Blind Champagne/Sparkling Tasting

Tasted Wednesday, December 31, 2008 by jrobs7777 with 854 views

Introduction

We started with a lobster dinner paired with the 2000 Latour Batard Montrachet, followed by 10 blind flights. We finished with the Veuve Rose non-blind. The affordable wines seemed to win the night!

Flight 1 (1 Note)

  • 2000 Louis Latour Bâtard-Montrachet 91 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru

    Started the night with lobster dinner. This is drinking very well right now. All the characteristics of a muscular big Batard. Rich deep yellow color. Nose loaded with fruit, butter, vanilla and brown sugar. Powerful and smooth on the palate, full bodied and rich. Faded slightly on the mid-palate and finish, which is why this is a 91 and not a 93+. Very nice.

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Flight 2 (1 Note)

  • 2002 Jacques Picard Champagne Blanc de Noirs Premier Cru 88 Points

    France, Champagne

    Tough spot for this wine, as it was first off in our blind tasting. My initial notes were middle of the road, but upon a second taste after we had sampled all 10 wines and revealed the identities, this showed better. Very subtle nose, almost nothing on the nose. It was observed that there was a bit of vinegar and/or Windex on the nose. Much better in the mouth, with some crisp apple and pear. A shorter finish. This was distinctly a Pinot Noir, as it had a unique profile compared with the half dozen or so Chardonnay heavy wines we tasted.

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Flight 3 (1 Note)

  • NV Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée 87 Points

    France, Champagne

    A little disappointing. I enjoyed this more than most at our blind tasting, but even so, this was the consensus disappointment. Honey gold color. Very nutty and almost smoky nose, but there was a whiff of rubber that was off-putting. The nose was a tad overpowering. Hazelnut, honey, yeast and subtle pear on the palate. Chardonnay heavy? For my tastes, this could be a little lighter and more delicate. At this price point, Krug needs to do better. I have two 95s stowed away and will be interested to see how my notes (when they are consumed) on those compare with this.

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Flight 4 (1 Note)

  • NV Roederer Estate Brut Anderson Valley 88 Points

    USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley

    Great QPR at approx. $20. Nose had initial aroma of ammonia and rubber, but that quickly blew off to reveal and nutty and mild nose. Good nuttiness on the mid-palate. A crisp and fruity wine that was consistent with the Pinot Noir dominant profile. Basic and simple but very affordable and something to keep in stock.

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Flight 5 (1 Note)

  • NV Moët & Chandon Champagne White Star Extra Dry 92 Points

    France, Champagne

    Wow! Very nice showing for this at our blind tasting. I placed it 2nd and many had it 1st. Consensus 1st or 2nd. This was a very interesting wine because it was tasted in the 4 slot, 2 spots after what was later revealed as the NV Krug. The group definitely liked this better. It had a similar, but more subtle and nuanced profile. Some nuttiness and brown sugar on the nose with yeast, floral aromas and strawberry. Very nice on the palate. Easy drinking with nice balance between bubbles and acidity. Subtle strawberry and apple. Nice crisp finish.

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Flight 6 (1 Note)

  • NV Charles Ellner Champagne Grande Réserve Brut 94 Points

    France, Champagne

    Probably my top wine of the night during the blind tasting. It was closely rated to the Veuve Grand Dame, but taking price into account, this has the edge. Had a little age to it. Nice honeyed color. Subtle nose, with a more pleasurable profile than either the White Star (tasted in the 4 spot) and the NV Krug (tasted in the 2 spot). Nutty, mild and floral. Strawberry and apples. This was perfectly balanced and had a nice finish. A well done effort at the $30 price point. Great value.

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Flight 7 (1 Note)

  • 1993 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon 87 Points

    France, Champagne

    Middle of the road finish in our blind tasting. Probably a bit past its prime and if you have any remaining bottles, drink them over the next year. Clearly had some age behind it. Nice nose of nuts, apple and pear. Good attack with some black and blue fruit but this faded and led to a flat finish. Lost a considerable amount of bubbles over time. Just for comparison, a fellow taster observed that it is similar to the 90 Dom but is less forward.

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Flight 8 (1 Note)

  • 1998 Veuve Clicquot Champagne Brut La Grande Dame 93 Points

    France, Champagne

    Light and pale color. Sublime nose of vanilla, cherry, butter and citrus. Nice complexity and balance. Palate of lemon, sweet cake batter and cookie dough. Nice finish. Very solid Champagne and drinking exceptionally well. Does not suffer from the sometimes "over sweet" and over the top style of the Yellow Label basic bottling. This is a very good bottle but may be overpriced at $120.

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Flight 9 (1 Note)

  • 2002 Louis Roederer Champagne Blanc de Blancs 90 Points

    France, Champagne

    This was a sharply divided wine in our blind tasting, probably a function of whether people like a 100% Chardonnay Champagne. A nose of dough, yeast and nuts. Crisp golden yellow color. Banana nut bread? Some good fruit on the palate -- an excellent blend of nuts and lemon zest. Very pleasurable and crisp with even a touch of tropical fruits. Good clean finish. Nice bubbles. A fellow taster noted that it is similar to a good white Burgundy. Probably not worth the $80 price tag, but this is a nice wine.

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Flight 10 (1 Note)

  • NV Bele Casel Montello e Colli Asolani Extra Dry 87 Points

    Italy, Veneto, Montello e Colli Asolani

    Stellar QPR. This received mixed reviews during our tasting but I liked it, especially when it was revealed that it was the $16 bottle. Featuring minerals (a touch of mint?), citrus and strawberry. A light nutty note carries through to a short finish. A very young wine. Very light and pale. This will make a good apertif and/or outdoor summer wine. When compared to some heavier sparkling wines and Champagnes, it stood out but this is worth a second look.

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Flight 11 (1 Note)

  • NV Bollinger Champagne Special Cuvée Brut 86 Points

    France, Champagne

    Not a bad bottle, but something was missing on the nose. Rubbery chemical nose initially followed by nutty, buttery Chardonnay-esque notes. Palate of some apple, butter and cream. Maybe some tropical fruit? Faded with a short finish.

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Flight 12 (1 Note)

  • NV Veuve Clicquot Champagne Brut Rosé 87 Points

    France, Champagne

    Tasted non-blind at the end of the night. Good rose. I enjoyed this much more than the Yellow Label Brut. The sweetness and overdone style of the Yellow Label is held in check with the rose. A nice touch of sweetness with good strawberry and cherry notes. Nice crispness and good balance between the sweetness, bubbles and acidity.

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