Notes from a small group tasting (done outside with good separation).
Jérôme Prévost Champagne La Closerie Extra Brut Les Beguines (NV) – some colour to this one, and the pettilance was on the low side. The nose was a pronounced mushroom and forest floor to begin with but opened up with time. Fair bit of acidity but well balanced and with some complexity.
The rest of the afternoon was spent with a mini-vertical of Pegau. We observed the wines over approximately two hours in the glass.
2000 – very dark wine with a dark cherry nose with an earthy slightly funky note. Bright acidity and good length. As it opened up it took on some leather and spice notes in the nose and anise hints.
2001 – lighter edges, a nose of fresh thyme, cleaner than the 2000 and with pure fruit. This changed the most in the glass, starting out as the third favourite and ending as the favourite. It added some red fruit (strawberry?) and some meat and Asian spice, and by the time we finished the tasting it was delightful. None of these wines were bretty. The tannins were firm but didn’t get in the way of enjoying the wine now.
2005 – dark with a brambly blackberry aromas, soft tannins in the mouth and some nice spice. It drank better than any of us had anticipated and had good length with a spicy note in the finish. With time the meat and spice turned up but a little muted compared to the others and the tannins were softer – an earlier drinking vintage, perhaps?
