Annual CIVC tasting in Sydney. Standouts were;
Bollinger La Grande Annee 1999
Billecart-Salmon Nicholas Francois-Billecart 1998
Boizel Joyau de France 1991
Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millenaires 1995
Henriot Cuvee Enchanteleurs 1995
Mumm de Cramant NV
Jacquesson Avize Grand Cru Rose 1996
Ruinart Blanc de Blancs NV
Perrier Jouet Belle Epoque Blanc 1998
and then a couple of levels above those was the Salon 1996.
Ayala
Ayala Brut Majeur NV
Tight nose, some peaches. Palate has some richness to it. Simple but provides some pleasure.
86/100
Ayala Brut Nature Rose NV
Rose petals and strawberries on the nose. Palate lacks flow and balance.
82/100
Ayala Zero Dosage NV
Nose of lemon and peaches. Palate is fresh, crisp and clean but without depth.
86/100
Bollinger
Bollinger Special Cuvee NV
Lemon pastry aromas. The palate is clean with medium body and richness.
87/100
Bollinger La Grande Annee 1999
Floral notes and apple on the nose. Palate shows excellent depth and length. Open and ready for drinking now. Very impressive.
91/100
Bollinger La Grande Annee Rose 1999
A lovely, delicate nose - smells like a field of roses. Palate is clean, with good acid and length. One of the top Rose Champagnes tasted on the day.
89/100
Billecart-Salmon
Billecart-Salmon Brut NV
Apple, brioche and toast/oak aromas. Rich mouthfeel. Pretty good.
87/100
Billecart-Salmon Nicholas Francois-Billecart 1998
An appealing layered nose of citrus, floral notes and toast. Good structure and balance between acid and fruit on the palate. Lots to like about this.
90/100
Billecart-Salmon Brut Rose NV
Lemon and florals. Clean palate with some persistence. A little bit on the boring side of things though.
86/100
Champagne Boizel
Boizel Joyau de France 1991
Lots happening on the nose - toast, citrus, honey and more. Palate has good length and richness. Good complexity as well. At its peak and very interesting.
90/100
Boizel Brut Blanc de Blancs NV
Strong bready aromas with a touch of yeast/cheese. Palate is much more restrained and elegant. A little bit short but otherwise nice.
86/100
Bruno Paillard
Bruno Paillard Premiere Cuvee NV
Some kiwi fruit on the otherwise closed nose. Sweet and simple on the palate.
84/100
Bruno Paillard Brut Assemblage 1996
Funky, boot polish and violets. No structure to the palate. Very poor, hopefully an off bottle.
76/100
Bruno Paillard Rose Premiere Cuvee NV
Yeasty nose with some lemon and earth. Palate is disjointed with some sourness. Didn't enjoy.
81/100
Charles Heidsieck
Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve NV
Bread and apples. Rich mouthfeel with good flavour persistence. Nice.
87/100
Charles Heidsieck Vintage Rose 1999
Strawberries and cherry. The palate doesn't show cohesion or anything of interest.
84/100
Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millenaires 1995
Very complex nose. Rounded, rich mouthfeel but the acid brings it into line. Great length and a very classy wine.
91/100
Piper Heidsieck
Piper Heidsieck Cuvee Brut NV
Fresh and clean on the nose. Medium length palate, but lacks depth/interest.
85/100
Piper Heidsieck Brut Vintage 2000
Citrus driven nose. Decent balance, but again lacking in depth on the palate.
86/100
Piper Heidsieck Rose Sauvage NV
Lovely pink colour. Interesting cherry and earth aromas on the nose. Palate is a let down, it is way too sweet for my taste.
83/100
Dampierre
Dampierre Audion de Dampierre Cuvee de Ambassadeurs NV
Lemon and biscuit aromas. Palate has a lot of pleasant fruit sweetness. Nice without standing out in any way.
86/100
Dampierre Audion de Dampierre Grand Vintage 1998
A bold, forward, complex nose. Palate is powerful but it still retains balance. Worth another look.
