by David M. Bueker » Sun Dec 02, 2012 8:41 pm
Today was the annual Champagne gala at my favorite retailer, Table & Vine in Springfield, MA,
I don't take detailed notes at this event. There's too many people, too much going on, too much fun! I do a shorthand of things I tasted, things I like, things I like very much and things I would trample people to buy.
The trample list was longer than in some years. There were a number of wines I was very taken with. To make things better, virtually all of them were tasted early in the event, so it wasn't a tired palate.
The "trample" wines (in no particular order):
Pierre Peters Cuvee Reserve (June 2012 disgorgement)
Chartogne-Taillet Brut Rose (Aug 2012 disgorgement)
2002 Bollinger Grand Annee (thankfully I have already done my trampling for this)
2010 Cedric Bouchard Inflorescence Val Vilaine
Mousse Fils "Or Tradition" Brut NV ( I love Pinot Meunier!)
The "like very much" wines (again in no particular order):
2004 Perrier-Jouet Belle Epoque (this has been surprisingly good lately)
Henriot Brut NV (another very pleasant surprise form a house I had previously ignored)
2002 Andre Clouet
Pol Roger Brut NV (best version of this in a long time)
Thienot Classique NV (new producer to me-really enjoyed all of the wines)
Thienot Brut Rose
1999 Thienot Grand Cuvee
Drappier Brut Nature & Brut Nature Rose
I had a chance to taste the new Champagnes from the Barons de Rothschild partnership, and they were pretty much all hat, no cattle to me. Decent wines at VERY high prices.
2002 Dom Perignon was a waste to taste. It was completely mute and closed.
The Armand de Brignac Champagnes were one again the prize winners for most brutally overpriced wines.
Finally, I was appalled at how sweet the bottle of Roederer Brut Premier tasted. Virtually undrinkable.
Decisions are made by those who show up