Some lovely friends gave my husband a year's membership at 3D Wines with a row of wonderful burgundy grapes. 3D always run specials on other cases for their members, though, and recently had some champagne on offer. Along with a case of yet-to-be-tried Maison Lenique 2007, we bought a mixed case of champagne from Fresne Ducret.
We've tried two of the three kinds of champagne in the case, and really enjoyed them. My favorite of the two was the 2004 Brut Millesime. This had loads of bubbles on pouring, and tasted like fresh apple strudel, just the right balance of crisp apples with buttery, slightly yeasted pastry. A great sipper, very refreshing.
The Reserve Premier Cru had a heavier flavor, though, still lots of apples and a bit of quince, much more richly ripe and autumnal. This champagne needed food, and was excellent with some cheddar cheese and walnuts. I would have liked more bubbles at the end of my glass, but my husband thought they were fine.
We're excited to have found a new maker that we like, and are looking forward to trying the rosé that is in the fridge.
Showing posts with label 3-D Wines. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 3-D Wines. Show all posts
Tuesday, 6 November 2012
Monday, 11 July 2011
Sunny Sunday
It's been raining here in London for so long that I've almost forgotten that it's summer. But it is, and this weekend was nice enough that on Saturday we walked to Brixton to shop at the market there and on Sunday we were actually able to cook some of what we bought and eat lunch outside. My husband made a delicious marinade for the thinly-cut beef ribs that we had picked up, and grilled them with some plantains (also from the market). While mojitos would probable have been the best thing to drink with our lunch, we didn't have the right ingredients. We opened a bottle of Maison Lenique blanc de noirs instead, the rich flavour holding up nicely to the wonderfully-spiced meat. A good match, and a good afternoon for some bubbles.
Wednesday, 29 June 2011
Last of New Lenique
We tried the last variety of the Maison Lenique mixed case that I got from 3-D Wines, their non-vintage blanc de blancs. We liked this a lot, although it definitely wasn't as good as their vintage champagnes. It had loads of green apple and lime flavour combined with a touch of yeastiness. It also had great balance and plentiful bubbles. It just wasn't as flavourful or as crisp as their vintage champagne, though, and the finish wasn't as long. It's still plenty drinkable, we did enjoy it!
Monday, 20 June 2011
Pink Lenique
On Friday, we decided to try another of the bottles in our mixed case of Maison Lenique from 3-D Wines. This one was their Brut rose, a chardonnay/pinot noir blend. I was excited to try a rose from Maison Lenique, and this one didn't disappoint. Not only did it have wonderful, plentiful bubbles, but it smelled and tasted of jam on toast. I loved that for a rose wine, it wasn't all sweet fruit, but held a lot of the bread and biscuit characteristics that many white champagnes have. It was absolutely delicious, one of the best roses I've had in a while, and a good reminder of how different rose champagne can be to other rose sparkling wines.
Friday, 17 June 2011
New Maison Lenique
I managed to acquire a mixed case of Maison Lenique through 3-D Wines - three different kinds of champagne that we hadn't tried before. We opened the first bottle from the case last night, a non-vintage blanc de noirs.
It was very different from the vintage blanc de blancs that we're used to from Maison Lenique. This champagne still had the same clean taste and wonderful balance, but it was much richer, with an almost blue cheese finish (which was good, as I LOVE blue cheese). The bubbles weren't quite as everlasting as the blanc de blancs, but still held a steady fizz at the end of the glass. Overall, it was very good, a nice change from what we know at Maison Lenique, and I'm glad I have a few more bottles of it.
It was very different from the vintage blanc de blancs that we're used to from Maison Lenique. This champagne still had the same clean taste and wonderful balance, but it was much richer, with an almost blue cheese finish (which was good, as I LOVE blue cheese). The bubbles weren't quite as everlasting as the blanc de blancs, but still held a steady fizz at the end of the glass. Overall, it was very good, a nice change from what we know at Maison Lenique, and I'm glad I have a few more bottles of it.
Sunday, 7 November 2010
Bonfire Night
Last night was bonfire night here in the UK - and since our dog is terrified of fireworks, we planned a nice evening inside with the TV on and lots of noise to distract her from what was happening outside. As part of that, I made a nice, satisfying meal of turkey meatloaf and roasted veg, including some Jerusalem artichokes that I dug out of my garden earlier in the day. The house smelled amazing, which did more to distract the dog than the TV noise!!