89/100
Delamotte
Delamotte Brut NV
Clean, fresh, fruit driven. Refreshing palate.
86/100
Delamotte Blanc de Blancs 1999
Cookie dough nose. Good focus on the palate.
87/100
Delamotte Blanc de Blancs NV
Refined nose with some vanilla and slate. Palate is quite enjoyable, with good length, balance and flavour.
88/100
Salon
Salon 1996
Immediately obvious on the nose and palate that this is a couple of steps up. Layered, beguiling aromas of flowers, slate, citrus, spice and toast. The palate is without doubt, superb. The depth and complexity of flavour is almost overwhelming to the senses but the focus is equal to the task with some incredible structural acidity. Impeccable length. An exciting, magnificent wine now and I am certain it is destined to obtain legendary status in years to come.
97/100
Devaux
Devaux Grand Reserve NV
Perfumed, appealing nose. Elegant body, medium length.
87/100
Devaux Cuvee D Millesime 1996
Bread, honey and apples on the nose. Good fruit richness and good length.
89/100
Devaux Cuvee D NV
Toast and citrus. Good depth of flavour but with the freshness to keep the wine enjoyable. Length was very good.
89/100
Drappier
Drappier Cuvee Brut NV
Very lovely nose, lemon and apple pie. The palate is a big let down afterward, very light and apply. Lacking structure.
86/100
Drappier Millesime Exception 2000
Apples, yeast and bread. Bold palate, richly flavoured. Not very complex though.
87/100
Lallier
Lallier Grande Reserve Grand Cru NV
Earth and red berries. Brightly flavoured palate. Medium length. Very nice.
88/100
Duval-Leroy
Duval-Leroy Premier Cru NV
Citrus peel nose. Both sweet and sour elements fighting on the palate, rather off-putting.
82/100
Duval-Leroy Vintage 1996
Apple and bananas on the nose. The palate is soft and lacking depth/acid. Not up to standard considering the vintage.
85/100
Duval-Leroy Paris NV
Pine nuts, spice and earth with some cherry as well. Good balance to the palate. Enjoyable.
87/100
Franck Bonville
Franck Bonville Brut Selection NV
Shy nose with some lemon and pastry. Very dry palate, but length is good.
87/100
Franck Bonville Brut Millesime 2002
Floral and lots of toast. Good length, very dry. Toast is a bit too over the top for my taste though.
85/100
Franck Bonville Brut Prestige NV
Quiet nose, a little bit nutty. Palate is medium length and has only a touch of sweetness.
86/100
Bruno Michel
Bruno Michel Cuvee de Terre NV
Oyster shells and toast. Rounded mouthfeel. Good flavour profile.
86/100
Laherte Freres
Laherte Freres 2000
Big nose - citrus, toast and yeast. Flavour is good on the palate, but it doesn't do enough to stand out.
86/100
Jacques Lassaigne
Jacques Lassaigne Cuvee Le Cotet NV
100% 2002 fruit. Clean nose, very floral and appealing. Palate is also fresh and clean. Good length, medium depth. Very good.
89/100
Tarlant
Tarlant Brut Zero NV
Lemon meringue nose. Puckeringly dry palate, almost a bit like lemon juice.
85/100
Tarlant Brut Tradition NV
Honey, nuts and lemon. Palate is balanced but a bit short and uninteresting.
85/100
Tarlant Brut Prestige 1997
Nose is a bit strange with some briary aromas as well as vanilla and grilled nuts. Good full length and balance to the palate. Interesting.
87/100
Tarlant Cuvee Louis Tatlant Brut NV
Dusty and earthy nose with some citrus peel. Full flavoured palate, rich fruit but finishes with crisp acid.
87/100
Gardet
Gardet Brut Special NV
Floral with pineapple and other tropical fruits. Palate is medium weighted and had good balance but not much depth.
