I was back in the US last week, and being a good native-New Yorker, ordered some more of the Chateau Frank sparkling wine to try. It's supposed to be one of the better US sparkling wines, but my first experience with this maker underwhelmed me. So I ordered two more bottles - one being the highly rated blanc de noirs. Unfortunately, this also wasn't great, and definitely didn't live up to the hype or the tasting notes. It had no balance, hitting the tongue with a bit of green apple that turned sweet in the mid-palate and then very acidic, leaving no finish whatsoever. It had none of the yeasty, nutty flavours that it claims to have, maybe just a tinge of biscuity sweetness in the middle. And the warmer it got, the sweeter it got. The bubbles also started big and heavy, but fizzled quickly into nothingness. Sigh. I have one more bottle from this maker to try, I really, really want to like it.
To perk up our tastebuds following the let-down of the Chateau Frank, we opened a bottle of Marie-Courtin Resonance Extra Brut that I got from The Sampler. This is a low dosage, predominantly pinot noir champagne, and it couldn't have been more different from the Chateau Frank. The orchard fruit flavour - pears and apples fresh from the tree - was pure and rich, not a touch of sweetness in it. The bubbles were fine but persistent. The finish lasted forever. What a lovely wine, and a great example of what champagne is meant to be!
Sunday, 5 February 2012
Friday, 27 January 2012
More Bubbles Please
We drank what would have been a fantastic champagne if only it had more bubbles...
Herbert Beaufort Cuvee la Favorite Brut 2002, a pinot noir/chardonnay blend from The Sampler, had the most wonderful flavour - loads of toffee apple with a rich, lingering, toasty finish. The bubbles were good on pouring, but gone after a few sips. My husband didn't mind this as he thought the taste made up for the lack of bubbles. I'm all about the bubbles, though, so this was a bit of a deal-breaker for me. While I want to rave about this champagne, I just can't.
Herbert Beaufort Cuvee la Favorite Brut 2002, a pinot noir/chardonnay blend from The Sampler, had the most wonderful flavour - loads of toffee apple with a rich, lingering, toasty finish. The bubbles were good on pouring, but gone after a few sips. My husband didn't mind this as he thought the taste made up for the lack of bubbles. I'm all about the bubbles, though, so this was a bit of a deal-breaker for me. While I want to rave about this champagne, I just can't.
Sunday, 22 January 2012
Nice, But Not Memorable
We had another of the champagnes from The Sampler the other day...this one was RH Coutier grand cru brut. This is a pinot noir/chardonnay blend, and while I remember that it was very drinkable and had perfectly fine bubbles, I don't remember much more about the champagne than that. It's a little sad, really, as we drink so many different champagnes that something so absolutely nice just fades into the background because there's nothing distinct about it. But perhaps sometimes that's what you want, something with bubbles that won't overshadow the food or the occasion. This will be one to try again, to see if it leaves more of an impression the next time.
Sunday, 15 January 2012
Two More From the Sampler
We had two more champagnes from The Sampler:
The first was nice - Pierre Peters Extra Brut Grand Cru, a low dosage blanc de blancs. This had lovely flavours, citrus and nuts, with a slightly oxidised apple finish. The bubbles were OK, but I would have liked more of them through the glass. For what this is, I think it was a little expensive at almost £40 for the bottle.
The second was another disappointment from the people who make Inflorescence, this was Roses de Jeanne Blanc de Blancs. The flavours in this champagne were really interesting, with a spearmint start, followed by some fir tree, with a spicy ginger end. But it was a little bit of hard work with all of that going on! Plus the bubbles didn't hold through the glass, a bit of spray to start, but then mostly flat as we sipped. For a £60+ bottle, this just didn't 'wow' us. I'm glad we started out trying the Inflorescence, which I really like, as the more I try from this maker, the less I like. Had I tried some of these later bottles first, I might not have bothered with the Inflorescence, which I still really like.