We debated on what to drink with it - red or bubbles - and for some reason, I was leaning toward bubbles. So we opened the Philizot et Fils numero 2 with some trepidation. It was OK, definitely less peppery than the first bottle we drank. It smelled of a combination of pencil eraser and sourdough bread - a raw, yeasty sort of smell. It still tastes very herbal, but this bottle had a sweeter finish than the first, which made it more drinkable. It's a go-with-food champagne, it's still much too harsh-tasting to sip on its own.
We debated on what to drink with it - red or bubbles - and for some reason, I was leaning toward bubbles. So we opened the Philizot et Fils numero 2 with some trepidation. It was OK, definitely less peppery than the first bottle we drank. It smelled of a combination of pencil eraser and sourdough bread - a raw, yeasty sort of smell. It still tastes very herbal, but this bottle had a sweeter finish than the first, which made it more drinkable. It's a go-with-food champagne, it's still much too harsh-tasting to sip on its own.
Monday, 4 October 2010
End of Week Rewards
As I mentioned in an earlier post, last week was an incredibly busy week and my husband was due to be out late most evenings. On Thursday, I had a lot of paperwork to do, and since he was supposed to be out in the evening, I popped a bottle of Maison Lenique 2005 in the fridge so that I could have a glass as a reward both for finishing my work and for being on my own. It was lovely, especially with the homemade halloumi, mint, and sundried tomato pastry I had to nibble with it. It was an even nicer surprise that my husband came home early enough to help me finish the bottle!!
It was the same story on Friday, so I put another bottle of the Maison Lenique in the fridge for when my work was done. Since the bottle was still half-full on Saturday, I finished off the last chunk of writing that I needed to do, and had one last celebratory glass with my husband (who was finally home and relaxing!). I'm finding it's a great way to motivate me to sit at the computer and just focus on writing what I need to - so much easier to do when there are bubbles to look forward to at the end!
It was the same story on Friday, so I put another bottle of the Maison Lenique in the fridge for when my work was done. Since the bottle was still half-full on Saturday, I finished off the last chunk of writing that I needed to do, and had one last celebratory glass with my husband (who was finally home and relaxing!). I'm finding it's a great way to motivate me to sit at the computer and just focus on writing what I need to - so much easier to do when there are bubbles to look forward to at the end!
Thursday, 23 September 2010
Another Wednesday
It seems like we're starting a new tradition of 'champagne Wednesday'!! It's been another long-ish week to get through, so we opened a bottle of Maison Lenique 2005 with our dinner of herbed lamb and rice. The rich apple flavour of the champagne was delicious with the lamb, a meat I wouldn't ordinarily think to serve champagne with...but I'll be doing it again.
Monday, 13 September 2010
Leftovers
My husband used the leftover champagne from last week's BYOBB to make a wonderful risotto for lunch yesterday, with grilled chicken, asparagus, and broccoli in it. It was delicious, especially accompanied by a bottle of Maison Lenique 2005. It's always a treat when someone else cooks for me, even more so when there are bubbles involved.
Monday, 30 August 2010
August Bank Holiday - '10
We had some friends over last night for dinner - we cooked and they very kindly brought some amazing wines (thank you!). Knowing my love of bubbles, they brought a very special bottle of champagne as our aperitif - Billecart-Salmon Cuvee Elisabeth Salmon, a 2000 vintage rose made from a 50/50 split of pinot noir and chardonnay. It was a really wonderful champagne with a pretty, peachy-blush colour, a huge aroma of fruity-ripe strawberries and a long, almost spicy finish. It had lots of teeny, tiny bubbles, too, the perfect start to the evening!
We also served a bottle of my Maison Lenique 2004 with dessert of peach and blackberry crumble with home-made vanilla gelato. While everyone found it very drinkable, the consensus remains that it's not as good as the Billecart-Salmon champagnes. It's hard to beat them...
We also served a bottle of my Maison Lenique 2004 with dessert of peach and blackberry crumble with home-made vanilla gelato. While everyone found it very drinkable, the consensus remains that it's not as good as the Billecart-Salmon champagnes. It's hard to beat them...
