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Champagne Offline - Revenge of the Fizz
Snows - London
Tasted November 14, 2005 by Russell Faulkner with 1,237 views
Introduction
After the great champagne offline earlier in the year, time to reconvene, with a little more structure this time, the first part a horizontal of the quite forward 1998 vintage, the second a free for all.
Flight 1 - 1998 Blanc de Blanc (6 notes)
All tried in pairs, broadly speaking - two Vertus / Cramant - two Cramant - two Mesnil
White - Sparkling
1998 Larmandier-Bernier Champagne Special Club
92 points
Very light colour, faintest pink hue, lean style, very slatey and crisp, low dosage, very tight, almost like a riesling in a crisp steely style. Not sure where this will go from here.
White - Sparkling
1998 Louis Roederer Champagne Blanc de Blancs
85 points
Light nose, overpowering sulphur notes, behind it a faint floral element, reflected on the palate, with some white pepper, ripe midpalate. Eventually the sulphur took over.
White - Sparkling
1998 Bonnaire Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Millésimé
93 points
Rich floral / honeysuckle and passionfruit which sent me to Cramant (I guessed D-V Fleur), nice leaness in midpalate to counter the ripe attack, very well balanced
White - Sparkling
1998 Diebolt-Vallois Champagne Grand Cru Fleur de Passion Brut
91 points
Some sulphur, not overpowering. Noticable (tame) oak, spreads on palate to show a desnse grapey-cherry note. I think the oak will absorb soon, I was surprised on the reveal that this was Fleur, which I remember as being better, perhaps in an odd teenage phase.
White - Sparkling
1998 Launois Pere et Fils Champagne Grand Cru Brut Millésimé
92 points
Very strong mousse, explodes softly on the tongue. Full creamy style, so smooth. Bright red fruit, superb balance, a nice chalky backdrop. Very forward, this was ready to go. Great value. Not sure about this for long term prospects but the next 2-3 years will be great (if we have any left by then)
White - Sparkling
1998 Pierre Péters Champagne Grand Cru Cuvée Speciale Blanc de Blancs Les Chetillons
Funny nose at first, at first just sulphur but actually more complexity sitting behind, but tightly wound. I found this a bit difficult, with an almost tannic acidity. I guzzled this too quickly, want to try again soon.
Flight 2 - 1998 - The Rest (6 notes)
Again in pairs in the order shown
White - Sparkling
1999 Ridgeview Bloomsbury
85 points
Quite dark, very odd nose, cheesy, brett? nice balance. Didn't peg this as the ringer but didn't like it that much. Lowish acid
White - Sparkling
1998 Perrier-Jouët Champagne Grand Brut Vintage
88 points
Lighter colour, quite strong pinot nose, but quite floral, nice balance, good but slightly uninteresting.
White - Sparkling
1998 Vilmart & Cie Champagne Premier Cru Grand Cellier d'Or
93 points
No noticable oak, very floral, clear fat chardonnay style. Interesting discussion of M de Riems style chardonnay, no leaness a fat but elegant style, balance was superb, drinking very well.
White - Sparkling
1998 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon
92 points
Very high CO2, pinot dominated nose, quite fresh, this didn't impress that much, nice finish though, preferred the Vilmart.
White - Sparkling
1998 Taittinger Champagne Brut Millésimé
Dry stinky sulphur nose. Slightly rubbery palate, very poor. Not Rated.
White - Sparkling
N.V. Egly-Ouriet Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs Les Crayères
90 points
Bright almost copper colour, very rich almost honied (but dry). A beast, acidity sits in background but this is about power not elegance, but still balanced. At first I didn't like this much, but I came round to it.
Flight 3 - Free for all (10 notes)
All tried individually
White - Sparkling
1990 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut
97 points
Mid gold colour, very rich concentrated nose, a hint of oak that may come from the richer style. I was worried about the high dosage on this, but it is fully integrated, so sign of sweetness. On palate smooth honied roast pear and apple, amazing length and balance. Damn, I really didn't want to like this!
White - Sparkling
N.V. Cattier Champagne Premier Cru Brut Clos du Moulin
Saline nose, odd style, not sure what to make of this. Not Rated
White - Sparkling
N.V. Tarlant Champagne Cuvée Louis
92 points
The 95/94 blend. Smooth soapy oak, more oak than on any wien so far, but fully integrated with honied fruit and a nice acidic bite.
White - Sparkling
N.V. Jacques Selosse Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut
92 points
Disgorged this year. Oak prominent but will likely absorb, very strong depth of flavour, rich and concentrated. Honied from strength of fruit rather than dosage.
White - Sparkling
1988 Bollinger Champagne La Grande Année
90 points
Not sure if this was an original relaease, it was in gold packaging, maybe a late disgorgement for the wine society. Very mature copper colour, classic oxidative nose of old Bolly, this might have been a little prematurely aged, much more so than recent 1990's.
Rosé - Sparkling
1990 Jacquesson & Fils Champagne Signature Rosé
95 points
Rusty salmon, very complex balance of light strawberry and a richer, caramel flavour, very long, superb balance.
White - Sparkling
1990 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon
High sulphur, very disapointing, not as good as other bottles this year. Also lacked sparkle and light elegent fruit on palate, too one dimensional. Not Rated
White - Sparkling
1995 Henri Giraud Champagne Grand Cru Aÿ Fût De Chêne Brut
94 points
A baby Krug, actually a fully grown Krug. Very rich nose, concentrated layers of ripe red fruits and a core of pear and apple. Great richness and deep plummy fruit on palate, acidity a little low that would help it equal out, but this is quite a baby still, lots of puppy fat.
White - Sparkling
1989 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut
95 points
Classic gunpowder nose, so easy to spot blind (easy to say when tried not blind!). Not as forward as I would have exected from the 1989, maybe a later disgorgement, a little more acidity and I would have said this was the 1988.
White - Sparkling
N.V. André Clouet Champagne 1911 (95/96/97)
No real note for this, struggling by this point. I remember liking it but not being blown away.
Closing
Some great wines, overall a disapoining showing from the big houses, which varied from almost undrinkable (Taittinger) to disapointing (Dom P). WOTN had to be the Cristal, then a broader split between the Jacquesson and Krug, with the Henri Giraud just behind.