Decanter Champagne Masterclass 2007

Tom Stevenson guided us through a dozen vintage wines, explaining the differences between recent vintages (1990 onwards), and then answering questions.

• 1996 Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Brut Millésimé

  France, Champagne

  Yellow gold; Weak mousse, but fine and tufted. Very meaty, verging on canned tuna. Saline, with a classic aroma lurking underneath. [I learned this 'meati-/fishiness' was what is more usually termed a 'puffed-wheat aroma']. These aromas continue, albeit less unpleasantly, on the palate, but are balanced by rich fruit. I'd be interested in seeing how this stood up to sushi, but otherwise, it's not for me. [40%C/60%PN]

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• 2003 Bollinger Champagne 2003 by Bollinger

  France, Champagne

  Ivory; single stream of fine, slightly tufted bubbles. Ripe, fruity, floral, and autolytic nose. Oak apparent on comparison with following wines, vanilla developing into toffee eventually. Classic, full, rich, quite Bollinger. Good mousse. Excellent. [40%C/60%PN]

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• 2002 Pierre Gimonnet & Fils Champagne Premier Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut Fleuron

  France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru

  Blanc de blancs. Warm pale gold, tufty mousse. Pears and peach over the deeply doughy nose, though fairly reticent. Good fruit, nice ripe apples, citrus. Nice soft mousse; zingy acidity. Very good.

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• 2000 Moët & Chandon Champagne Grand Vintage

  France, Champagne

  Warm yellow-gold, with tufty, very uncontrolled bead. Salinity on the nose, but not aggressive. Granny Smiths, and something fine and light that I cannot name, but makes me think of white flowers and chalk. Almost aggressive acidity, reasonable fruit, but not outstanding. Perhaps better with additional bottle age. [50%C/34%PN/16%PM]

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• 1999 Boizel Champagne Brut Millésimé

  France, Champagne

  Pale warm gold. Multiple beads. A hint of salinity/'puffed wheat', but also fresh-cut melon and citrus. Airs out well. Soft, round taste, good fruit, a hint of mandarin. Fairly short finish. [40%C/50%PN/10%PM; disgorged end Nov 06]

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• 1998 Jean Moutardier Champagne Brut Millésimé

  France, Champagne

  Vibrant, rich antique gold. Limited, tufty bead. Sweet, oxidative. Pear tatin, a hint of raspberry. A mushroom aroma after a little while, verging on cocoa. Caramel and cream taste, but also full, round fruit. Good mousse. Very nice, but I was later informed this was madeirised - it tasted 'old', but I like that! Went flat after half an hour.

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• 1998 Perrier-Jouët Champagne Grand Brut Vintage

  France, Champagne

  Rather watery yellow-gold. Almost no visible bead. Very crisp, white-fruit nose. Complex, toasty, also floral. Fine but high acidity, a line of chalky minerality, fairly tart, citrous finish. Very good [equal quantities of C, PN and PM]

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• 1996 Comte Audoin de Dampierre Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  Silver-gold. Quite restrained bead. Fairly mute initially, then green and white fruit. Crisp but indistinct. Warm and ripe taste, mild vanilla over heaps of green apple. The beginning of a pastry complexity suggests itself. I think this needs time to show itself at its best.

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• 1998 Pol Roger Champagne Vintage Brut

  France, Champagne

  Great to revisit one of my favourite wines after 18 months. Pale ivory verging on warm gold. Tufty, quite fast, fairly copious mousse. Good richness on the nose. Apple and pear, citrus and red berries. Everything in balance on the palate. Soft cushioned, plentiful mousse. Really great. [40%C/60%PN]

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• 1996 Pommery Champagne Brut Millésimé

  France, Champagne

  Quite rich gold. Fairly copious, tufty bead. Toasty nose, with red apple notes, pear, and even cherry. Slight toffee after a few minutes. Rich taste, with rather high acidity. Lovely fruit, strawberry, lemon, apple. Somewhat oxidative finish. Really very good. [51%C/49%PN]

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• 1995 Charles Heidsieck Champagne Blanc des Millénaires

  France, Champagne

  Mid lemon colour. Very sparse, very fine bead. Good classic blanc de blancs fruit on the nose. Creamy, slightly caramelised tone opens up nicely over time. Delicious. Totally dry, crisp, with some restrained fruit (there's an oak tone there, too). Characterful, aristocratic - wonderful.

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• 1996 De Saint Gall Champagne Grand Cru Cuvée Orpale Blanc de Blancs

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  Ivory. Multiple beads, the central one tufty, the others fine. I find it hard to pick out details on the nose, but it is certainly good. Fairly meaty, which I'm coming to understand as a hallmark of the 96 vintage. Vanilla develops after a while. Rich fruit, high acidity, good autolytic flavour, with a long, rich finish. Mousse rather too coarse, but otherwise great - and, as Tom Stevenson seems at pains to point out, great value in the UK at the moment.

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My first proper wine tasting, and a delight to be able to listen to my favourite wine writer speak on a subject so close to both our hearts. Well worth it.