BrandrB's First Visit To Champagne

Though an avid Champagne aficionado, I had never actually visited the Champagne region prior to this report. With an already planned trip to Paris on my schedule, this seemed like the perfect excuse to finally tour the region. I had the opportunity to tour some of my favorite smaller producers (Launois and Alfred Gratien), but purposely decided to visit some of the larger houses as well (Moët and Veuve Clicquot). What follows are my notes from these two days of tasting.

• NV Launois Pere et Fils Champagne Brut Œil de Perdrix 87 Points

  France, Champagne

  (4/16/2009)

  A lovely Blanc de Noir from Launois, located in the heart of Champagne’s Cote des Blancs. Rich golden color. Very yeasty nose showing some nice development. Brut, but edging towards the sweeter side. Smooth and well-rounded fruit. Very flavorful. Short light finish. Exceptional value (€15) – much like all of the other great Launois Champagnes. Tasted at the cellar.

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• NV Launois Pere et Fils Champagne Grand Cru Cuvée Reservé Blanc des Blancs Brut 89 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  (4/16/2009)

  Superb – my favorite of the Launois Champagnes! Simply an incredible value for a Grand Cru Cote des Blancs Champagne. Pale straw yellow color with a moderate apple nose. Quite dry and crisp with lots of acidity. Sour apple flavors dominate with light mineral notes and a light lemon finish. Medium-bodied and characterful. Medium-long finish. Perhaps the finest value (€15) I have come across in all of Champagne, much less Le Mesnil-sur-Oger! An exceptional boutique Blanc de Blancs. Tasted at the cellar.

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• NV Launois Pere et Fils Champagne Grand Cru Veuve Clemence Brut Blanc de Blancs 88 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  (4/16/2009)

  Excellent – yet another incredible Launois Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs. Pale yellow color. Flowery nose. Apple and violet flavors gracefully develop on the palate along with some light nuttiness. Medium-long finish. Roughly the same quality as the Cuvee Reserve, but a bit softer and far more nuanced (perhaps slightly better suited for a French palate, instead of mine). Incredibly elegant throughout. An absolutely exceptional value (€15) – just like the other Launois Champagnes. Tasted at the cellar.

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• NV Alfred Gratien Champagne Brut 90 Points

  France, Champagne

  (4/16/2009)

  42% Chardonnay, 15% Pinot Noir, 43% Pinot Meunier. 2005 bottling, disgorged in 2008. Oak aged. Full nose, one of the most complex I’ve encountered for such a young non-vintage. Light golden color with fine bubbles and a long-lived mousse. Rich palate of citrus, apricot, and toast flavors. Full-bodied and oaky, as one would expect from Alfred Gratien. Long finish. Incredible depth and richness for such a young non-vintage. I’ve heard this referred to as a poor man’s Krug, and I agree in the best senses of the comparison. Considering the amount of Pinot Meunier here, I recommend drinking this young. An excellent value if you’re looking for this style of Champange. Tasted at the cellar.

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• 2003 Moët & Chandon Champagne Grand Vintage 86 Points

  France, Champagne

  (4/16/2009)

  50% Chardonnay, 34% Pinot Noir, and 16% Pinot Meunier. Straw-yellow color. Apricot nose. Mildly astringent apple flavors on the medium-bodied palate followed by spice and licorice on the medium-length finish. Disappointing for a vintage Champagne. Definitely not worth the price ($70), unless you feel the need to reward Moët’s perfection of marketing in-lieu-of winemaking approach to Champagne. Both before tasting and after I find it very difficult to understand why Moët declared 2003 a vintage considering both the problematic growing season and the seemingly lackluster results. Tasted at the cellar.

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• 2003 Moët & Chandon Champagne Grand Vintage Rosé 88 Points

  France, Champagne

  (4/16/2009)

  Excellent. Pink-salmon color. Big sweet strawberry nose – really nice. On the palate the flavors move towards darker fruits: blackberries and currant. Dry body, the despite nose that suggests otherwise. Medium-length finish. The elegance is here, but I just really wish this wine had a bit more body and finish. Definitely food-friendly. Despite all the superlatives, though, this still underperforms for the price. Tasted at the cellar.

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• NV Veuve Clicquot Champagne Brut 84 Points

  France, Champagne

  (4/17/2009)

  Good, but rarely anything more. Light golden color with moderately sized bubbles. Simple, straightforward nose with some light yeast and apple aromas. Acidic mouthfeel, with lots of citrus notes that seem slightly out of harmony with each other. Light spice towards the medium-length finish. Towards the sweeter side of Brut. What this lacks in character, though, it makes up for in consistency, which – I suppose – is something to appreciate. Below-average QPR. Quite drinkable, but I would never actually buy this myself. Tasted at the cellar.

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• 1998 Veuve Clicquot Champagne Brut La Grande Dame 92 Points

  France, Champagne

  (4/17/2009)

  64% Pinot Noir, 36% Chardonnay. Light golden color. Lively effervescence. Creamy and flowery-perfumed nose – very beautiful. Nutty, honey, brioche flavors open the palate. Lemon and dough define this wine. Well-balanced, but less fruit than expected considering the preponderance of Pinot Noir. Medium-long finish. This is still quite a young wine, but I suspect this will be exceptional when given the time to develop. Already, though, it’s quite excellent! Tasted at the cellar.

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• NV Ruinart Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut 90 Points

  France, Champagne

  (4/17/2009)

  Excellent, as usual. Pale yellow color. Apple, mineral, and toasty notes on the nose. Apple and toasted nut palate. Long, dry finish. Excellent balance. Good value, one of the best non-vintages available at this price-point. Simply a beautiful, rich, and elegant Champagne. Consistent with my previous note. Tasted at the cellar.

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• 1998 Ruinart Champagne Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 92 Points

  France, Champagne

  (4/17/2009)

  Superb! Blend of Cote des Blancs and Montagne de Reims Chardonnay with10 years of cellar age. Deep straw-gold color. Incredibly tiny and lively bubbles. Light nose dominated by sherry notes alongside some light floral undertones. Fresh citrus flavors make this medium-full bodied, yet still provide a well-rounded mouthfeel. Lots of minerality throughout. Medium-long finish. Still quite youthful. Tasted at the cellar.

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• 1996 Ruinart Champagne Dom Ruinart Brut Rosé 93 Points

  France, Champagne

  (4/17/2009)

  Consisting of 84% Chardonnay, this is in an incredibly different blending and style from most other rosés. Pale copper color. Nice mousse. Very light strawberry nose. Not much fruit – light berries and citrus notes – but tons of minerality on the palate. Medium-full body initially, but then it drops off the palate quickly. Medium length finish. Drinking beautifully right now, but I suspect this will continue to age nicely over the short-to-mid term. Stylistically, this is unlike any rosé I’ve previously tasted. Fantastic! Tasted at the cellar.

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• 2000 Ruinart Champagne Brut Millésimé 94 Points

  France, Champagne

  (4/17/2009)

  Absolutely exquisite! An exceptional find and truly the highlight of my three days in Champagne. The blending (60% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir) and the presentation (a standard shaped Champagne bottle) are both departures from my experiences with the Ruinart brand. Beautiful light caramel nose with hints of white plum. Apple, lemon, spice, toast, and a touch of earth mark the palate. Chardonnay comes to the forefront while the Pinot Noir serves to round out the palate. Long finish with ample minerality.. This was the last wine I tasted – unintentionally, in fact – during my visit to Champagne and it turned out to be my favorite. Sadly, this is not easily available in the U.S. This is showing remarkably well with such young age, yet I’m certain there’s some incredible aging potential here. Simply an exquisite Champagne! Tasted at the cellar.

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