CLAUDE CARRE BRUT BLANC DE BLANCS 1ER CRU $36.98
[#325317]
The small Champagne estate of Claude Carre
specializes in producing only Blanc de Blancs
exclusively from the Premier Cru village of
Trepail. The soil of Trepail is a chalky marl
(with high limestone content) and the hamlet is
a highly regarded “island of Chardonnay” located
in Champagne’s “sea of Pinot Noir”-- the
Montagne de Reims. All of Claude’s Chardonnay
vines are fully mature and are blessed with a
mid-slope elevation and a perfect southeasterly
exposure. His cuverie is a masterpiece of design
and cleanliness. The structure is built across
many levels of cellars so the entire Champagne
process can be totally gravity-driven.
Malolactic fermentation is not blocked and no
oak is utilized which all works to make his
Blanc de Blancs very seductive and pure. This
mono cru bottling is a blend of three vintages
with the lion’s share (70%) being from the
excellent 2002 harvest. In the flute steady
streams of bubbles release scents of assorted
citrus fruits backed by a pleasing cinnamon roll
dough aroma. Lip-smacking Pippin apple and lemon
custard flavors dominate the palate while the
penetrating finish reveals savory accents of
toast and chalk. This modestly priced Blanc de
Blancs really delivers major flavor intensity
and sophistication, qualities that most Big Name
Houses don’t come close to creating except in
their expensive tete de cuvees.
Features from Last Month
HENRI ABELE 1996 BRUT MILLESIME RESERVE $54.98
[#352177]
While the popularity of French Champagne in U.S.
has never been greater, Americans still ten to
stick to the tried and true NV Bruts sadly
overlooking the vintage segment where the most
interesting and memorable Champagnes are to be
found. With respect to vintages, 1996 is now
regarded as the best Champagne year since 1985.
It’s a not-to-be missed vintage that is even
more important to the Champagne lover than 2000
is to a Bordeaux collector. As Importer, Terry
Theise, says; “Great ‘96’s are incomparable. The
essential flavors of Champagne have never been,
could never be, more clearly rendered. They are
ripe but galvanically urgent and sizzling.” If
one ignores a few super expensive tete de cuvee
bottlings, the better 1996 Champagnes have
completely disappeared from store shelves. That
is with the notable exception of this surprise
parcel of ’96 Henri Abele that we were lucky
enough to snag. Roughly equal parts Pinot Noir,
Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay, this 1996 has
spent 8 years aging on the yeast and another
four years aging on the cork. Because of the
great acid structure of the vintage, this twelve
year-old has just reached the threshold of
maturity. This Wine Spectator review from late
2006 describes this beauty quite succinctly:
“Dry and savory, featuring biscuit, grapefruit,
tobacco and dried peach notes. Vivid, with a
grainy texture and a long, supple finish. As
much about texture as flavor. Drink now through
2020. 94 Points.” With the recent flurry of
steep Champagne price increases, this 1996 Henri
Abele has become an even better buy today than
it was when it was first released two years ago.
PLOYEZ-JACQUEMART 1996 BRUT “LIESSE D’HARBONVILLE” $125.99 [#325254] While quite fresh and showing the formidable
structure of the vintage, this luxury Champagne
really delivers the power and the majesty that
one expects in a true luxury Champagne.
Ployez-Jacquemart is still very much an
insider’s Champagne; however, last year the
house was shoved into the European spotlight
when the prestigious La Revue du Vin de
France gave the firm the highest ranking of
any boutique Champagne producer. The “Liesse d’
Harbonville” cuvee is the family’s shining jewel
and is a rigorously selected blend of 70%
Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier
grapes. Primary fermentation took place in
225-liter casks and the wine was allowed to work
in barrel for six months without malolactic
fermentation prior to bottling sans filtration.
It was then aged on yeast for a decade prior to
release. This patient labor of love has wrought
wondrous, golden Champagne with delicate aromas
of apple sauce, lemon blossoms, biscuits, and
oak while lemon comfit, ginger, mineral and
discreet oak undertones grace the palate. This
classic doesn’t really need time but three to
five years of aging will undoubtedly yield
further dividends.
