Wine Gang Ultimate Champagne Evening

A cracking line-up, a great new venue, engaging introductions from some of the UK's best wine writers. But the wines just didn't show. I was recovering from a cold and thought that was to blame, but from conversations afterwards it seems that others were equally underwhelmed. Some blamed the glasses - Zalto dessert glasses. I got an acrid whiff on several and think it more likely that it was dishwasher tablets to blame rather than the shape of the glass.

• NV Delamotte Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut

  France, Champagne

  En magnum. Base 09. Light, sharp, quite elegant, delicate
  
  [It is possible the glasses were tainted]

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• 2002 Salon Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut

  France, Champagne

  Powerful, some caramel on the nose, not much on the palate. Still very tight.

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• NV Charles Heidsieck Champagne Brut Réserve

  France, Champagne

  MEC 08 DG 14. Edgy nose. Very fizzy. Hinting at depth, but not there yet. Age, vanilla, complexity

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• 1995 Charles Heidsieck Champagne Blanc des Millénaires

  France, Champagne

  DG 14 Edgy nose, like the brut reserve. Powerful, but not fully expressive.
  
  [See intro note - I think there was a problem with tainted glasses]

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• 2005 Dom Pérignon Champagne

  France, Champagne

  Penetrating steely citrus nose. Tighter on the palate. Lean, nettles. Apparently contains botrytised grapes, but I couldn't detect this.
  
  [See intro note - I think there was a problem with tainted glasses]

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• 1998 Dom Pérignon Champagne P2

  France, Champagne

  Ripe, touch of oxidation. Buttery. Gingery notes. Not a patch on the bottle at last year's do.
  
  [See intro note - I think there was a problem with tainted glasses]

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• NV Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée

  France, Champagne

  DG Summer 14 Another edgy nose. Lively, rich, not harmonised yet
  
  [It is possible the glasses were tainted]

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• 2003 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut

  France, Champagne

  Fresh and lively. A touch of toffee. Not a hint of overripeness.
  
  [See intro note - I think there was a problem with tainted glasses]

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• 2006 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut

  France, Champagne

  Hints of richness on the nose, but not distinctive yet - it's all just hints
  
  [It is possible the glasses were tainted]

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• 1995 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut

  France, Champagne

  Quite oxidative. Buttery. Honey and truffle. But all quite muted.
  
  [It is possible the glasses were tainted]

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