-- 100% Pinot Meunier --
-- July 13, 2021 disgorgement--
-- no dosage –
-- bottle opened the day before the tasting --

Interestingly, this came across more “rocky” on the Nose than anything else. Intense dark pink color. Dry on the palate, with juicy acidity. Cherry dominates the flavor, but there’s a nice rocky aspect to it, as well. No dosage. Although I probably don’t buy this for myself, I did find it enjoyable (and that’s saying something, as me an Pinot Meunier rarely get along).

-- bottle opened the day before the tasting --
-- 100% Chardonnay --
-- April 2022 disgorgement --
-- No dosage --

This note is based off a small pour -- no more than half an ounce to an ounce. Completely still at this point. Austere, and extremely shy. Soft and reserved apple note. Second time tasting this wine, and this reminded me of the bottle I had a few months back: this wine is far from obvious; it plays hard to get. You have to chase this down, as opposed to waiting for it to come to you.

-- 50% Pinot Meunier, 30% Pinot Noir, 20% Chardonnay --
-- October 2019 disgorgement --

Rose-tinted gold color. At first whiff, this was straight-up raw cookie dough --- vexingly, I couldn’t put my finger on what kind of cookies, but this was unmistakably a scent that was activating my scent memory. Some bruised apple on the nose, too. On the palate, this was spicy, very dry, and had a rough attack (as opposed to soft). I revisited this on Day 2, and that simply was not good for this wine. The Nose had turned vegetal – to an extent that raising the glass for a drink was unpleasant. Once the wine was past the Nose, it wasn’t bad on the palate – necessarily – but it wasn’t really good, either: spicy florals, and on the watery side. Seemed to have a bit of a Natural Wine bent to it. Better on Day 1. My first time with this producer, and I was excited to try this.

-- October 2018 disgorgement --
-- 71% Pinot Noir, 29% Chardonnay --

I was excited to try this one, too, as this was my first regular Grand Annee (I’ve had the rose a few times, and absolutely love that one). This featured a sweetish Nose that initially came across as a bit soapy; it gained in richness with air over a few hours. On the palate, this came across as a complete wine, but without being heay-handed. Some oak was noticeable, and this aspect did become a touch more pronounced with air, but never became bothersome. As with the other ‘08s in the lineup, this came across as young: no autolytic notes at all, really. This was neck-and-neck with the ’08 Philipponnat as my WOTD. If you have multiple bottles, and haven’t checked-in yet, or in a while, it’s worth popping one now. But if you’ve been sitting on this, with the intention of drinking once it has developed some meaningful tertiary notes --- sorry --- you need to keep waiting.

-- 100% Pinot Meunier --
-- 0.8 g/L dosage --

Light amber color. Nose was initially lightly spicy, with an unusual wax bean note; eventually picked-up a Lemon Pledge facet, too. On the palate, this was light and refreshing --- very reminiscent of a tart Farmhouse ale, or a Grisette. Oak was noticeable, but not too much. Light, but long, finish. This one was divisive among the group; I fell on the side of liking it –- again, quite surprising given this is 100% PM --- but others who (understandably) don’t want their Champagnes tasting like sour ale weren’t so hot on it. WAG that this is best for near-term consumption. I’d buy this, but not at its apparent going rate.

-- Feb. 2023 disgorgement --
-- 3 g/L dosage --
-- 100% Chardonnay --

Light, pale yellow color. High-register aromatics, with noticeable coconut; also some orange blossom, bubble gum, and pear on the Nose. Very dry, with high acidity (take that, 2018 vintage!); fruit disappears on the rear palate, and some light oak is noticeable, too. I’d like to see this flesh-out some (and it did! in meaningful, albeit not drastic, fashion with a few hours of air).

Light aromatics. Quite dry, with bright apple-pear flavors --- not tropical. I enjoyed this, and will likely buy some for myself if/when I come across it.

-- March 2021 disgorgement --
-- 80% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Noir --

Light apple aroma. High acidity matched with rich fruit. Dosage is immediately apparent, but I don’t find it to be too much. After a fair amount of discussion, I got on-board with Astrid’s “mandarin” call on the palate --- concentrated mandarin. Young-but-relaxed. Wish I had some in my cellar.

-- March 2018 disgorgement --
-- 4.5 g/L dosage --

My first time with this producer, and I was excited to try. Raw cookie dough on the Nose, but not sweet --- entirely different than the manner in which I used the “raw cookie dough” descriptor for the Bedel: this was lighter -- different kind of cookie, apparently. Rich and chalky on the palate with good acid. Neck-and-Neck with the ’08 Bollinger LGA for my WOTD, and definitely the wine that made the biggest impact on me at the tasting, likely partially owing to the fact that I came into this wine with no preconceived notions or expectations. Will definitely be buying this wine from this point forward.

-- February 2020 disgorgement --
-- 4.5 g/L dosage --
-- 70% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay --

Nose was light, and leaning a bit malty like wort. Middle-of-the-fairway flavor profile; a bit lacking in verve, but solid nonetheless. Didn’t move me the way the ’08 Grand Blanc did.

-- 100% Pinot Meunier --
-- 0.5 g/L dosage --
-- January 2022 disgorgement --

Nose dominated by apples. From the pour as it was initially passed around the table, I thought this was light/watery, and kind of ho-hum --- nothing bad; in fact, enjoyable, but that was about it --- I chalked it up to it being Pinot Meunier. A couple hours later, however, I took another run at it, and thought it significantly improved --- it had fleshed-out some. So it seems a good amount of air is the recommended course here.

-- March 2019 disgorgement --
-- 100% Chardonnay --
-- no dosage --

{sigh} … this one … this was kinda tough. Nose had pretty noticeable oak, and a weird sewage-leaning note, sometimes improving to pool water mixed with light cigar. Strong clove on the palate. Prior experiences with this wine (granted, in 2021) were extremely positive, which leads me to my feeling that this bottle is a bad bottle or has aged quickly and poorly, or both. Terribly frustrating and disappointing. If not for a lone bottle of the ’14 Crayeres still sitting in our cellar, this would have been the final nail in Aging Marguet’s coffin --- thus far, I’ve yet to taste a Marguet that has aged well, but I absolutely love ‘em young, so I’ll simply make slight adjustments to how I buy and consume them, and will be happy as a lark.

-- 80% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Noir --
-- March 2015 disgorgement --

Remarkably floral Nose – confident and elegant fruit aromas pull you into the equally-graceful bright fruit tones on the palate; pleasant barely-sweet pastry note, too. Feels as if there’s still potential to fill-in the back end, which will be to its benefit. Drinking young, with no meaningful tertiary flavor development; if anything, it’s in its open-and-relaxed/youthful stage, which makes it a lot fun to drink right now.

-- 40% Chardonnay, 60% Pinot Noir --
-- February 2022 disgorgement --

Pleasant (to me) green note on the Nose – tomato vine. Chalky, with high acidity, and light strawberry on the palate --- this was mostly acid on Day 1, with not much flavor, despite looking hard for some. Revisited with a small pour on Day 2: Nose was extremely quiet, and the green note was gone. Acidity still front and center on Day 2, and I’m going to co-sign Frank’s pink grapefruit call here --- spot on. Better on the palate on Day 2, but this is still somewhat vexing. I *want* to believe this has the material to flesh-out with age, but – honestly – I’m not sensing it. Assuming this bottle was representative, best to Hold if you have some in the cellar, as there’s just not much going on with it right now.