Yet another opportunity for education at a Saturday tasting of Champagnes at K&L Wine Merchants in San Francisco. Although my experience with a sparkling wine can change radically over the consumption of a single glass (never mind a bottle), I did find the distinctions I noted among the wines interesting--it was a great opportunity to get a handle on what each grape in the blend can contribute to the overall feel of a Champagne. Terroir/locality differences still hover above my grasp, but getting a sense of the blends of grapes and vintages all at one sitting was very useful. I wish this type of information were more available to consumers of Champagne--or at least I knew where I could easily obtain such information.
The wines . . .
N.V. Elisabeth Goutorbe Champagne Cuvée Éclatante Brut (Aÿ)
- 35 percent Chardonnay, 70 percent Pinot Noir, 5 percent Pinot Meunier.
- 85 percent from the 2003 vintage, 15 percent from the 2000, 2001, 2002 vintages.
- Nine grams dosage.
- $35
Evidently the Champagne house makes this particular cuvée for K&L. I was told the dosage here is a bit lower than normal as the winemaker wanted to keep things a bit zippy, even though there is mostly juice from the 2003 vintage, which was not zippy. I found the nose to be bright, sharp and a bit sweet, excellent mousse, taste yeasty with just a touch of tartness, tart yet delicate and very firm. I liked this wine, it felt like a complete package.
N.V. Jacquesson & Fils Champagne Cuvée No. 732 Brut (Dizy)
- 39 percent Chardonnay, 25 percent Pinot Noir, 36 percent Pinot Meunier.
- 59 percent from the 2004 vintage, 25 percent from the 2003 vintage, 15 percent from the 2002 vintage and 1 percent from the 2001 vintage.
- Unfiltered.
- $42
The nose on this one was noticeably different and reminded me of anise liqueur. The taste elements were kind of faint, but very approachable. Though I found it a bit harsh and syrupy at first, it grew on me--feeling much more natural and cooler. I kind of liked this one, but wasn't sold.
N.V. Fleury Pere & Fils Champagne Fleur de l'Europe Brut (Couteron)
- 80 percent Pinot Noir, 20 percent Chardonnay.
- 60 percent from 2001 vintage, 40 percent from 2000 vintage.
- 11 percent barrel fermentation.
- $50
This Champagne was made a bit further south toward Chablis than the other Champagnes which were from villages clustered pretty close together. Brighter and fruitier nose. Soft and delicate in my mouth with a touch more sugar, narrower, more spiky, wonderful richness here. I really enjoyed the fruit flavor on this wine.
2000 Bruno Michel Champagne Blanc de Noir Cuvée Clément Brut (Pierry)
- 53 percent Pinot Meunier, 47 percent Chardonnay.
- Nine grams dosage. Organic vineyards with 37.5 hectares certified biodynamic.
- $55
If I understood correctly, the grapes for this come from two different vineyards, with the Chardonnay coming from Pierry and the Pinot Meunier preferring the warmer climes of nearby Moussy. Not much of a nose on this one, and though it was sharp and fun, I found the fruit to be too much on the heavier/richer side with a good dose of twigs and skin thrown in (though that may likely be a function of the lower dosage).
N.V. Bruno Michel Champagne Premier Cru Blanc de Blancs (Pierry)
- 100 percent Chardonnay.
- 2004 and 2005 vintage.
- 100 percent barrel fermentation. Massal selection vineyard planted in 1964.
- $45
This one had a flatter nose and was a bit more open and available--quite floral and appealing. It had a bright chipper mouthfeel with bubbles galore but too rich and buttery for me with a rich toasty finish. Lots of folks at the tasting were oohing and aahing, but this was too rich for me at this stage.
2002 Henri Mandois Champagne Blanc de Blancs 1er Cru (Pierry)
- 100 percent Chardonnay.
- 100 percent barrel fermentation.
- $55
A great savory nose on this one, quite yummy. The scrubbing bubbles mouthfeel is, however, a bit over the top. It felt like a higher octane chardonnay with lots of scrubbing action and felt like it would be a really good food wine. It appealed to me quite a bit.
2002 Philippe Gonet Champagne Blanc de Blancs Cuvee Belemnita (Grand Cru Le Mesnil Sur Oger)
- 100 percent Chardonnay.
- 2000 bottles produced.
Back to a very interesting licorice nose on this one, which I found a bit intriguing. A much gentler mouthfeel (especially compared with the last two). I loved the froth and the bare bit of minerality peeking through, but I was much less excited about the finish. This wine didn't impress me as much as others, but I was told it has the stuff to last for the long haul--which could make for an interesting future.
Edited to correct information on vintage composition of Bruno Michel Blanc de Noir.Last edited by Keith M on Mon Aug 25, 2008 6:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
