Vintage Champagne Third Thursday Group
Willamette Wine Storage
Tasted Thursday, July 22, 2010 by David Paris with 431 views
Introduction
A smaller group than usual, but a couple really good wines none the less.
Willamette Wine Storage
Tasted Thursday, July 22, 2010 by David Paris with 431 views
A smaller group than usual, but a couple really good wines none the less.
2004 Domaine Leflaive Mâcon-Verzé 89 Points
France, Burgundy, Mâconnais, Mâcon-Verzé
Lots of charred wood on the nose. Perhaps even some cigarette butts. Quite creamy, spicy, and nice on the palate. Good cutting acidity on the finish with an overall mellow character, with mild oak. A pleasing drink.
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2005 Domaine Carneros Brut 85 Points
USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros
Whoops, this isn't Champagne. Anyway, expresses monolithic green apples on the nose. Decent texture in the mouth, those crisp apples, slightly sweet, and a little light. The finish shows some funk, tart apples, and a bit bitter in character as it coats the back of my throat in a drying yet sticky way that I don't really like.
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2003 Vilmart & Cie Champagne Premier Cru Grand Cellier d'Or 93 Points
France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru
A captivating wine. Really rich, interesting, and complex aromas. It's soft in nature on the nose, showing some lemon and apple skins. Very seductive vanilla bean. Fantastic pure intensity in the mouth. Really beautiful body and texture, getting more supple as it sits on the tongue for up to 30 seconds. Towards the end, it expresses some spiced apples with cinnamon. The finish shows balanced acidity, lemon, apples, and is mild compared to the fireworks on the palate, but the intensity is there with plenty of minerality. This was unfortunately gone when I went back for a second taste, but I did get a wee dram and just that drop on my tongue had improved quite a bit with its richness and depth on the finish. This is a great wine. Mine and the groups wine of the night, by a long shot.
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2002 H. Billiot Fils Champagne Grand Cru Brut Millésimé 90 Points
France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Very yeasty on the nose, biscuity, and perhaps a curry aroma. Very creamy on the palate, almost buttery, showing some lemon, spice, and some acid. Really nice texture on the tongue. More yeast on the finish again, like a sourdough biscuit for sure. Some bitterness, and the driest of the bunch thus far. The nose was definitely a little different here and off putting to some folks, but the palate came through nicely for me.
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2000 Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Brut Millésimé 91 Points
France, Champagne
About here is where I stopped paying detailed attention to the notes as conversation ensued. Still payed close enough attention to find a quantitative level of enjoyment, but not much else. This I found to have "interesting" aromas, but that's about all. The palate was fantastic though, as it entered quite seductively, though was at the same time was huge, rich, and pleasingly soft. My 2nd place wine of the night, as well as the group's.
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1999 Delamotte Champagne Blanc de Blancs Millésimé 90 Points
France, Champagne
Very nice, tasty, and balanced texture. Mild, soft, and integrated finish, but nothing really stood out.
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1999 Louis Roederer Champagne Vintage Brut 91 Points
France, Champagne
Group and my 3rd place wine of the night.
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1998 Comte Audoin de Dampierre Champagne Grand Cru Grand Vintage 90 Points
France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
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