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Grower Champagne Extravaganza
St. Paul Athletic Club, St. Paul, MN
Tasted January 25, 2014 by rocknroller with 724 views
Introduction
This was a wonderful opportunity to sample a number of offerings from The Wine Company's Grower Champagne Portfolio with a couple of bonus producers to boot.
Flight 1 (22 notes)
White - Sparkling
N.V. Henriot Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut
91 points
Light gold color. Citrus, lemon, lime nutty nose. Palate is fresh, smooth and clean with a flinty minerality and tart citrus.
White - Sparkling
2005 Henriot Champagne Brut Millésimé
91 points
Very nice, pear, apple, mineral nose; palate consistent, chalk minerality. More complexity. Medium plus finish. 91+pts.
White - Sparkling
N.V. Vilmart & Cie Champagne Premier Cru Grand Cellier Brut
92 points
Light gold color. Vibrant nose, green apple, citrus, mineral, floral. The palate is elegant, vibrant, tart green apple, citrus, mineral. Long finish. Very good again. 92+pts.
White - Sparkling
N.V. Varnier-Fanniere Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut
88 points
Nice nose with apple, mineral, citrus, but bitingly tart and highly citrus-lime peel character on the palate and finish that detracted for me. others liked this. Needs food.
White - Sparkling
N.V. Pierre Callot Champagne Grande Réserve Brut
90 points
This was nice with apple, citrus, yeast, oyster shell. The palate features sour apple, tart acid, yeast, oyster shells, medium finish.
White - Sparkling
2007 Pierre Callot Champagne Grand Cru Vignes Anciennes Blanc de Blancs
91 points
Better yet was the Blanc de Blanc Millesime, showing bright orchard fruits, lightly floral, fresh minerals, brioche. The palate is consistent and nicely balanced. 91+pts.
White - Sparkling
N.V. Pehu Simonet Champagne Grand Cru Brut Sélection
91 points
This was consistent in general with the previous note, but I found it overall more interesting today with a much more open nose and overall showed better. Toasty, yeasty, citrus, light, brioche. The palate is nutty, toast, pear, very mineral driven, clean and medium plus finish. 91+pts.
White - Sparkling
N.V. Pehu Simonet Champagne Grand Cru Brut Blanc de Noirs
88 points
Very pale with a slight greenish hue. This was very tart, bracing, star fruit, slightly dirty earthiness. The nose is better than the palate.
White - Sparkling
N.V. Jean Lallement Champagne Grand Cru Cuvée Réserve
90 points
This was one of the more unique wines today. This had an interesting fruit profile showing lime and lychee with an appealing earthiness. The palate was tart, lime and lychee, grapefruit, earth, yeast with a medium plus finish. 90+pts.
White - Sparkling
2005 Henri Goutorbe Champagne Grand Cru Brut Millésimé
92 points
Light-medium gold color. Steely minerals, yeasty, citrus, orchard fruit. The palate is fresh and steely, chalk, lemon, citrus, yeast, well balanced and complex. Solid.
White - Sparkling
N.V. Marc Hébrart Champagne Premier Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut
90 points
This showed nicely with apple, yeasty, citrus. The palate brought apples, grapefruit, oyster shell and a light, elegant frame. 90+pts.
Rosé - Sparkling
N.V. Marc Hébrart Champagne Premier Cru Brut Rosé
89 points
Nose shows tart cherry and tart berry, palate is tart cherry, tart berry, mineral, not quite as clean around the finish as ideal.
White - Sparkling
N.V. Pierre Gimonnet & Fils Champagne Premier Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut Cuis
90 points
This was yeasty, toasted, citrus, lightly floral. The palate showed some subtle sweetness, citrus, yeast, mineral. Very good.
White - Sparkling
2005 Pierre Gimonnet & Fils Champagne Special Club Grands Terroirs de Chardonnay
88 points
Pear, citrus, light, tart, not very interesting at this point for a Special Club bottling. Perhaps some time...
White - Sparkling
N.V. Geoffroy Champagne Premier Cru Expression Brut
92 points
Nice yeast character, nutty, earthy, touch of berry, cherry, apple and florals on the nose. The palate is consistent, creamy, earth, nutty, berry, apple, well balanced and complex. Long.
Rosé - Sparkling
N.V. Geoffroy Champagne Premier Cru Rosé de Saignée Brut
89 points
This was a bit of an enigma. I liked the nose, ripe berries and cherry cream soda, mineral. The palate came off a bit too angular and sour for the most part, but at times it seemed more together. 89(?)pts.
White - Sparkling
N.V. Gaston Chiquet Champagne Premier Cru Tradition Brut
90 points
This was good, but not nearly as impressive as a bottle we had on New Years Eve. I like the elegance and balance overall, but the nose seemed more subdued today. 90+pts.
White - Sparkling
2005 Gaston Chiquet Champagne Special Club Brut
91 points
Pale, pear, apple, mineral, mild yeast. Palate is consistent, medium plus finish, nice. So far the '05 Special Clubs have been good, but not exceptional.
White - Sparkling
2005 Jean-Noël Haton Champagne Blanc de Blancs
87 points
This didn't do much for me, came off sweet and a little syrupy. Pear, apple, Nose is better.
Rosé - Sparkling
N.V. Jean-Noël Haton Champagne Brut Rosé
90 points
This showed better than the other rose's today. Cherry, strawberry, earthy, yeast, minerals, nicely balanced and clean.
White - Sparkling
N.V. Delamotte Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut
89 points
Slightly on the sweet side, citrus, lemon, yeast.
Rosé - Sparkling
N.V. Delamotte Champagne Brut Rosé
88 points
OK, strawberry, cherry, minerals, lighter, sour, a little sharp on the palate.
Closing
Thanks to Larry for organizing a splendid event and sharing these wines.