Wednesday, 21 July 2010
Summer Cold
I'm sick - my second cold this summer, which is just so unfair considering how horrible I feel and how nice it is outside. It's one thing to have a cold in the winter when everyone is snuffling and sneezing, but a totally different story when everyone around you is healthy and tanned (well, we really only get 'less-white' here in the UK, but still...).
When it turned 7 pm last night and no word from my husband on his eta, I had finally had enough of feeling ill and sorry for myself. So I opened the bottle of Philizot et Fils numero 3 from 3-D Wines that was chilling in the fridge. It was a nice distraction from my misery, and my husband also seemed to enjoy having a cold glass of bubbles in the garden after a long day at work. The champagne was richer and more full of apple flavours than I remember, but perhaps that's my bunged-up nose playing tricks on me...
When it turned 7 pm last night and no word from my husband on his eta, I had finally had enough of feeling ill and sorry for myself. So I opened the bottle of Philizot et Fils numero 3 from 3-D Wines that was chilling in the fridge. It was a nice distraction from my misery, and my husband also seemed to enjoy having a cold glass of bubbles in the garden after a long day at work. The champagne was richer and more full of apple flavours than I remember, but perhaps that's my bunged-up nose playing tricks on me...
Friday, 11 June 2010
Cheers To My Husband
As I sit writing this, I'm sipping on a glass of La Marca Prosecco di Conegliano Valdobbiadene. What started as a grim and rainy week has finally ended in a surprisingly warm and sunny afternoon. I've heard not a word from my husband although it's well after work hours - I'm hoping he had the good sense to go the pub with some workmates to unwind and enjoy the sunshine. Left at home on my own with a cold bottle of prosecco that some friends gave us (thank you!) and some blogging to catch up on, opening the bottle seemed like the right thing to do.
The prosecco is incredibly refreshing, as well. Fresh green apple aroma, loads of tiny little bubbles bursting to the top of my glass, and a clean, fresh, grapefruit-y flavour. It just rounds out my week, and reminds me that I should drink more prosecco.
But the actual reason why I am blogging today is to report on the champagne we drank on Wednesday, a bottle of the Maison Lenique 2004 grand cru blanc de blancs that I got as part of my 3-D Wines allocation. It was my husband's birthday, and after a relaxing afternoon out with some friends, we came home to his traditional homemade apple pie and champagne celebration. The Maison Lenique was fantastic as usual, and had more apple and butter flavours than the 2005 we recently drank. My husband was pleased to have a tried and trusted bottle of bubbles to go with his favourite dessert.
Cheers to him for giving me two reasons to have bubbles this week!
The prosecco is incredibly refreshing, as well. Fresh green apple aroma, loads of tiny little bubbles bursting to the top of my glass, and a clean, fresh, grapefruit-y flavour. It just rounds out my week, and reminds me that I should drink more prosecco.
But the actual reason why I am blogging today is to report on the champagne we drank on Wednesday, a bottle of the Maison Lenique 2004 grand cru blanc de blancs that I got as part of my 3-D Wines allocation. It was my husband's birthday, and after a relaxing afternoon out with some friends, we came home to his traditional homemade apple pie and champagne celebration. The Maison Lenique was fantastic as usual, and had more apple and butter flavours than the 2005 we recently drank. My husband was pleased to have a tried and trusted bottle of bubbles to go with his favourite dessert.
Cheers to him for giving me two reasons to have bubbles this week!
Tuesday, 1 June 2010
Maison Lenique 2005
The latest Maison Lenique offering from 3-D Wines arrived at my house late last week - the 2005 grand cru blanc de blancs. It had been brought to my attention that this champagne recently won a bronze medal at the International Wine Competition, so I was keen to quickly put a bottle in the fridge!
We opened it last night as we ate our dinner of grilled chicken, asparagus, corn, and rice. It was wonderful, lots of clean citrus flavours with no bitterness. The finish has a touch of vanilla that just makes you want to drink more. It was a fantastic accompaniment to our light meal, and a very easy drinker. This champagne is exactly what I've come to expect from Maison Lenique, lots of flavour, never-ending bubbles, and no regrets except for the empty bottle when you've finished. I'm so glad to have new stock of this maker back in the house, as I've missed it!