The first was nice - Pierre Peters Extra Brut Grand Cru, a low dosage blanc de blancs. This had lovely flavours, citrus and nuts, with a slightly oxidised apple finish. The bubbles were OK, but I would have liked more of them through the glass. For what this is, I think it was a little expensive at almost £40 for the bottle.
The second was another disappointment from the people who make Inflorescence, this was Roses de Jeanne Blanc de Blancs. The flavours in this champagne were really interesting, with a spearmint start, followed by some fir tree, with a spicy ginger end. But it was a little bit of hard work with all of that going on! Plus the bubbles didn't hold through the glass, a bit of spray to start, but then mostly flat as we sipped. For a £60+ bottle, this just didn't 'wow' us. I'm glad we started out trying the Inflorescence, which I really like, as the more I try from this maker, the less I like. Had I tried some of these later bottles first, I might not have bothered with the Inflorescence, which I still really like.
Sunday, 8 January 2012
A Sampling from The Sampler
Just before Christmas, I ordered some champagne from The Sampler, and we've been drinking some of it in the last couple of weeks. A report on the four bottles we've tried:
We liked best Paul Dethune Grand Cru Brut, a 70/30 mix of pinot noir and chardonnay. This was everything I want in a champagne - it smelled of green apples and yeast, tasted like brioche, had a slightly tart and lingering finish, and had masses of tiny, never-ending bubbles. I bought this for around £30 for the bottle, and I think it was really good value. I would love to try other champagnes from this maker.
Next we liked RH Coutier Brut Rose. This was an incredibly dry rose for all of the lush berry scents it emitted, and we liked it for not being sweet. It had a touch of black pepper at the back of the mouth, but unfortunately no finish. While we enjoyed it, I preferred the English Pebblebed rose for having a similar balance but much better finish. Being slightly more expensive than the Paul Dethune, it didn't feel great value for money, so while we liked it, I don't think it will be a repeat purchase.
We had mixed feelings about Charlemagne Brut Nature, a non-dosage blend of 70/30 chardonnay and pinot noir - which I liked and my husband found disappointing. I liked it for being a straightforward, citrusy, bubbly aperitif, the kind of champagne you would serve in great quantities to guests on a nice day in the garden. I think my husband was expecting something more, some sort of complexity from it being a zero-dosage champagne. But I liked it for what it was, and also was impressed with the amount of bubbles it had. If you're looking for something challenging, this isn't it. If you're looking for something very drinkable, hold out your glass and say 'more please'.
Finally, the biggest surprise was the champagne we liked the least - La Parcelle blanc de noirs from Inflorescence. We couldn't believe how sweet this was, especially for a non-dosage champagne. Not to my liking at all, which surprised me considering how much I like the regular vintage version of their champagne. And at double the price of the Paul Dethune, definitely not a value-for-money drink.
We liked best Paul Dethune Grand Cru Brut, a 70/30 mix of pinot noir and chardonnay. This was everything I want in a champagne - it smelled of green apples and yeast, tasted like brioche, had a slightly tart and lingering finish, and had masses of tiny, never-ending bubbles. I bought this for around £30 for the bottle, and I think it was really good value. I would love to try other champagnes from this maker.
Next we liked RH Coutier Brut Rose. This was an incredibly dry rose for all of the lush berry scents it emitted, and we liked it for not being sweet. It had a touch of black pepper at the back of the mouth, but unfortunately no finish. While we enjoyed it, I preferred the English Pebblebed rose for having a similar balance but much better finish. Being slightly more expensive than the Paul Dethune, it didn't feel great value for money, so while we liked it, I don't think it will be a repeat purchase.
We had mixed feelings about Charlemagne Brut Nature, a non-dosage blend of 70/30 chardonnay and pinot noir - which I liked and my husband found disappointing. I liked it for being a straightforward, citrusy, bubbly aperitif, the kind of champagne you would serve in great quantities to guests on a nice day in the garden. I think my husband was expecting something more, some sort of complexity from it being a zero-dosage champagne. But I liked it for what it was, and also was impressed with the amount of bubbles it had. If you're looking for something challenging, this isn't it. If you're looking for something very drinkable, hold out your glass and say 'more please'.
