Thought this was a Chardonnay dominant blend from an in-between grower/house and a warm vintage like '09. Opulent but with refined citrus fruit, some development but not yet at the oxidative stage. Much better than the Dizy Pinot Noir a few months ago.
Brought for a friend. 37% Pinot Noir, 42% Chardonnay, 21% Meunier. Disgorged in 2006 and released in 2020, only 240 bottles released. Rich and toasty, so youthful that most guessed younger than 2010. Hedonistic with white orchard fruit, was too sweet for some. More balanced with air and as it warmed up.
2009 Roses de Jeanne / Cédric Bouchard Champagne Blanc de Noirs Les Ursules Thought premoxed at first with bruised apple notes and ponderous fruit, but got better with air. Nevertheless still lacking in fruit and bubbles, vinous with tart acidity. Tried a few old Bouchards and the recent iterations are definitely better.
Fresher than the last bottle but still exhibited oxidative qualities. Rich and slightly sweet, guessed another in-between grower and house sort of style from late '90s. Prefer more freshness and lift in champagnes.
Clearly a step above the other wines tonight, this was more ready than the bottle last year. Pale straw colour; fantastic intensity and powerful, precise citrus fruit that made it seem like it was from a warmer vintage like '12. Previously wasn't a big fan of Cristals because they can be too racy and taut but recent bottles have showed more overt fruit made the wines more well-balanced.
My contribution, unfortunately lost 1/4 of the bottle as it overflowed when opening. A step up from the Cœur de Cuvée even as it retained the Vilmart typicity of clean precise fruit with sweetness that was in no way overbearing. A zen-like, refined champagne with a mineral core, agree with previous notes this had an ethereal nature while having a serious presence. Only thing that I didn't like was the price..
More acidity but also cleaner fruit and more precise than the 2015, liked this marginally more. Still a little strict, both L-Bs today were devoid of any emotion.
Floral, honeysuckle nose with low acidity so I guessed Rhone white. When revealed to be an Italian the producer was an easy guess, Waxy, tropical fruit with some honey notes, not the biggest fan of whites of this profile but this was pleasant enough. The price makes zero sense though, would go for Terlan's entry-level wines which are great value over this any day.
Wow was very impressed by this - serious weight, impressive structure and density without being too heavy. On the precipice of being overripe and alcoholic that gave it a sense of sweetness despite being dry. Almost as good as the Hirtzberger Singerriedel but just missing an extra layer of depth.
My extra. My first Talbot, the Cordier funk was divisive but unsurprisingly I firmly belonged to the camp who loved it. These old Cordier wines always have so much character and are texturally so silky; this was fully resolved but in no danger of falling off a cliff. So well-balanced with pretty dark, velvety red fruit, I absolutely adore such classically styled Bordeaux. Got better and better with air.
2005 Jacquesson & Fils Champagne Grand Cru Avize Champ Cain 93 Points
France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Thought this was a Chardonnay dominant blend from an in-between grower/house and a warm vintage like '09. Opulent but with refined citrus fruit, some development but not yet at the oxidative stage. Much better than the Dizy Pinot Noir a few months ago.
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NV Charles Heidsieck Champagne Brut Réserve Mis en Cave 2001 Collection Crayeres 92 Points
France, Champagne
Brought for a friend. 37% Pinot Noir, 42% Chardonnay, 21% Meunier. Disgorged in 2006 and released in 2020, only 240 bottles released. Rich and toasty, so youthful that most guessed younger than 2010. Hedonistic with white orchard fruit, was too sweet for some. More balanced with air and as it warmed up.
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2009 Roses de Jeanne / Cédric Bouchard Champagne Blanc de Noirs Les Ursules 87 Points
France, Champagne
2009 Roses de Jeanne / Cédric Bouchard Champagne Blanc de Noirs Les Ursules
Thought premoxed at first with bruised apple notes and ponderous fruit, but got better with air. Nevertheless still lacking in fruit and bubbles, vinous with tart acidity. Tried a few old Bouchards and the recent iterations are definitely better.
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2000 De Sousa et Fils Champagne Grand Cru Cuvée des Caudalies Millésimé 90 Points
France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Fresher than the last bottle but still exhibited oxidative qualities. Rich and slightly sweet, guessed another in-between grower and house sort of style from late '90s. Prefer more freshness and lift in champagnes.
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2015 Larmandier-Bernier Champagne Grand Cru Les Chemins d'Avize 89 Points
France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Taut and lean with tart fruit that made it seem rather disjointed. Too powerful for its own good.
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2013 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut 94 Points
France, Champagne
Clearly a step above the other wines tonight, this was more ready than the bottle last year. Pale straw colour; fantastic intensity and powerful, precise citrus fruit that made it seem like it was from a warmer vintage like '12. Previously wasn't a big fan of Cristals because they can be too racy and taut but recent bottles have showed more overt fruit made the wines more well-balanced.
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1996 Pol Roger Champagne Vintage Brut Flawed
France, Champagne
Unfortunately corked.
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2012 Vilmart & Cie Champagne Premier Cru Blanc de Blancs Les Blanches Voies 94 Points
France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru
My contribution, unfortunately lost 1/4 of the bottle as it overflowed when opening. A step up from the Cœur de Cuvée even as it retained the Vilmart typicity of clean precise fruit with sweetness that was in no way overbearing. A zen-like, refined champagne with a mineral core, agree with previous notes this had an ethereal nature while having a serious presence. Only thing that I didn't like was the price..
Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
2013 Larmandier-Bernier Champagne Grand Cru Les Chemins d'Avize 90 Points
France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
More acidity but also cleaner fruit and more precise than the 2015, liked this marginally more. Still a little strict, both L-Bs today were devoid of any emotion.
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2020 Amaury Beaufort Champagne Brut Nature Le Jardinot 82 Points
France, Champagne
These can be hit and miss and this was a miss, couldn't get past the overwhelming, strange tomato and herbaceous notes.
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2018 Cantina Terlan Terlano Terlaner I Primo Grande Cuvée 91 Points
Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Alto Adige, Terlano
Floral, honeysuckle nose with low acidity so I guessed Rhone white. When revealed to be an Italian the producer was an easy guess, Waxy, tropical fruit with some honey notes, not the biggest fan of whites of this profile but this was pleasant enough. The price makes zero sense though, would go for Terlan's entry-level wines which are great value over this any day.
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2020 Weingut Knoll Riesling Smaragd Vinothekfüllung Loibner 93 Points
Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau
Wow was very impressed by this - serious weight, impressive structure and density without being too heavy. On the precipice of being overripe and alcoholic that gave it a sense of sweetness despite being dry. Almost as good as the Hirtzberger Singerriedel but just missing an extra layer of depth.
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1983 Château Talbot 94 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien
My extra. My first Talbot, the Cordier funk was divisive but unsurprisingly I firmly belonged to the camp who loved it. These old Cordier wines always have so much character and are texturally so silky; this was fully resolved but in no danger of falling off a cliff. So well-balanced with pretty dark, velvety red fruit, I absolutely adore such classically styled Bordeaux. Got better and better with air.
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