Champagne (Mostly) Dinner

Wally's hosted a small dinner focusing on champagne in advance of the upcoming La Fête du Champagne and the corresponding Champagne-rich auction that Wally's has scheduled. Thank you to Julia and Christian for the invitation. I was unfortunately late, but there was plenty of wine left.

• 2000 Krug Champagne Clos du Mesnil 96 Points

  France, Champagne

  Lemon peel, green and yellow apple. Lean and angular in the best possible sense. Super long and energetic. Served alongside Ambonnay 2000 and Grande Cuvee with a 2000 disgorgement, this was my favorite.

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• 2000 Krug Champagne Clos d'Ambonnay 94 Points

  France, Champagne

  Very rich apple and strawberry. Big fruit, rounded and powerful with moderate length. i like the textures here. Served alongside 2000 Mesnil and 2000 Grande Cuvee.

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• NV Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée 90 Points

  France, Champagne

  This is the 2000 edition, so a very mature disgorgement. Early and clearly mature, this showed good power, finesse and length, but clearly on the bready, toasty side...more so than I generally prefer.

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• 2002 Dom Pérignon Champagne Rosé 95 Points

  France, Champagne

  Strawberry, apple, cranberry, nicely floral. Intense energy throughout with mostly apple and lemon on long finish. Very impressive.

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• 1995 Dom Pérignon Champagne Rosé P2 94 Points

  France, Champagne

  Raspberry, apple, floral notes and faint hints of evolution. Starts fat, finishes leaner and incredibly elegant. Rounded, softer finish vs the others in the flight.

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• 1990 Dom Pérignon Champagne Rosé P3 95 Points

  France, Champagne

  From magnum. Ripe red berries start-to-finish . Charming and alluring start, great textures throughout. Dancing, vibrant finish shows lots more energy than I was expecting from a 1990. Super overall.

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• 1979 Alain Robert Champagne Blanc de Blancs Reserve Le Mesnil 80 Points

  France, Champagne

  Open 2+ hours before I tasted. Musty, earthy, I found this certainly past its peak.

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• 1990 Alain Robert Champagne Blanc de Blancs Reserve Le Mesnil 89 Points

  France, Champagne

  Open 2+ hours before I was able to taste. Very ripe fruit with good concentration. Fairly mature for a Mesnil Chardonnay at this age with modest energy.

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• 1966 Domaine Robert Arnoux / Arnoux-Lachaux Romanée St. Vivant 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Romanée St. Vivant Grand Cru

  Classic Vosne spice, lots of mature red cherry. Moderate earth. Everything in very nice harmony for the wine's age. I liked this a lot.

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• 1990 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée St. Vivant 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Romanée St. Vivant Grand Cru

  Ripe red cherry and berry start-to-finish. Big spicebox, particularly on nose, is very enticing. Fat, lush flavors. Still needs time.

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• 1985 Joseph Drouhin Grands-Echezeaux

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Grands-Echezeaux Grand Cru

  Red cherry throughout, moderately mature. Great balance, moderate concentration. Still has upside from here.

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• 1978 Georges Lignier et Fils Clos de la Roche

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos de la Roche Grand Cru

  Showing plenty of age, some signs of decay. Mature black fruit with meaty spice. Not nearly at the level of a G Lignier 78 CSD tasted at La Paulee earlier this year.

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