Notes from a blind tasting of Champagnes.
The group decided that bubbly was a suitable subject for the (finally not too hot) summer weather we are having, and we decided to do it as a potluck lunch. Surprisingly, everyone opted to bring seafood. We had oysters on the half shell, I did a duo of seafood – a tuna tartare (that I had to hunt all over to get some karashi mustard for) on a ruffled potato chip, and a smoked salmon ns crème fraiche concoction in Belgian endive leaves), then as conventional well varied sushi platter and some fish and beef rolls (the latter with chanterelles).
2014 Quinta da Murta Bucelas Brut Nature – I started the event with a ringer, that we had all tasted before, as sort of a reference point for where we were going from there. This little Portuguese bubbly is a great value, showed a bit of colour, a nice fresh lemony nose and a clean acidic finish. What was missing was the yeast level in the nose that was a tip off that this wasn’t a Champagne.
2008 Pierre Paillard Champagne Grand Cru La Grande Récolte – more colour, a high toned yeasty nose with pear and apple elements, and a full nutty clean presence on palate, ending with fairly high acidity. 55/45 chard/PN
2006 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut – similar colour and with a bit less yeastiness in the nose but more bread dough. Lots of acidity here and a long crisp finish.
2006 André Clouet Dream Vintage – I guess it says something about you if you call your wine ‘Dream Vintage’....and his website describes the wines in oh so cool rock music terms. But aside from the rather fulsome self aggrandizing prose, the wine was quite good. Even more colour than the Taittinger, a tropical fruit plus grapefruit nose, with some red apple at the end. Good length, full in the mouth and still with an upside for development, I think. As for the advertising language, for a laugh see http://www.andreclouet.com/champagne/ but don’t look while sipping Champagne – you might snort it out of your nose!
2000 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut – needed time to open up, but then showed some interesting spice in the nose (cinnamon nutmeg, brioche). Very nice in the mouth, with a long creamy finish.
1995 Drappier Champagne "2000" – my bottle, cellared by me since 2001. Perhaps I share the ‘English’ taste (champagnes old and girls young) but I enjoyed this. It had a hint of orange in the colour, that was lacking in the Krug, a nose of bread dough and citrus, and the mousse was as expected upon opening but died quickly, Long finish.
As we then had a great cheese assortment I was moved to open a suitable wine:
1988 Château Rieussec – this half bottle was really singing. Dark colour – deep amber, and an excellent nose of dried apricot and almonds, opening up to some orange peel and, a bit oddly, an almost minty or pine resin element. Good body and excellent length. No rush.
And to my co-tasters, to quote Douglas Adams, so long and thanks for all the fish!
Images at https://www.wineberserkers.com/forum/vi ... 1&t=181789