Barbie vs Oppenheimer

Not sure how this theme came about, but it reminded me of a wine dinner that combined champagne and big, bold wines - i.e. Barbie x Oppenheimer. Lovely having so many grower champagnes together, and N Rhone as the yin to the yang, with many underrated producers.

• 2014 La Rogerie Champagne Grand Cru Heroïne 89 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  Very effervescent, citrus-driven, saline and chalky. Palate felt a bit too sharp and linear for me. Correctly guessed blanc de blanc.

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• 2017 Bérêche et Fils Champagne Premier Cru Les Beaux Regards 91 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru

  Expressive nose that got better in the glass. Alpine flowers, green apple and Anjou pear with a touch of yeast. Focussed yet mouth-filling palate, with a long finish. Also guessed blanc de blanc.

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• NV Georges Laval Champagne Extra Brut Garennes 92 Points

  France, Champagne

  So lucky having this twice in 2 weeks. Particularly liked the nose: very intense apple and honeysuckle. Acidity is less sharp compared to the previous 2 blanc de blancs, which pointed to a blend. Minerals dominate the palate, which is elegantly rounded, albeit less fruit-forward. My favourite of the lot.

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• 2019 Oudiette Champagne Rosé d'Infusion 90 Points

  France, Champagne

  Intense strawberry and cranberry nose. Palate was less colourful and more mineral-driven, good acid structure. First time trying this producer.

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• NV Chartogne-Taillet Champagne Blanc de Blancs Heurtebise 91 Points

  France, Champagne

  Quite muted nose at first, then it opened up in the glass - pear and nectarine, vanilla from oak. The creamy mousse stood out, finely balanced with a mineral streak. Enjoyed this richer style much more than the basic cuvee St Anne.

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• NV Girard-Bonnet Champagne Grand Cru À mi-chemin 91 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  Floral with green apple notes, mineral and precise on the palate, nice long finish. Very well-balanced and understated, especially when compared side-by-side with a sweeter English sparkling. Feels like it needs time to blossom.

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• NV Exton Park Blanc de Noir RB 28 89 Points

  United Kingdom, England, Hampshire

  Brought this as a joker wine to the champagne party, since I recently went for an Exton Park tasting (but didn't try this wine in particular). Half the group guessed this as champagne.
  
  R28 stands for a blend of 28 reserve wines, and indeed the wine showed that layered richness. Ripe red apple and red berries pointed towards noir. A showy nose of pastry cream, mirroring the sweet palate (10g/L dosage). Found it a bit cloying, but still an interesting contrast to the champagnes with less makeup.

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• 2018 Pierre Gonon Saint-Joseph Blanc Les Oliviers 89 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Saint-Joseph

  The only N Rhone white, guessed St Joseph. This was quite classic: nose of stone fruits and honeysuckle, not very aromatic. Palate is waxy, citrus and tree fruits, with a slightly bitter finish. A well-made wine, though it felt a tad weighty after all the champers.

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• 2018 Mickaël Bourg Cornas Les P'tits Bouts 88 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas

  Sweet plums, ripe blackcurrant and oak were prominent on the nose, a undercurrent of barnyard too. Palate is big and almost jammy, suggesting a youthful wine of a warm vintage. Very much Cornas. Powerful, but too primary and undeveloped at this age.

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• 2014 Domaine du Coulet (Matthieu Barret) Cornas Gore 93 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas

  Seen this producer around and was happy to finally try it. Thought it was Cote Rotie because of how floral and light it was (only 12.5% abv). Natural style showing its age, palate of ripe dates and stewed cherry, silky tannins. Shows how Cornas in cool vintages can be so elegant as well. Favourite of the N Rhones.

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• 2021 Franck Balthazar Cornas Juliette 93 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas

  Quite similar to the previous Cornas, even more natural style. Sour cherry and violets, with spices, though the alcohol seemed a bit higher. A vibrant, juicy palate. Surprised this was Balthazar, much fresher and readier than his other cuvees. A close fight for my favourite.

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• 2016 Christophe Semaska Côte-Rôtie Harmony 87 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  Smelt like a farm, animalistic and barnyard. Though there was a confusing smattering of oak - sweet vanilla. Dark and brooding, it's a wine that probably needs years to unfurl, and hard to comprehend at this point. First time trying Semaska, not a fan.

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• 2017 Jean-Luc Jamet Côte-Rôtie Les Terrasses 91 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  Barnyard verging on Brett, in a pleasant way, generous dose of black pepper. Plenty of sweet blackcurrant and black cherry on the palate. It has depth and wish I had more time to see how it evolves.

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• 2020 Domaine Georges Vernay Côte-Rôtie Blonde du Seigneur 87 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  A cloying nose of dark plums, leather and Chinese herbal liquor. Some chocolate on the nose and palate. Stodgy and lacking definition. Seems like a producer who tried to do too much in a hot year.

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• 2018 Nicolas Champagneux Côte-Rôtie Les Grandes Places 89 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  Funkiest of the lot. Vanilla and licorice, horse manure - quite similar to the the Jamet's barnyard. Tannins are still grippy, palate is dense. Needs several more years to mellow out.

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• 2016 Domaine Georges Vernay Côte-Rôtie Maison Rouge 92 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  Finally, a more balanced and refined Cote Rotie. Classic nose of cherry, roses and pepper, framed by judicious use of oak. Ripe red and black berries on the palate, with more lift than the previous wines.

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Champagnes were all showing very well, close fight. Favourites were the '13-21 Laval and '17 Bereche - producers that I already like. For Northern Rhone, it was not easy to differentiate the Cornas from the Cote Roties (coincidentally everyone brought these 2 villages), as the cooler vintage Cornas were lighter than the warmer vintage Cote Roties. The '14 Barret was a clear winner for me, rather similar to the '21 Balthazar Juliette.