DE VENOGE 1996 BRUT “CORDON BLEU” MILLESIME
$55.98 [#352225] This medium-sized firm had been off our radar
screen for quite a while so we were shocked and
delighted by this 1996’s incredible poise,
purity, and drinkabliity. With just 10%
Chardonnay this De Venoge is a black grape
Champagne that is dominated by Pinot Noir from
top crus including Ay and Verzenay. A year ago
The Wine Spectator’s Bruce Sandersen,
raved: “Very fruity. Displays both the exotic
aromas and the vivid structure of 1996. Lychee,
pineapple and papaya aromas mingle with lemon
and mineral flavors. Well-balanced, with the
exotic fruit notes returning on the finish.
Still needs time. Drink now through 2020. 1,250
cases made. 93 Points”
VARNIER-FANNIER BRUT ZERO BLANC DE BLANCS GRAND
CRU $42.98 [#305222] Making great Champagnes is always something of a
high-wire act, but when there is no employment
of sugar in the dosage, the cellar master is
really performing without a net. The key to
success here is to use flawless fruit with ample
ripeness and ensure that malolactic fermentation
is completed. In this high stakes game Avize
proprietor/winemaker Denis Varnier has triumphed
in producing a utterly natural Chardonnay
Champagne whose lacey pear, lemon drop and
limestone flavors are seamlessly woven together.
This then is a real tour de force and a
“must buy” for those who prize terroir,
precision and finesse.
PAUL DETHUME 2000 BRUT MILLESIME GRAND CRU
$51.98 [#325258] We are big fans of Henri Billiot and Egly-Ouriet
but these fine estates are in for stiff
competition from their (new to us) neighbor Paul
Dethune. Among the Ambonnay producers, winemaker
Paul Dethune is probably the village's biggest
proponent of oak for fermentation and elevage
prior to bottling. That said, we must stress
that the oak in this 2000 definitely takes a
back seat to the wonderful exposition of Pinot
Noir fruit. This majestic black grape beauty
announces itself with evocative smells of
raspberries, plums and just-baked baguettes.
This is a round, full-framed Champagne that
emits waves of mouth-watering red berry and
citrus fruits that are beautifully complimented
with creamy autolysis and subtle oak
inflections. A great call for your Christmas
goose.
CHARTOGNE-TAILLET 2000 BRUT “CUVČE FIACRE”
$59.98 [#352179] We have long regarded “Fiacre” as a classy
“thinking man’s” tete de cuvee. This 2000
could be the best edition ever. It is a classic
blend of 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir
utilizing only the most desirable juice from the
“center cut” (i.e. coeur de cuvee) of the
pressing. This beauty opens with a fabulous
array of scents that are suggestive of sweet
almond pastry and Bosc pears embellished by
floral notes of jasmine and honeysuckle. In the
mouth one encounters luminous, well-toned quince
and red berry fruit essences that gradually
become subsumed by lively citrus, spice and
stone elements in the resounding finish.
CAMILLE SAVES BRUT “CARTE BLANCHE” $44.98
[#379136] The Montagne de Reims village of Bouzy is famed
for producing some of Champagne’s grandest, most
vinous Pinot Noir based bottlings. Saves along
with Jean Vesselle are arguably the stars of the
village. Allen Meadows, “The Burghound”,
recently inked this praise for their “white
label”: “Quite fruity with an airy, even layered
quality to the nose with solid depth and plenty
of punch and energy to the firm but not
aggressive finish that delivers ample length.
This is one of those pleasant examples that
could be easily approached now because of the
complexity the high [75%] percentage of Pinot
contributes, yet I would hold this for at least
3 years.” A couple of weeks back we tasted this
along side Bollinger’s excellent Brut “Special
Cuvee” and found their flavors to be remarkably
similar except that the Saves had better
structure and a bit more flavor intricacy.
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Hi-Time Wine Cellars | 250 Ogle Street | Costa Mesa, CA 92627
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