Still very fresh, with moderate acidity to boot. Quite good, better, but lacking that complexity still to push it above a 90.

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• NV Vantz Clippert Champagne Prestige Extra Brut 93 Points

  France, Champagne

  Definitely the unsung hero of last night. What a dark horse this is. Pours a golden, lemon color with thick legs. Interesting growers champagne. Aged for 4 years in new oak. 90% pinot noir and 10% chardonnay. Deep expansive nose of brioche, toasted cashews, lemon curd, ginger and eucalyptus. The pinot definitely flexed its weight here. On the palate, the wine is thick and unctuous. Notes of bread pudding, citrus, roasted tropical fruits dominate the core, with some smokiness in the end to keep things fresh. Moderate acidity but the finish is very very long. Quite complex. Wow. Probably one of the best growers champagne I have had in a while.

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• 2007 J. Lassalle Champagne Premier Cru Cuvée Angeline 91 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru

  60% chardonnay and 40% pinot noir. Pours a golden straw color with very fine bubbles. Long legs. On the nose, unmistakable chardonnay fruitiness of citrus and tropical fruits. Some unlevened dough and brioche to boast. On the palate, quite dry, lovely fragrance of more lemons, orange bitters and toasty baguettes. Firm structure with moderate to low acidity. Finish is long but somewhat cloying. Great complexity nonetheless.

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• 2005 J. Lassalle Champagne Premier Cru Brut Cuvée Spéciale 93 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru

  50% chardonnay, 50% pinot noir. Very elaborate nose of roses, rum cake, cashews, strawberries and peaches that just sings from the rim of the flute. Mineral-backed structure of toasted brioche, candied roses, pecans and macerated strawberries. Beguiling finish with moderate acidity. Finish is fresh and rather long. This wine is unmistakably feminine in both the nose, structure and taste. Quite eye-opening really. My favorite of the bunch of all 3 J. Lassalle's.

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• NV J. Lassalle Champagne Premier Cru Cuvée Speciale Rosé 92 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru

  Also very feminine wine with a pink grapefruit hue and very fine bubbles. Pours with long legs. Notes of strawberries, citrus, peaches, rosewater and lemon curd comes to the fore. Somewhat sweet. On the palate, I can taste strawberry gummies (somewhat artificial even), bubblegum, lemon madeleines, caramel and just a faint hint of acidity. Finish is rather short but fresh. Somewhat more acidity in the end. A rather complex rose. But I suspect I did not pick up all the nuances in this champagne as I was getting quite tired at this point. Wine probably needs more time to develop in the glass too before consumption.

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• 2004 Delamotte Champagne Blanc de Blancs Millésimé 92 Points

  France, Champagne

  All chardonnay with a dosage of around 5 grams. Pours a golden straw color with long legs. Quite viscous. On the nose are citrus, lemongrass, brioche and candied strawberries. A rather masculine, mineral-backed structure on the palate, with a rustic backbone. Somewhat soft, but the palate brings forth notes of lemon, mint and creme brulee. Quite creamy with much complexity. Acid is low but the finish is fresh and long. Pleasant surprise of the night as well. This is the essentially the declassified wine from Salon, when the year does not produce grapes deemed worthy of the Salon cru.

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• NV R. Dumont et Fils Champagne Brut Rosé 86 Points

  France, Champagne

  All chardonnay with a tad of pinot noir mixed in there. Long legs with minimal carbonation. High dosage given the sweetness on the nose of macerated strawberries, sugarcane, lemon curd. Palate exhibits a rustic structure with the core dominated by ribena, cassis, eucalyptus and brett. Slightly tannic even, and minimal acidity. Rather cloying in the end. Not my type of champagne.

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• NV R. Dumont et Fils Champagne Solera Reserve Brut 84 Points

  France, Champagne

  Done in tanks instead of barrel so it mimicked the Solera process of aging. On the nose, the wine shows considerable pinot noir. Some kirsch, apple brandy, brioche and lemon sweets. Quite rustic. A rather fat structure on the palate with spices, candied lemons, peaches and bread pudding. Medium acidity to keep things fresh in the end, thankfully. Mediocre and lacks complexity.

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