We opened it last night as we ate our dinner of grilled chicken, asparagus, corn, and rice. It was wonderful, lots of clean citrus flavours with no bitterness. The finish has a touch of vanilla that just makes you want to drink more. It was a fantastic accompaniment to our light meal, and a very easy drinker. This champagne is exactly what I've come to expect from Maison Lenique, lots of flavour, never-ending bubbles, and no regrets except for the empty bottle when you've finished. I'm so glad to have new stock of this maker back in the house, as I've missed it!
Tuesday, 18 May 2010
Date Night - May 10
Sunday was date night, except since it was the weekend, we made it date day. We had lunch at the pub that we tried to eat dinner at last month, and were very glad we did!
My husband was drinking beer, so I won't report on his meal. I, on the other hand, started my meal with a glass of prosecco, De Stefani gran cuvee extra dry, to go with my starter of gambas, mussels, and clams with chickpeas and chorizo. It was a great pairing, the prosecco offering lots of bubbles and sour apples to offset the tomato-y spiciness of my food. It's been a while since I've drunk prosecco, and I forget how nice they can be.
With my main course of pea, broad bean, mint and goat cheese risotto (very more-ish!) I switched over to a glass of the pub's house champagne. I have no idea what brand it was, but again, it was a very good match with the food, offering a richness that the prosecco lacked and that the cheese in the risotto needed.
I thought I was finished with the bubbles at that point, but later in the day, my husband popped open a bottle of the Philizot & Fils numero 3 that we got from 3-D Wines - my bubbly habits seem to have worn off on him!! I had a glass of that to finish off what was a very relaxing afternoon, and am looking forward to closing out the bottle later tonight with dinner.
My husband was drinking beer, so I won't report on his meal. I, on the other hand, started my meal with a glass of prosecco, De Stefani gran cuvee extra dry, to go with my starter of gambas, mussels, and clams with chickpeas and chorizo. It was a great pairing, the prosecco offering lots of bubbles and sour apples to offset the tomato-y spiciness of my food. It's been a while since I've drunk prosecco, and I forget how nice they can be.
With my main course of pea, broad bean, mint and goat cheese risotto (very more-ish!) I switched over to a glass of the pub's house champagne. I have no idea what brand it was, but again, it was a very good match with the food, offering a richness that the prosecco lacked and that the cheese in the risotto needed.
I thought I was finished with the bubbles at that point, but later in the day, my husband popped open a bottle of the Philizot & Fils numero 3 that we got from 3-D Wines - my bubbly habits seem to have worn off on him!! I had a glass of that to finish off what was a very relaxing afternoon, and am looking forward to closing out the bottle later tonight with dinner.
Tuesday, 11 May 2010
1-2-3
By Sunday, the dog was doing much better, so my husband and I decided to do a tasting of some new champagne that we got through 3-D Wines. They were offering a mixed case of champagne from Philizot & Fils which sounded interesting, as they make low dosage champagnes. We tried all three that came in the case to compare and contrast the differences.
The first, the brut numero 1, was 100% chardonnay. It was a very drinkable champagne, light and fruity with good bubbles, and a good start to the tasting, although not a very interesting or memorable champagne.
The second, the brut numero 2, was a mix of pinot noir and pinot meunier. It smelled and tasted like freshly ground pepper, which made it interesting, but was slightly off-putting. This champagne is not a sipper and should be served with food, so we decided to put it back in the fridge to try again with a meal. This champagne we will remember, although I'm still not sure I really like it...
The third, the brut numero 3, was a mix of pinot noir, pinot meunier, and chardonnay. It smelled like fresh olive oil and tasted of honeysuckle, an unusual but very nice combination. This was easily our favourite of the three champagnes!
The first, the brut numero 1, was 100% chardonnay. It was a very drinkable champagne, light and fruity with good bubbles, and a good start to the tasting, although not a very interesting or memorable champagne.
The second, the brut numero 2, was a mix of pinot noir and pinot meunier. It smelled and tasted like freshly ground pepper, which made it interesting, but was slightly off-putting. This champagne is not a sipper and should be served with food, so we decided to put it back in the fridge to try again with a meal. This champagne we will remember, although I'm still not sure I really like it...
