Important Update From the Founder
Read message >
La Fete: Gala Dinner
Chelsea Piers: Pier 60
Tasted November 13, 2021 by MC2 Wines with 176 views
Introduction
First time at La Fete but familiar with the concept of the BYO where lots of people share (and I'm not sure I'll ever understand the people who come to dinners like this and don't bother bringing bottles). The producers were very generous as well.
Flight 1 (26 notes)
White - Sparkling
2008 Drappier Champagne Grande Sendrée
Fresh and bright and very tasty. Excited we've got some bottles and this and looking forward to opening this many years in the future.
White - Sparkling
1998 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut
Really impressed with this wine and glad that it showed so well. Perfect bottle for La Fete (3L). Funny because we had this wine a few days before in a pile of Krugs and it didn't stand out there, but in this context it was really lovely. Nutty and bright and delicious and one of the better champagnes we had. Also reminds me that age really does help.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
White - Sparkling
2010 Bérêche et Fils Champagne Premier Cru Le Cran Ludes
Lovely. As it warms up the flavors come out a bit more. There's a nice bready note to it. Reminds me of sourdough.
White - Sparkling
1999 Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Cuvée Rare
In the early bottle barrage which meant I only got a few quick sips before I needed the glass again. From a mag. Good, but still kindof young. Tart.
White - Sparkling
2009 Vilmart & Cie Champagne Premier Cru Blanc de Blancs Les Blanches Voies
Drank this a bit on the cold side which makes it more sharp and slightly tight. Opened with time though. It is the Vilmart style which is a bit more acid with a slightly sour underpinning.
White - Sparkling
2005 Pierre Péters Champagne Grand Cru Cuvée Speciale Blanc de Blancs Les Chetillons
Really excellent and for sure still young. It's just starting to soften up although still a very young wine. This is that very elegant chard style.
White - Sparkling
N.V. Chartogne-Taillet Champagne Hors Serie
A treat to get to try one of these again. It's a lovely wine and very expressive of Alex's style. All spices and herbal and flavors you don't really associate with champagne (as Alex would say less linear) but it works super well. Really delicious.
White - Sparkling
N.V. Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée Edition 166eme
From a magnum. It's good grand cuvee although coming across quite young.
White - Sparkling
1985 André Beaufort Champagne Brut Millésimé
One of the wines that stood out to me perhaps because it is such good age. Lovely. Tastes a bit younger than I would have expected. The flavor is more honey than the caramel I expect from older wines. Very lively and fresh. Finishes more of a cut straw flavor. Drinks well.
White - Sparkling
N.V. Pierre Péters Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Heritage (1921-2010)
Special to get to try one of these wines. It just melts in your mouth but in the best possible way. Crazy to think the wines go back to 1921 - this is really lovely and young and tasty. Would be very interested to see what it does with time but I might contradict myself here - it does drink very well young.
White - Sparkling
2006 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut
Good flavor. Reminds me a bit of beeswax. Tasty but of course too young. Always like the way this one ages though.
4 people found this helpful
Comment
White - Sparkling
1989 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut
Still drinking incredibly well. It's got good age, good vibrancy. Just a delicious wine.
White - Sparkling
N.V. Charles Heidsieck Champagne Brut Réserve Privée Mis en Cave
From a 3L. There's a bit of oxidation but overall I think drinks a lot better than I'd think for an '87. Really nice and good amount of age.
White - Sparkling
1993 Philipponnat Champagne Brut Clos des Goisses
Another wine that really jumps out at you. From a magnum. There were three and I think we got to try two different ones. This was super young and fresh and bright which I don't think of for '93s. It reminds me a bit of rock candy. Really lovely.
White - Sparkling
N.V. Armand de Brignac Champagne Ace of Spades Blanc de Blancs Silver
I don't get this wine at all. Just a bit more sharp edges and less refined than the others.
White - Sparkling
1996 Henriot Champagne Cuvée des Enchanteleurs Brut
This was really good and surprised me a bit since I haven't had much experience with this producer. Drinking really well. Pretty with age but still has the bubbles.
White - Sparkling
2006 Drappier Champagne Brut Millésimé Exception
Very cold, high acid, touch of sweet. Drinking well now but I'd still give it more time.
Rosé - Sparkling
2006 Dom Pérignon Champagne Rosé
Very sweet, lots of berries, very young, give it more time.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Rosé - Sparkling
1990 Veuve Clicquot Champagne Brut Rosé La Grande Dame
Kindof fabulous. I really love LGD Rose and this is one the best bottles I've had of it. Darker red fruit, some dosage, drinking really well. It's a nice wine.
White - Sparkling
N.V. Bérêche et Fils Champagne Reflet d'Antan
Mag, again a bit more of the sweet style. Drinks nicely but really meant for more aging.
White - Sparkling
1990 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut
Surprisingly young but drinking pretty well. I always love older Cristal. The higher dosage does a good job of aging. Drinks well.
White - Sparkling
2005 Jacques Selosse Millésimé
My second time with this wine. The first time was a dinner where I could still wine in a glass and let it sit for the whole evening. There's some of that herbal and spice style, but at this point in the evening I'm surprisingly getting more sugar (which was a flavor I got more generally towards the end of the night so might also just have been the state of my palate at that point).
White - Sparkling
2005 Jacquesson & Fils Champagne Dizy Corne Bautray Extra-Brut
Totally fine wine although there were so many really great wines that it just didn't quite stand out.
Rosé - Sparkling
2004 Ruinart Champagne Dom Ruinart Brut Rosé
Starting to show a bit of age or could also be because it was served around a lot of the grower style. Lots of red berries. Getting a bit of the sweet here again.
White - Sparkling
2014 Champagne Christophe Baron Champagne Les Hautes Blanches Vignes Charly-sur-Marne
All Pinot Meunier. Very good and fresh and young. Drinking well. Going to keep aging our bottles.
White - Sparkling
1973 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut
Really lucky to get to try this wine which was probably one of the most special of the evening. It's really lovely and balanced and while at this point in the night I seemed to get a lot of extra sweetness in all of the wines that was more muted here.
Closing
Lots of great wines and hard to really call out specific ones. The '73 Cristal, '85 Beaufort, '93 Clos de Goisses, Pierre Peters Heritage.... Impressive line-up. Glad our bottles showed well as well. Looking forward to next year (esp our planned trip to Champagne)!