Browse Tag

champagne

Yves & H2O

Laurent-Perrier Champagne “Cuvée Rosé Brut” (Champagne) – Srawberry, raspberry, red apple. Floral. Very light. (2/07)

Patrick & Lalou

Duval-Leroy 1997 Champagne “Blanc de Chardonnay” (Champagne) – Ripe lemon curd, skins, and incredible intensity. Clean, with bubbles taken down to powdery fineness. (2/07)

Lenoble rot

Lenoble 1998 Champagne “Grand Cru” Blanc de Blancs (Champagne) – Lemon and massive appleness. Bright and sharp, though perhaps a bit obvious. (2/07)

David & Brown

Duval-Leroy Champagne “Rosé de Saignée” (Champagne) – Raspberry and heirloom apples (in other words, tarter and more flavorful than most), light-styled, clean, and crisp. Biting and complex. (2/07)

Acute, Vertus

[vineyard]Larmandier-Bernier Champagne “1er Cru” Blanc de Blancs “Vertus” (Champagne) – Delicate and floral, with strobe-like metals and powdered lemon-apple crystals. Incisive but not sharp, long, feminine (with gentle but inexorable strength), and just beautiful throughout. (1/08)

Feuillatte to empty

Feuillatte Champagne “1er Cru” Brut (Champagne) – From magnum. Spiky acidity like fresh-squeezed supermarket lemons comes rushing like a tidal wave, leaving very little opportunity for further examination in its headlong rush of tart destruction. Which is just as well, since there’s not all that much to this wine. There’s a hint of some complexing yeastiness, but mostly this is just tart, bubbly, and disappointingly simple. (12/07)

H. Billiot & Fils 1998 Champagne Brut “Millésime” “Grand Cru” à Ambonnay (Champagne) – Valencia orange and Thai basil. The fruit’s on the sweeter side, and the wine is both big and slightly obvious (in this, it probably suffers from being served after a Larmandier-Bernier). But the finish is long and crisp, and I suspect this is a good deal better than I’m giving it credit for. (10/07)

[disgorgement]Larmandier-Bernier Champagne “1er Cru” Vertus Blanc de Blancs (Champagne) – Stunning elegance, with the finest particulate matter forming some sort of indescribable sculpture of beauty. The finish is long and supremely refined. Fabulous Champagne. (10/07)

Chiquet magnet

[vineyard]Gaston Chiquet Champagne “1er Cru” à Dizy “Tradition” Brut (Champagne) – Gritty lees with a softening, almost warming brioche character and a smooth, supple mousse. Polished and elegant, with length and subtlety. (10/07)

Delos, I love you, won’t you tell me your name?

[bottle]Pierre Moncuit Champagne à Le Mesnil sur Oger “Grand Cru” Brut Blanc de Blancs “Cuvée Pierre Moncuit-Delos” (Champagne) – Brilliant bubbly with fine poise, creamy texture, and complexity to spare. Brioche and hazelnut are in the mix, as well as preserved lemon, old wood shavings, and a delicate aroma of faded yellow flowers. Just beautiful. (8/07)