Hyatt, San Francisco
Tasted Monday, September 26, 2016 by RajivAyyangar with 698 views
Floorplan and notes: https://www.evernote.com/l/ABasr-c4EqVJj57CXqEPLFt4jNiBP2AwhaM
Based on this tasting, here's how I'd describe Champagne, stylistically:
Appearance:
- Pale gold to medium gold (if has lots of development).
Nose:
- BdB: high-toned green apples and citrus
- Mixed brut: blend of green apples and slight deeper mushroomy tones
- BdN: red berries and button mushrooms
- Meunier: earthy brown-orange, wild mushroom
- Reductive styles (Henriot) tended to have squeaky clean fruit in young cuvees, and sometimes went to burnt rubber like young Hunter Semillon. As they developed, sometimes this went to noble reduction, crushed stones.
- Oxidative styles - I didn’t get a lot of overt oxidation, but these tasted richer, more briochey, riper and more apply.
Palate:
- Mousses were extremely explosive across the board.
- Bubbles ranged from coarse to fine (with longer tirage leading to finer bubbles).
- Acid ranged from High- to High+, with most falling squarely in High.
They seemed high-toned, aromatically. Fresh green apples and citrus. Clean, with less mushroom tones.
Around 9
- 2009 Roederer BdB
- 2008 Pol Roger BdB
Between 8.5 and 9
- 2008 Ayala
- NV Henriot
Around 8.5
- NV Delamotte
- 2006 Doquet Le Mont Aime
- 2005 Doquet PC Vertus
Between 8 and 8.5
- NV Doquet Diapason
These seemed to have more red berry fruit and button mushroom (pinot-like fruit).
Around 9:
- 2008 Philipponnat
- 2010 P. Paillard ‘Les Maillerettes'
Between 8.5 and 9:
(none)
Around 8.5:
- NV Soutiran Perle Noir
These were the most classic of the categories:
Blends of Chardonnay and Pinot, with enough time on tirage to have noticeable Autolysis.
Some seemed more reductive, some less so. Some seemed more Chardonnay, some more pinot.
Dosage varied between extra-brut (the Paillards, at 3.5g) and the high end of brut (e.g. Bara at 11g).
Stylistically:
Dosage:
- Higher (~9-11g): Bollinger, Heidsieck, Lassalle, Bara, Taittinger
- Average (~5-9g): Henriot, Gonet, Pol Roger, Geoffroy, Faust, Veuve-Cliquot Ponsardin
- Lower (3-5g): P. Paillard
Oxidative Style:
- Reductive: Heidsieck, Henriot, Lasalle, Gonet, P. Paillard, Geoffroy, Taittinger
- Oxidative: Bollinger, Faust, Veuve-Cliquot Ponsardin
Cepage:
- Chard-dominant: Taittinger
- Pinot-dominant: Bara, Veuve-Cliquot Ponsardin
- Meunier-dominant: Faust
Quality:
Between 9 and 9.5
- 2006 P. Paillard ‘Le Grande Recolte'
Around 9
- NV Bara
- NV Gonet
- NV P. Paillard Les Parcelles XI
- 2006 Pol Roger Extra Cuvee de Reserve
Between 8.5 and 9
- 2006 Henriot Millesime
- NV Taittinger 'La Francaise'
Around 8.5
- NV Bollinger Special Cuvee
- NV Heidsieck
- Geoffroy
- Veuve-Clicquot Ponsardin
Between 8 and 8.5
- Faust:
I liked this a lot. The Paillards are all extra-brut as well, which leads me to think I really like extra-brut (~2-3g) dosage.
I didn't like these - not because they were aggressively dry/acidic (I generally like high acid) - but because they seemed one-dimensional.
Historically Champagne used to be quite sweet - hence "demi-sec" is still really sweet by modern standards. I generally enjoy these, but I'm not sure in what context I'd drink them. Maybe a century ago, before global warming and modern viticultural practices, grape ripeness was so low in Champagne that the sugar was necessary to cut the acid. However now, the extra bruts have a sufficient lushness for my taste (though the Brut Natures seem to over-do it).
Demi-secs have between 30 and 50g/L dosage, but to my taste they seemed only 15-20 (high acidity!).
In general I found these were not as aromatic as the regular Bruts and the BdBs. I liked the Paillard - but I don’t find these any better as a category than a pinot-dominant Brut.
2008 Ayala Champagne Blanc de Blancs 88 Points
France, Champagne
Clean and fresh with moderate brioche.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
NV Delamotte Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut 85 Points
France, Champagne
Basic and lean. Not very aromatic.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
NV Henriot Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut 88 Points
France, Champagne
Clean and fresh. Reductive style. Correct.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2009 Louis Roederer Champagne Blanc de Blancs 91 Points
France, Champagne
Nice! Apply with strong brioche and slight crushed rocks (noble reduction with a bit of developmen). Long finish with middle-of-the-road high acid.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
NV Pascal Doquet Champagne Grand Cru Diapason Le Mesnil-sur-Oger 82 Points
France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Strange nose of apple core and pips. Reductive? Feels sweet and languid on the palate. Did I mention this is aromatically strange?
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2006 Pascal Doquet Champagne Premier Cru Le Mont Aimé 84 Points
France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru
Light and a bit play-doughy on the nose (autolytic and a bit reductive). Slightly bitter palate.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2005 Pascal Doquet Champagne Premier Cru Blanc de Blancs Vertus 86 Points
France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru
Oyster shells and wet dough on the nose. The best of the Doquet's.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2008 Pol Roger Champagne Blanc de Blancs 91 Points
France, Champagne
Very biscuity on the palate - memories of yeast peptone extract. Fresh on the palate, with green apple fruit and high acid. Dosage feels moderate - 6-7g RS but holding it well.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue