TN: A Champagne Lunch

Notes from a Champagne tasting – the first wine lunch of the year.

2024 Terravista Vineyards Albariño Proyecto Terruño Grand Island Vineyard – this BC wine was one of the first made from imported grapes – in this case from Clarksburg California (heavy frosts have killed many vines here so outsourcing is needed). From getting the grapes to bottling took an unusually short time (charmat process – no time for a lengthy secondary fermentation) – and the wine has a light colour, a very pleasant citrus nose, was smooth; clean and with good length. Bottled under crown cap with the intention of early drinking. Very good.

NV Launois Pere et Fils Champagne Grand Cru Reserve – good mousse some colour, nice nose with some smooth caramel notes, smooth creamy finish. Very nice.

NV Famille Moussé Champagne l'Or d'Eugène Solera Blanc de Noirs Brut – a very intense pink colour, excellent nose of berry fruit (strawberry?) and then a wave of citrus flavours, and long clean finish. Excellent.

NV Jean Vesselle Champagne Brut Œil de Perdrix - pale peach colour, a nose of green apple, mellow middle, long crisp finish.

2012 Pol Roger Brut - a yeasty nose with faint ginger notes, smoothe middle and persistent finish. Classic.

2016 Bride Valley 2016 Rose Bella – a ringer! And one from Dorset England. Pale peach colour, excellent mousse and baked bread and floral notes in the nose. First chance I have had to taste an English bubbly and I was impressed.

2005 Bollinger La Grande Année – some colour and an impression of some age, and slightly oxidative nose, smooth with a long finish.

2007 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut – nose of fresh bread and cream plus dark fruit, and impeccable feel and finish. Excellent

We finished up with cheese and I hit the cellar for a bottle of:

2002 Zind-Humbrecht Gewurztraminer Herrenweg de Turckheim – a middling amber/orange colour and some of the usual Gewurz spice plus some candied ginger, and then toward the end some toasted cashew and a slightly soft finish. Glad that it had held up well. Have some 2005 I should look at too.

[David M. Bueker]

Glad you had the Mousse. It’s one of our favorites.

[Jenise]

Great lunch, Bill. There were no dogs. My Bolly was probably the only one close, though the oxidative character actually nailed the surprise food match of the day with the tortilla chips (not Doritos, but actual restaurant-quality chips cooked that morning).

Happy to have two more bottles of that English bubble which, should be noted, came from the vineyard planted in 2006 by wine legend Steve Spurrier and still owned by his family. I am surprised you haven't had an English bubble yet as I've managed to run into 5 or 6. This is right up there with the previous best I've had from Camel Valley.

Loved the Mousse--that kind of laser focus on such big fruit was stunning, and of course my favorite champagne of all the Comtes that Coop brought. John's Pol was super fine too as was your Vesselle, which I'm glad to have a few bottles of too. Was surprised there were so many roses, figured mine would be the only one.

I also enjoyed all the wines in this tasting and all the accompanying appies. The WOTD was a toss-up for me between the 2007 Comtes and the 2005 La Grande Année: the former had more acid, was more layered/chiseled and more youthful, while the latter was richer and ready to go. The Bride Valley was a very tasty and intense rose. Everybody liked the first rose too, the Famille Moussé Champagne l'Or d'Eugène Solera Blanc de Noirs Brut: more bottles are coming our way!

The 2007 Comtes (blanc and rose) were overshadowed by hype around the 2006 and 2008, but every time I have I'm so pleased.
Thanks for notes, sounds like a fun event.