86/100
Gardet Cuvee 1999
More floral notes here with some red berries and slate. Crisp palate, great acid across the length.
88/100
Gardet Cuvee Saint Flavy NV
Sea spray, floral and citrus aromas. Good focused palate, medium length and enjoyable.
88/100
Gatinois
Gatinois Grand Cru Ay NV
Bread, apply and toasty. Palate is dry and clean but not exciting.
86/100
Gatinois Grand Cru Ay Millesime 1999
Toast, mushroom and earth. Medium body, nice balance.
87/100
Gosset
Gosset Grande Reserve NV
Apple, honey and flowers. Acid stands out on the palate.
85/100
Gosset Grande Millesime 1999
Peaches, pears and toast. Good intensity on the palate, long length, maybe lacking a little bit of focus to be great though.
89/100
Gosset Brut Excellence NV
Soft floral nose. Palate is boring and mediocre.
84/100
Henriot
Henriot Brut Souverain NV
Toast, lemon, brioche and honey. Lacking depth and persistence on the palate.
85/100
Henriot Cuvee Enchanteleurs 1995
Bread, honey and apples. Palate has impressive acidity and flavour that lingers in the mouth.
90/100
Henriot Blanc de Blancs Souverain NV
Strong apples on the nose. A bit too acidic and lean in flavour.
84/100
Jacquesson
Jacquesson Cuvee #731 NV
From 2003 vintage fruit. I really enjoyed the nose on this, lots of spice and honey. The palate is rich, round and full. I don't think it will age, but I really enjoyed it now.
89/100
Jacquesson Avize Grand Cru Rose 1996
Strawberry, cherry and lightly floral. Bold spice and flavour to the long palate. Impressive, especially as I'm not normally a fan of Rose Champagne.
90/100
Louis Roederer
Louis Roederer Brut Premier NV
Cherry, strawberry and roses. Pleasing mouthfeel without great depth, but there is some complexity and texture there. Good.
88/100
Louis Roederer Brut Vintage 2000
Cookie dough and citrus peel on the nose. Lots of spice to the palate. Fine length.
88/100
Louis Roederer Blanc de Blancs 2000
Dirty nose, wet earth and barnyard. Richly fruited palate, much cleaner, but can't make up for the nose.
80/100
Moet et Chandon
Moet et Chandon Brut Imperial NV
Light citrus and banana nose. Palate is very light and inoffensive with a slightly refreshing quality to it.
84/100
Moet et Chandon Grand Vintage 2000
Lemon and a bit of a soapy aroma. The palate is slightly toasty but there is so little to it, the flavour is gone almost as soon as you've sensed it.
82/100
Moet et Chandon Nectar Imperial NV
Toast and citrus aromas. Fruit driven flavour profile. There is a lingering sweetness on the finish. Provides some enjoyment if you don't think about it too much.
85/100
Ruinart
Ruinart R de Ruinart NV
Nose is very closed, a little bit of citrus. Medium bodied with some good flavour intensity. Medium length.
87/100
Ruinart Blanc de Blancs NV
Vanilla, brioche, cream and peaches. Palate is restrained and elegant. Well balanced. I enjoyed this a fair bit more than the last time I tried it earlier this year.
90/100
Ruinart Rose NV
Strawberries and raspberries with a hint of floral character. A little bit of spice but mostly fresh fruit character on the palate. Tried from two different bottles with the same impression. Not bad, but didn't stand out.
86/100
Veuve Clicquot
Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label NV
Clean tropical fruit aromas. Sweet palate, lacks any interest for me.
83/100
Veuve Clicquot Rose 2002
The nose is shy and soft. Palate is pretty lackluster as well. Nothing really to comment on.
83/100
Veuve Clicquot Vintage Rich 1999
Apple and honey aromas. A rich presence in the mouth, but very very one dimensional.
84/100
Mumm
Mumm Cordon Rouge NV
Floral and citrusy. Clean and refreshing palate. Balance is fine.