Finally, the biggest surprise was the champagne we liked the least - La Parcelle blanc de noirs from Inflorescence. We couldn't believe how sweet this was, especially for a non-dosage champagne. Not to my liking at all, which surprised me considering how much I like the regular vintage version of their champagne. And at double the price of the Paul Dethune, definitely not a value-for-money drink.
Monday, 26 December 2011
The Run-Up to Christmas
December always presents excellent opportunities for drinking bubbles. We had a number of interesting bottles to try, particularly a few that I acquired in my travels this year. I'll start with those:
From my home state of New York in the USA, I purchased a bottle of Chateau Frank 2004 Brut. To be honest, this was not my preferred purchase from this vineyard, as the blanc de noir is supposed to be the best that this maker offers. But I couldn't find this in my local shop, just the brut, which is a blend of the traditional champagne grapes of chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot meunier. It was only OK, definitely not a classic champagne as it was overwhelmed with apple cider flavour and too much sweetness on the finish, very typical of an American sparkling wine. I'll keep trying this maker, though, both for the still wines they produce and for the elusive blanc de noir, which I'll have to order on-line.
Next were two from Canada - a mixed group. We really liked Gray Monk's Odyssey White Brut 2008, a riesling and chardonnay blend that had a wonderful citrus freshness to it and plenty of tiny bubbles (which was a surprise from all of the flatter Canadian sparkling wines that I'd tried in the past). It was incredibly refreshing, the sort of wine you just want to keep on drinking because it's somehow both so flavourful and so clean on your palate. Less successful was Blue Mountain Brut, a mix of pinot noir, chardonnay, and pinot gris grapes. This was just not very memorable, a bit of apple and citrus flavour with a touch of candied apple on the end, and nowhere near enough bubbles. Really not worth writing more about.
Some friends sent us a bottle of proper champagne for the holidays from Bedales - one we hadn't tried before called Jean Milan Blanc de Blancs. This family was originally a grower who first started making champagne for Krug and who now produce their own wines. This was a lovely bottle, with all of the things that make a blanc de blancs delicious - a light yeastiness on the nose, a crisp finish, loads of fruit flavours in the middle, and masses of delicate bubbles. What a fantastic gift - thank you!
I've saved my very favourite for last, though, as my husband bought me an English sparkler from The Wine Pantry. This was Coates & Seely Rose, which on the bottle says is made from pinot noir, pinot meunier, and chardonnay grapes (while their website doesn't include the chardonnay). At first, we weren't sure about this wine, as the bottle is done up in knock-off French, claiming to be from 'Britagne' and being made in 'methode britannique'. We weren't sure if they were taking the mickey or trying too hard to confuse the less au fait among us into thinking that they were actually champagne. But we forgive the exterior of the bottle for what was inside - smelling of the freshest summer berries, tasting of pink grapefruit, and leaving a lingering mouthful of tart candied peel. The bubbles matched the explosion of flavour, leaving me in no doubt that I will buy and drink this wine again!
Looking forward to trying some more in the run-up to New Year's...
From my home state of New York in the USA, I purchased a bottle of Chateau Frank 2004 Brut. To be honest, this was not my preferred purchase from this vineyard, as the blanc de noir is supposed to be the best that this maker offers. But I couldn't find this in my local shop, just the brut, which is a blend of the traditional champagne grapes of chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot meunier. It was only OK, definitely not a classic champagne as it was overwhelmed with apple cider flavour and too much sweetness on the finish, very typical of an American sparkling wine. I'll keep trying this maker, though, both for the still wines they produce and for the elusive blanc de noir, which I'll have to order on-line.
