This week four wines from a little-known up-and-coming region in Northern France which is a developing a reputation as a good source of sparkling wines. Although this region lacks the rich heritage or caché of Vouvray or Limoux, where the greatest sparkling wines are made, undersung micro-regions such as this one do deserve some recognition. If you can find any bottles, I would normally advise that you give them a go. At the moment though I would instead advise keeping your powder dry - there is currently a move to restrict yields in order to bolster prices, prices which are apparently otherwise set to fall. This is no doubt because the region is a poor, struggling backwater of France, nothing to do with greed or having over-inflated prices in the first place. Of course not! No doubt it also reflects the large stocks of wine currently sitting unsold in the region's cellars, stocks that may mean we see some price-cutting before the end of the year.
The region is called 'Champagne' - watch out for it, it could be big! Although no substitute for a pétillant from Vouvray or a Crémant de Limoux, when you fancy something different, something with more 'image' and marketing than you can handle, or a chance to spend up (and up!), this could be your new 'go-to' wine region.
Lanson Black Label Brut NV: Purchased Autumn 2005, so four years in the cellar for this one. A very fine, lemon-straw hue, youthful with a few streams of very fine bubbles. The nose also seems very youthful at first, with a dry citrus and mineral character. But then you notice the traces of maturity, in particular a very firm hazelnut aroma, with honey-tinged notes on top of the fruit. The palate is fresh, full, stylish and broad, opening out in the midpalate to show maturing nutty flavours mirroring the elements found on the nose. Lovely, full and quite prominent mousse, especially considering how gentle the bead is in the glass. Sappy fruit, beautiful style, and a good length too. Balanced acidity, although it does contribute a lot to that sappy character. But tasted blind, you would never guess this was Lanson - that's bottle-age for you! Very good indeed. 17.5+/20 (September 2009)
Bollinger Grande Année 1990: Not quite the last of my bottles of this vintage. A moderate golden hue here, this is a wine showing some maturity in appearance for sure. Unlike my last bottle which seemed a little soft at first, this one seemed quite glorious from the very beginning. We have a firm and nutty nose here, with brazil nut and walnut, alongside notes of baked honey, mushroom and golden, polished wood. No signs of oxidation. Beautifully full and fresh on the palate, firm with a good backbone of acidity, and a finely crisp mousse. Delicious stuff, full-flavoured, with a panoply of flavours that mirror the nose, and a wonderful length. I had read that the 1990 vintage was on its way over the hill, but the vigour and composition shown by this bottle would seem to refute that assertion. Great wine. 18.5/20 (September 2009)
Pierre Gimonnet Gastronome Blanc des Blancs 2002: A very well-regarded grower based in Cuis. A fine bead and a pale colour here. The nose is beautifully fresh, starting off with lemon and almond, but then warmer notes of brioche, toffee and honey-roast nuts, but none of these elements are over-facing or lacking in elegance. The palate is fresh and floral and elegant, with fine and fresh acidity, lovely vinous texture and defined mousse. Beautiful, citrus-laced character. Crisply done, with a lovely length, this wine has a delicious presence, good blanc de blancs finesse and fine substance too. Certainly on the way up. 18+/20 (September 2009)
Charles Heidsieck Mis en Cave 2004 Brut Réserve NV: Purchased April 2008, and previously tasted at the annual Champagne tasting in London one month earlier than that. Under Régis Camus Charles Heidsieck seem to have distanced themselves from the overt declaration of the cellaring date as they did with the neck-label 'mis en cave' designation, but in fact the information has merely moved to the back label (this was cellared in 2004, meaning it is based largely on the 2003 vintage), and they have also added dates of disgorgement - this was disgorged in 2007. The hue is pale and elegant, the bead plentiful and an unusual mix of fine and fatter bubbles. The nose is fine, slightly honeyed fruits, caramelised apple and pear, with a gently nutty hint of brioche. A rather appealing, somewhat fat feel to the palate, with an incisive mousse and clean acidity propping up a rather plumper style than usual. I suspect it just needs more time in bottle. Great, evolving flavours though, all lemon brioche and praline. It has come together somewhat since March 2008, but it does still seem a little unintegrated today, nevertheless it has lots of good components and good length too. 17+/20 (September 2009)