Champagne Evangelist

Artisan Champagne Tasting at The French Brasserie

By vicpug, on December 2nd, 2011

A great evening had by all – 65 Champagne aficionados. Wines on tasting were

1. J.L.Vergnon Cuvee Conversation Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru.
Crisp and complex, really complex savoury aromas – chalk and citrus but with hints of forest, palate is expansive and complex – a really superb entry level Champagne that drinks way way above its humble pedigree.

2. Launois Cuvee Quartz Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru.
Crisp and tight – leaner and greener style than the Vergnon – but with lively lifted fruits on the palate. Reliable and as good as always.

3. Lilbert Cuvee Reserve Grand Cru Blanc de Blanc.
All minerals, chalk, dried fruits – really complex but needs a few months in the cellar to blossom.

4. Jacques Lassaigne Les Vignes de Montgueux Blanc de Blancs.
Spice and smoke on the nose – oak aromas in abundance but this wine gets very little oak treatment. Palate has the classic chalk and quince of the area – huge length. Superb.

5. Voirin-Jumel Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs.
Pure and elegant – not a big wine – all in balance with lovely white fruits and citrus.

6. Francis Boulard Les Murgiers Blanc de Noirs.
Smoke and red fruits here – lovely spice – great balance and lovely mousse.

7. Francis Boulard Millesime 2005.
More finessefull version of the Les Murgiers – complexity and spice – great food wine.

8. Francis Boulard Rose Saignee.
An elegant saignee rose – nice citrus tang, lovely crushed strawberry aromas. Perfect with food or aperitif.

9. Eric Rodez Crayeres Grand Cru.
Great richness and savoury spice – minerals and lovely salty overtones. Superb.

10. Laherte Brut Tradition.
White stone fruits in abundance with lovely acidity and balance. A great wine for such a humble cuvee.

11. Laherte 2007 Les Vignes d’Autrefois.
Pure Meunier – wow – this is huge – over the top on all fronts and can be cellared – will become something very special in two years.

12. Henriet-Bazin Blanc de Noirs Grand Cru.
Ruch red fruits. All round fun wine which everyone likes!

13. Jacky Charpentier Prestige.
Really elegant – poise and finesse – great length and just a hint of spicey oak. Very popular.

14. Jean Vesselle Saignee Rose.
A sparkling ref burgundy almost – great food wine – with quail or guinea fowl.

15. Marc Hebrart Cuvee Selection.
Lovely weight and sophistication – the elegance of Mareuil-sur-Ay shines strongly in this one!

Incremental Change gets the job done.

By vicpug, on June 5th, 2011

During my annual visit to Champagne during April/May, I noticed that there is a ‘trend’ amongst our group of vignerons. Many have undertaken - or are planning to undertake - cuverie expansion. Claude Cazals, Jean Vesselle, Launois, Tarlant, Henriet-Bazin and many others have already made expansions – and others – like Veuve Fourny , Jacky Charpentier and Hebrart are doing them as we speak.

Champagne ‘making’ is a convoluted and interative process. Many vignerons are selling less grapes to the big houses and bottling more themselves – so they need space. More vignerons are doing some form of oak maturation/fermentation – so again they need more space. We also see a trend towards ‘small parcel vinification’ in smaller tanks – again more space.

The trend towards ‘Brut Nature’ cuvees often requires an older stock of reserve wines and also longer maturation in the bottle. Reserve wines may be stored in larger foudre – more space.

Pressing the grapes in a timely fashion is all important in Champagne, so having a ‘new press’ or two can go along way to getting all the grapes picked and pressed in their optimum condition.

The ‘flow on effect’ is compounded at each stage of the Champagne making process. So all up, you need space for tanks, barriques, foudres, presses, sur latte bottles ( maybe 30,000), and sur point bottles (maybe 30,000), disgorging equipment, labelling and packing equipment.

The vignerons acknowledge that these are ‘necessary’ to maintain and improve the quality of their trade – and are making the appropriate financial investments.

Emmanuel Lassaigne disgorging a la volee

By vicpug, on May 30th, 2011

Here we have Emmanuel Lassaigne in Montgueux disgorging Champagne a la volee.

Tyson Stelzer Champagne Guide 2011

By vicpug, on December 18th, 2010

Tyson’s new Champagne Guide 2011 is out at http://www.champagneguide.com.au/. Its an interesting read but has some anomalies that need to be repaired in the next 2012 guide before I can give this a full vote of approval. The info on Champagne making is all well tried and tested. His ratings out of 10 however are unclear and dubious. There is no definition of how he obtains these ratings.

Clearly by the level of detail for some Champagne producers (Billecart, Gimonnet etc.), he has been wined and dined and given the royal treatment by them when he visited Champagne earlier this year. These producers received very high marks. He has tasted an extra-ordinary number of Champagnes from these producers – no doubt helping to elevate the ratings. The guide is supposed to be about Champagnes commercially available in Australia. Are they all available ? Probably not. Is it an accurate guide of whats available in Australia. Many growers are missing. The BIG houses are all there and to Tysons credit – some did well and many others did poorly. Pommery, Piper-Heidsieck did poorly amongst other big names. On a score out of 10 – I prefer to pass judgement until I see what Tyson can do in the 2012 version of the guide. For the time being it is still a very informative guide as to what is on the shelves at the moment in Australia.

Rising Sun tasting – Nov 29th.

By vicpug, on December 1st, 2010

Venue was upstairs in the Rising Sun Hotel South Melbourne.

Champagnes were in good form.

1. Francis Boulard Les Murgiers.
Lovely spicy oak and real purity – Francis’ best version of this to date.

2. Launois Cuvee Reserve.
What can you say about a rich and creamy Blanc de Blancs – popular with everyone always.

3. Veuve Fourny 1er Cru Blanc de Blancs
Very complex style, this appears longer and richer than previous versions, testament to the hard work of Emmanuel and Charles Fourny. Superb.

4. Henriet-Bazin Blanc de Noirs.
Wow, real length and purity – many tasters put this as the WOTN.

5. Jean Vesselle Saignee Rose.
Real vinous character which surprised some tasters who were adverse to all sparkling pinks – but not any more. Length and a hint of tannin.

6. Jacky Charpentier Prestige Rose.
Superb presentation here – smoke and spice – drinks superbly for a pink made by addition of red wine.

7. Eric Rodez Cuvee Crayeres.
Vinous and powerfull from the king of Ambonnay -serious food wine – great weight and red fruits.

8. Voirin-Jumel Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru
Elegance and purity – lifted citrus and limes – mineral and steel, perfect summer wine.

9. Tarlant Brut Zero
Complexity and finesse – surprised most people – how can a ZERO have so much flavour!

10. Marc Hebrart Cuvee Reserve
Red fruits and strawberries – more like a blanc de blancs – so pure and intense.

11. Le Brun Servenay Cuvee Selection Blanc de Blancs
Chalk and spice – steely and subtle – lovely richness and great spice.

12. Laherte Brut Tradition.
Superb citrus and lavender aromas – oak is subtle and is well integrated. Stunning quality here.

Welcome to my Blog.

By vicpug, on November 21st, 2010

Hello and welcome to my Champagne portal. Lots of information about where to stay, where to eat and where to taste in the Champagne region is coming soon. Naturally lots of info on growers Champagnes in Australia.