The third, the brut numero 3, was a mix of pinot noir, pinot meunier, and chardonnay. It smelled like fresh olive oil and tasted of honeysuckle, an unusual but very nice combination. This was easily our favourite of the three champagnes!
Tuesday, 16 March 2010
Wheat-Free Pizza
It's been more than a year since I found out I have a wheat intolerance. I've coped pretty well since then, but one of the things I really miss is pizza, especially when I see a TV show from the US where they're eating a crusty, cheesy, NY-style pizza.
But my husband is so very good to me in so many ways. Not only does he indulge my love for bubbles, but last week he worked up a sourdough pizza crust made with spelt flour. On Friday, I ate my first wheat-free pizza!! Of course it deserved some bubbles, and we drank one of the last two bottles of the 2004 Maison Lenique maker's reserve that I got with my 3-D Wines membership. My husband's efforts deserved a trusted champagne, and we really enjoyed our meal!!
But my husband is so very good to me in so many ways. Not only does he indulge my love for bubbles, but last week he worked up a sourdough pizza crust made with spelt flour. On Friday, I ate my first wheat-free pizza!! Of course it deserved some bubbles, and we drank one of the last two bottles of the 2004 Maison Lenique maker's reserve that I got with my 3-D Wines membership. My husband's efforts deserved a trusted champagne, and we really enjoyed our meal!!
Monday, 15 June 2009
Maison Lenique Tasting
To continue my husband's birthday celebration and to celebrate the birthday of another friend in June, we had a small get-together on Sunday to do a tasting of all of the Maison Lenique champagnes we've purchased through 3-D Wines. Thankfully, the weather co-operated, and we had a lovely afternoon out in the garden.
We tasted the 2003 and 2004 vintages (grand cru, blanc de blanc wines) along with the 2004 maker's reserve with a course of light foods - melon with ham, strawberries, and zucchini pancakes. Almost unanimously, the 2003 was the favourite wine. It had a richness and nuttiness that was missing in the 2004 wines - one of our friends called it 'Krug-like'. The next favourite was the 2004 reserve, which had a lemon-yeasty freshness that's perfect for a summer afternoon, and then the 2004 vintage, which had a nice creaminess to it, but a slightly milder flavour than the other two wines.
We had some outstanding home-made fruit wines that one of our friends made with our main course, and then moved back to champagne for dessert. Our friends brought a bottle of 2002 Canard-Duchene Brut Millesime, which we served alongside a flourless chocolate cake. I'm supposed to say negative things about this wine, because it's not very reputable at the moment, and my friend has decided to make it his house champagne and doesn't want the price point to go up because of any good publicity. But I really can't. This was a light, fresh champagne with loads of bubbles. It was perfect with the chocolate dessert, and even better with the s'mores we made once the cake was gone (who knew that s'mores would be the perfect champagne dessert with their rich chocolatiness and burnt sugar flavours?). I'd definitely try other champagnes from this maker, especially while the price is still reasonable.
We tasted the 2003 and 2004 vintages (grand cru, blanc de blanc wines) along with the 2004 maker's reserve with a course of light foods - melon with ham, strawberries, and zucchini pancakes. Almost unanimously, the 2003 was the favourite wine. It had a richness and nuttiness that was missing in the 2004 wines - one of our friends called it 'Krug-like'. The next favourite was the 2004 reserve, which had a lemon-yeasty freshness that's perfect for a summer afternoon, and then the 2004 vintage, which had a nice creaminess to it, but a slightly milder flavour than the other two wines.
We had some outstanding home-made fruit wines that one of our friends made with our main course, and then moved back to champagne for dessert. Our friends brought a bottle of 2002 Canard-Duchene Brut Millesime, which we served alongside a flourless chocolate cake. I'm supposed to say negative things about this wine, because it's not very reputable at the moment, and my friend has decided to make it his house champagne and doesn't want the price point to go up because of any good publicity. But I really can't. This was a light, fresh champagne with loads of bubbles. It was perfect with the chocolate dessert, and even better with the s'mores we made once the cake was gone (who knew that s'mores would be the perfect champagne dessert with their rich chocolatiness and burnt sugar flavours?). I'd definitely try other champagnes from this maker, especially while the price is still reasonable.
