I’ve been a fan of
Jean Laurent Champagnes for about a year now (better late than never); he is a grower as well as winemaker, so he’s responsible for the whole enchilada… er, wine. I tasted the following two at a trade event a while back, and got just enough of a snapshot to get the sense that I’d like to get to know them better, so I took the opportunity to do just that during the World Series.
Jean Laurent Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut NV, $41.99, 12% alc.: Medium straw in color, with a fab mousse and fine, active bead; gives up toasty, yeasty, flinty aromatics, following through in the palate with plenty more of the same, all buoyed by a solid core of rich, if under-ripe apples, all shaded with a chalky minerality. Medium full body, with excellent acidity and length, this is down to the bone dry, and downright dee-lish, getting better and better with air. This one is lots of fun, especially while watching the Tigers only victory in the World Series. If Kenny Rogers had taken his regular turn in the pitching rotation, the following wine might have been enjoyed with a similar outcome in Game 5.
Jean Laurent Champagne Blanc de Noirs Brut NV, $39.99, 12% alc.: Medium straw in color, with a big mousse hairdo and another fine, active bead; this one really blows my coif back with yeasty green apple flavors and aromas accented with a streak of spicy lime and some bread dough lurking in the background. Young, primary and seriously intense, with zippy acidity and very good length, and as much as I really like this now, I’d love to try it in another three to five years to see what the bottle age will do for it.
Jean Laurent Champagne imported by Hand Picked Selections, Warrenton, VA
-From Bubbles in October
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