Another fine event this year. Of course it also brought home to me the considerable difference in palates people can have when it comes to Champagne.
Usual disclaimers - A small pour, a sip, spitting out the wine gives a moment’s impression which is what I
recorded. No idea how long a given bottle was open. Palates differ. I was balancing a glass, a spit cup, the notepad and a pen while trying to sip and take notes. Etc., etc.
Bereche
A fine lineup.I was disappointed by their 2014s last year but the wines here ranged from very good to
sensational. I see that the last two impressed me so much that I neglected to jot down my impressions of the first two but they were quite good.
Brut Reserve NV -
Les Beauregards 1er Cru 2015 -
Le Cran 1er Cru 2011 - Sensational! I haven’t been thrilled by many 2011s but this one takes the cake. Combines power and grace. A
Mailly Champagne Grand Cru 2013 - 100% Pinot Noir. Beautiful but very young showing incipient complexity. Needs time. A
Etienne Calsac
Thank you to all the people who recommended I try this producer! My “discovery” of the event. I loved, loved, loved these wines.
L’Echappee Belle Blanc de Blancs 1er Cru NV - lovely round, melony, melon-y, my impression was that if Marc Ollivier made Champagne this is what he would make. A
Les Rocheforts Blanc de Blancs 1er Cru NV - A bit more earthy, firmer, precise, just as good. A
Clos des Maldries Grand Cru 2014 - soft cool seabreeze on a summer’s day. A
Les Revenants (Pinot Blanc, Petit Meslier, Arbane) NV - bright and vibrant nose. Grapefruit on palate. Lovely, refreshing and delicious. A-
Savart
Another board recommendation, they were not as much to my taste.
L’Accomplie 2015 - very good, sufficiently interesting that I’d like to try it again. B+
Les Noux 2015 - okay, a bit rough. B-
Le Mont Benoit 2015 - Good. B
Le Mont des Chretiens 2015 - Good, seems a bit basic. B
La Closerie Jerome Prevost
I fell in love with Prevost years ago so why don’t I buy more of their wines? After tasting this lineup rank
stupidity seems the only possible explanation.
Les Beguines 2016 - Light nose but kaleidoscopic on the palate. Earth and rocks and dirt. Gorgeous stuff. A
Fac Simile 2016 - very good but blown away by the others. B/B+
La Closerie Extra Brut 2015 - More expansive nose, I am forced to pause a moment in awe at the beauty of this wine. A/A+
Robert Moncuit
A friend suggested trying their wines. My general impression was that while I’m not sufficiently taken to seek them out I’d happily drink them any day.
Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru “Les Grands Blancs” NV - very good solid wine. B+
Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Millesime 2013 - Nicer mouse, not much on the nose. B
Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Les Chetillons 2013 - not much on the nose but very impressive on the plate. A-
Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Les Vozemieux 2011 - again, good Champagne. B+
Chartogne-Taillet
I think I’ll stick to their rose…
Heurtebise 2016 - this was precise, long, scimitarish wine. I liked. B+/A-
Les Barres Pinot Noir (Dosage 2 g/l) 2015. Not bad but a bit heavy and boring. C+/B-
Les Barres Pinot Noir (Dosage 3 g/l) 2015. Ditto. C+/B-
Les Barres Pinot Noir (Dosage 5 g/l) 2015. Ditto. C+/B-
Mousse Fils
I expected to like these wines more than I did.
Les Vignes de mon Village NV - A blend of 2014 and 2015. Okay, a bit rough. C+/B-
L’Extra Or Late Disgorgement Reserve 2003-2014 - Captivating nose, soft and complex with a sea shell note I find very attractive. The palate was a lot less interesting. A nose, B palate
Special Club 2014 “Les Fortes Terres” - Good. B
Special Club Rose de Saignee 2014 “Les Bouts de la Ville” - not much on nose but nice palate. B+
Agrapart
Very impressive lineup!
Mineral 2013 - Beautiful penetrating nose ,lean and minerally on the palate. A nose, B+ palate.
Avizoise 2013 - lovely but less impressive than the Mineral.B/B+
Venus 2013 - Brilliant, complex Champagne. A-/A
EXP.14 - No notes? I tried to go back to retaste but the crowd was too big. A
Louis Roederer
Brut Premier NV - I always find this a reliably good value which fights above its price point. B/B+
Brut Vintage 2012 - Useful as I was debating whether to buy some. Good, but I probably won’t. B+
Brut Nature 2009 - Still doing well, I still prefer the 2006. B+/A-
Brut Nature Rose 2012 - A definite buy. Structured, complex and delicious. A
Dhondt Grellet
My one note for this lineup was “why was this producer recommended?” Nothing I found interesting.
Les Terres Fines 1er Cru Blanc de Blancs NV
Cramand Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs NV
Lieu-Dit Les Nogers Cuis 1er Cru Blanc de Blancs 2013
Lieu-Dit Le Bateau Cramant Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs 2014
Tarlant
Nice lineup.
Argilite - Good. B
La Vigne d’Or Millesime 2004 - Lovely! B+/A-
Millesime 2002 L’Etincelante - Even lovelier. A-
Cuvee Louis 2002-2003 - Gorgeous nose, rich, briochey, some ripe pit fruit. A
AMEX Lounge Wines
AMEX card required for entrance. They were pouring
NV Jacques Selosse Initiale - My first time trying this bottling. It is lovely, clear, light, delicate and complex. A-/A
2008 Roederer Cristal - still magnficent. A+
2008 Dom Perignon - I was very curious to try this as it gets a lot of love on the board. As usual with Dom I liked it but it didn’t excite me. B+
That’s it for this year. Now it’s time to start searching out some Calsac…