Community Tasting Notes 5

• CharlesHK Likes this wine: 90 points

  May 1, 2024 - *Disclaimer: I've always enjoyed pinot noir or pinot meunier dominant champagne far more than blanc de blancs. Always. Anything over 35% chardonnay raises eyebrows with me. So I've been on a quest to see if I can find a rich, full, luxurious blanc de blancs. Can it be found? How did Le Brun de Neuville, a maker I really admire, fair?
  
  Better than I imagined.
  
  Base vintage, 2017 75%; reserve, 25%. Purchased two days ago! I would guess about 10 to 20% is aged in old oak. Sealed and aged at Le Brun de Neuville under cork, not star cap. Cork looks older than most champagne purchased and consumed without significant bottle aging. Unique. Disgorgement date: February 2023 (cork looks about 8 years old, no mushrooming). Dosage: 4g/l. 12.5%. Served initially at 8C, but markedly better at 12C; amazing difference in nose and taste.
  
  Served in a champagne saucer glass, not a flute, and I think this is pretty important. Ditch the flutes!
  
  Colour: straw. Nose, particularly when warmer, is rich buttery pastry. Wow. Just like you find on a Galette des Rois. Mouth-watering. Enchanting to be honest.
  
  Taste: doesn't live up to the bouquet at this stage. And, to be honest, given my experience with ageing blanc to blanc which is virtually zero, I can't say if it will ever get richer. But, if it does, I will love this champagne.
  
  Its got a full buttery, rich nose that is more complex than the taste. This was really noticeable as the champagne warmed up. The taste is horizontal across the tongue, not linear down the tongue. In this, it seems rather one dimensional. But, it is light years better than any Blanc de Blanc I have yet tasted.
  
  How is this going to age and should I purchase six to find out? Hmmm. 2017 was not a great vintage and I believe 2016 is now being released. This might account for the 2017 base being on sale right now in HK. But, as blanc de blancs go, this is number 1 by at least 5km. I wouldn't hesitate to serve it to guests with a meal, not as an aperitif.

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• slywka7 wrote: 91 points

  December 31, 2023 - Aromas of ginger, toast, shortbread and mineral. Flavors of mineral, shortbread, toast and slate. Ends with a mineral driven finish of 20-25 seconds. Very solid wine for the money.

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• Everything Ahead wrote: 88 points

  December 2, 2023 - This is an interesting champagne, with so much yeasted bread aromas, a bit of oxidation (intentional style I think?) and some citrus and mineral on the finish. Also, a hint of onion/chive, strangely enough. Not exactly my preferred style of bubbly, it is dry and yet also strangely saccharine on the finish, but my wife enjoyed this a bit more than myself, so there are some subjective preferences at work here. Will let my other bottle age a few years as I have a feeling this might settle and "find itself" with some time in the cellar.

  Comment

• Aravind Asok wrote:

  September 17, 2023 - Base vintage 2017 + 25% reserve wines; oak barrel elevage, partial malo. Disg Mar 2023, 5 g/L dosage. A stunning btl. On the nose: lemon, apple, a touch of oxidative citrus. On the palate:.fantastic acidity, lemon, sour apple, lovely, mouth-filling density, and a long finish. Mousse is a bit aggressive on Day 1, but has settled well on Day 2.

  Comment

• WineGuyX Likes this wine: 91 points

  September 14, 2023 - Incredibly "bready" nose. This smells just like homemade white bread baking in the oven. Also hints of pit fruits and bruised apples. Quite full-bodied, this has only 4 grams of dosage, but definitely seems richer with lots of apricots and bruised red apple. This is loaded with flavor and is quite rich for a BdB, but I'm just not loving it. It does have a long, fruit-filled finish so perhaps a short stint in the cellar would help. 91
  
  This held up and drank VERY well through the 18th (opened the 14th). Not entirely my style, but unquestionably of high quality.

  Comment

Pro Reviews 5

Wine Definition

• Vintage N.V.
• Type White - Sparkling
• Producer Le Brun de Neuville
• Varietal Chardonnay
• Designation Le Chemin Empreinté Extra Brut
• Vineyard n/a
• Country France
• Region Champagne
• SubRegion n/a
• Appellation Champagne
• UPC Code 3449331012219

Community Holdings

• Pending Delivery 0 (0%)
• In Cellars 41 (53%)
• Consumed 36 (47%)

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