Community Tasting Note

Ben Andersen wrote:

Friday, September 23, 2005 - $28 retail, after discount. Tasted side by side with the 1999 vintage bottling from Turgy (Yes, it does exist!). The aroma of the NV bottling is fresher and lighter, with a delicate floral element and almost peachy fruit, with a thread of citrus. The '99 has a quite a bit more toast / brown notes on the nose, with more linear, lemony fruit, compared to the riper more apple/peach fruit of the NV Turgy. On the palate the NV cuvee is soft and elegant, with gorgeous texture, and only hints of bread / yeast. The '99 is more assertive / substantial in both acidity and volume of flavor, finishing with a roasted nut quality, compared to the NV's lighter, creamier, lacier finish. Two very different wines, to be sure. Clearly, the NV Cuvee is made in a style aimed for immediate consumption, where the structure and muscle of the '99 suggests it will outlast it in the cellar, probably becoming even more nutty and perhaps more honeyed over time...? Note: For comparison, I also poured a glass of NV Guy Charlemagne BdB Champagne (also from Le Mesnil) left over from last night. Although it has its merits (see TN), it was my least favorite of the three, with hints of smoke and an almost burnt hair element to the nose. It comes across as less refined, with a more coarse structure to the palate, compared to the softer NV Turgy and the seemingly more well-constructed '99 Turgy.

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