Tuesday, 26 May 2009
The Other 2004
To close out the bank holiday weekend, my husband and I opened one of the other bottles of 2004 champagne that I received as part of my allocation of champagne from Maison Lenique through 3-D Wines. This one was a vintage 2004 - made from the very best grapes that year.
For a change, we didn't serve food with this champagne, we simply popped the cork and sipped it as we relaxed into the end of the evening. It had many of the characteristics of the 2003 from Maison Lenique that we've been drinking - green apple on the nose, and lots of clean, fruity flavour. I'm impressed with this maker, as his wines are completely in-line with the style of champagne that I really like.
For a change, we didn't serve food with this champagne, we simply popped the cork and sipped it as we relaxed into the end of the evening. It had many of the characteristics of the 2003 from Maison Lenique that we've been drinking - green apple on the nose, and lots of clean, fruity flavour. I'm impressed with this maker, as his wines are completely in-line with the style of champagne that I really like.
Monday, 25 May 2009
Happy Birthday to Me
Ok, so it isn't anywhere near my birthday. But, the birthday gift that my husband bought for me last year - an allocation of champagne from Maison Lenique through 3-D Wines - finally arrived. Hooray!! The hard part now will be making it last...
I ordered two different varieties of 2004 champagne. We tried the first one yesterday - the 2004 grand cru blanc de blancs, as we sat outside nibbling on some tapas of chorizo, olives, pickles, and chips with salsa/homemade guacamole. To-date, we've been drinking the 2003 version of this wine, and we were surprised how different the 2004 is. (We'll be doing a side-by-side tasting with some friends in June, so I'll hold off on too many details.) The 2004 has a wonderful, softly citrus nose, with a slight grapefruit scent. It's toasty and yeasty to drink, and has a long, more-ish finish.
This is a gorgeous wine, one that I'm going to enjoy serving over and over again. What a fantastic gift (thank you)!!
I ordered two different varieties of 2004 champagne. We tried the first one yesterday - the 2004 grand cru blanc de blancs, as we sat outside nibbling on some tapas of chorizo, olives, pickles, and chips with salsa/homemade guacamole. To-date, we've been drinking the 2003 version of this wine, and we were surprised how different the 2004 is. (We'll be doing a side-by-side tasting with some friends in June, so I'll hold off on too many details.) The 2004 has a wonderful, softly citrus nose, with a slight grapefruit scent. It's toasty and yeasty to drink, and has a long, more-ish finish.
This is a gorgeous wine, one that I'm going to enjoy serving over and over again. What a fantastic gift (thank you)!!
Wednesday, 17 December 2008
I Love Birthdays
Yesterday was my birthday. Since it falls at the very end of 'The Year of Bubbles', as my gift this year, my husband very appropriately rented me a row of vines at a champagne vineyard through the company 3D Wines. It's a great programme, where my vineyard, Maison Lenique, produces a vintage, grand cru blanc de blancs exclusively for its members. They've sent me all kinds of background materials on the champagne, plus I have the option to visit the vineyard to see my vines, meet the winemaker, and purchase cases of the champagne (a 2004 vintage for me, supposedly a good year!) when it's ready for consumption.
As part of my gift, my husband bought a case of the 2003 vintage so that we could try it ahead of purchasing the 2004 early next year. We had a bottle last night to celebrate my birthday - it was a huge champagne, with a vibrant green apple (but not bitter) taste at the start, that mellowed into a smooth and long-lasting finish. It's not an incredibly bubbly champagne, but stayed very nicely effervescent throughout the evening.
It stood up very well to some runny and ripe French cheese, a testament to the outstanding flavour and body of the champagne. I'm very happy to own a case of this vintage, and even more excited to try the 2004 when it's ready!
As part of my gift, my husband bought a case of the 2003 vintage so that we could try it ahead of purchasing the 2004 early next year. We had a bottle last night to celebrate my birthday - it was a huge champagne, with a vibrant green apple (but not bitter) taste at the start, that mellowed into a smooth and long-lasting finish. It's not an incredibly bubbly champagne, but stayed very nicely effervescent throughout the evening.
It stood up very well to some runny and ripe French cheese, a testament to the outstanding flavour and body of the champagne. I'm very happy to own a case of this vintage, and even more excited to try the 2004 when it's ready!
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