85/100
Mumm Millesime 1998
Mute nose, very hard to get any aromas even with quite a bit of swirling. Soft palate with a hole in the middle. Not very good,
82/100
Mumm de Cramant NV
Expressive floral nose with citrus and even some plum aromas as well. The intensity, structure and balance on the palate lifts this a level. Creamy mouthfeel and texture. Excellent.
91/100
Perrier Jouet
Perrier Jouet Grand Brut NV
Flowers and berries. Medium intensity. Good without being very exciting or memorable.
86/100
Perrier Jouet Belle Epoque Blanc 1998
Very classy on the nose, full of florals, toast and citrus. Palate is long, clean and with very good structure.
91/100
Nicolas Feuillatte
Nicolas Feuillatte Particuliere Brut NV
Marmalade and orange peel. Softly bodied and easy to drink, but not very exciting.
85/100
Nicolas Feuillatte Blanc de Blancs 1999
Peachy nose. Palate has too much lemony acid for my liking.
83/100
Nicolas Feuillatte Cuvee Palmes D'or Vintage 1997
Appealing nose - toast, slate, orange and nutty aromas. Very good fruit intensity on the palate with a strong acid core maintaining focus. Lingering sweetness. Very good, but needs a bit more depth to be a 90+ wine.
89/100
Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Rose NV
Musk sticks dominate the nose. There is a bit of sweetness to the palate but it does not seem to be out of place. Very simple though.
85/100
Pannier
Pannier Brut NV
Apples and peaches. Clean palate, finishes crisp with good length.
86/100
Pannier Brut Vintage 2000
Bready and biscuity nose. Nicely weighted fruit on the palate, but needs more depth/dimension.
86/100
Pannier Blanc de Blancs 1998
Peaches and cream. Palate is fresh but there is a touch of acid out of place on the finish.
85/100
Philipponnat
Philipponnat Brut Royal Reserve NV
Sea spray and oyster shells. Palate is clean but a bit short and quite boring.
85/100
Philipponnat Reserve Millesime 1999
Apples and pears. Crisp palate, but again lacking length and depth.
85/100
Philipponnat Brut Reserve Rose NV
Strawberry and earth. Bit of sweetness to the palate. Disappointing intensity and depth. Didn't really like this.
83/100
Pol Roger
Pol Roger Brut NV
Bursting nose of apples and citrus. Palate is vibrant and balanced.
87/100
Pol Roger Brut Vintage 1998
Citrus and some smoke. Good flavour persistence and medium depth. Open and enjoyable now.
89/100
Pol Roger Brut Blanc de Blancs Vintage 1998
Spice and bread on the nose. Palate is simple and shows some bitterness on the finish which lets it down.
85/100
Taittinger
Taittinger Brut Reserve NV
Bready, citrusy aromas. Clean flavours but with little depth.
85/100
Taittinger Millesime 2000
Bread, toast and citrus fruit. Medium bodied with decent length.
86/100
Taittinger Prelude Grand Crus NV
Bready yeast, citrus, minerally with some floral notes. Good body, mouthfeel and length. Well balanced. Could improve with a couple of years in bottle.
88/100
Tsarine
Tsarine Premier Cru NV
Peach and some sweaty characters on the nose. Palate is cleaner but not much of interest.
82/100
Tsarine Vintage 1999
Grapefruit and guava aromas. Lick of sweetness to the palate. Seems a bit flat and lacking character.
84/100
Tsarine Rose 1999
Strawberry and a bit of earthy funk. Palate lacks length and depth. Nothing to interest me into trying it again.
82/100
Congratuations on being able to taste all of these, and a big thank you for taking the time to share these notes.
There is no question of that! And Champagne is one of the few wines I'll defend to my death. I'm just surprised that some of what I know to be some of the most beautiful and complex wines in Champagne fared so poorly. Did they taste shocked? The notes you give sound as if the wines might have been a little shut-down. But really, thanks for your impressions.
), then I didn't do too badly! I'll fix it up thanks.