Next were two from Canada - a mixed group. We really liked Gray Monk's Odyssey White Brut 2008, a riesling and chardonnay blend that had a wonderful citrus freshness to it and plenty of tiny bubbles (which was a surprise from all of the flatter Canadian sparkling wines that I'd tried in the past). It was incredibly refreshing, the sort of wine you just want to keep on drinking because it's somehow both so flavourful and so clean on your palate. Less successful was Blue Mountain Brut, a mix of pinot noir, chardonnay, and pinot gris grapes. This was just not very memorable, a bit of apple and citrus flavour with a touch of candied apple on the end, and nowhere near enough bubbles. Really not worth writing more about.
Some friends sent us a bottle of proper champagne for the holidays from Bedales - one we hadn't tried before called Jean Milan Blanc de Blancs. This family was originally a grower who first started making champagne for Krug and who now produce their own wines. This was a lovely bottle, with all of the things that make a blanc de blancs delicious - a light yeastiness on the nose, a crisp finish, loads of fruit flavours in the middle, and masses of delicate bubbles. What a fantastic gift - thank you!
I've saved my very favourite for last, though, as my husband bought me an English sparkler from The Wine Pantry. This was Coates & Seely Rose, which on the bottle says is made from pinot noir, pinot meunier, and chardonnay grapes (while their website doesn't include the chardonnay). At first, we weren't sure about this wine, as the bottle is done up in knock-off French, claiming to be from 'Britagne' and being made in 'methode britannique'. We weren't sure if they were taking the mickey or trying too hard to confuse the less au fait among us into thinking that they were actually champagne. But we forgive the exterior of the bottle for what was inside - smelling of the freshest summer berries, tasting of pink grapefruit, and leaving a lingering mouthful of tart candied peel. The bubbles matched the explosion of flavour, leaving me in no doubt that I will buy and drink this wine again!
Looking forward to trying some more in the run-up to New Year's...
Saturday, 26 November 2011
November Round-up
I'm a little embarrassed to admit this, but I've been so busy lately I have actually been drinking less champagne than I ordinarily would because I know I won't have time to blog about it and I hate seeing the bottles lined up on the counter waiting for their reports.
For the month of November (so far) I have three bottles to report on:
The first is a British sparkler, Avonleigh Brut. My husband brought this one home, I'm not sure what caught his eye, other than it is organic. This wine is a pinot noir and chardonnay blend, with the back of the bottle saying that it has hints of elderflower. I couldn't find them. We liked this wine, but it's nothing like the label describes, nor anything like a champagne. It has such heavy and rich apple flavours, it tastes like a sparkling cider. Even though I enjoyed it, it's not what I look for in a sparkling wine.
The second was another British wine, Denbies Sparkling Rose 2007. I had high hopes for this wine, as I really like Denbies still rose wines. This didn't live up to expectations. It was terribly bitter, and even drinking it with food couldn't mask the harsh finish.
So back to France for the last bottle...Ocado was running a special, so I bought a bottle of Perrier-Jouet Grand Brut, a blend of the three traditional champagne grapes, pinot noir, chardonnay, and pinot meunier. This was so much better than the other two bottles - plentiful bubbles, crisp, biscuity flavour. A reminder of why champagne is champagne. That said, I've had just as good champagnes for a better price than this one (usually in the high £30's, I bought it in the high £20's). So while it was a refreshing change from the British bubbles I had drunk this month, it's still not something I'd buy again.
It hasn't been all disappointing in November...we're also working our way through our latest order of Billecart-Salmon, although since I've reported on it all before, I'm not writing up the repeat bottles. There's still not much that compares to this brand though, for bubbles, flavour, and quality at price point. It's a sure-thing, always nice to have on hand when a never-before-tried bottle of something else disappoints.
For the month of November (so far) I have three bottles to report on:
The first is a British sparkler, Avonleigh Brut. My husband brought this one home, I'm not sure what caught his eye, other than it is organic. This wine is a pinot noir and chardonnay blend, with the back of the bottle saying that it has hints of elderflower. I couldn't find them. We liked this wine, but it's nothing like the label describes, nor anything like a champagne. It has such heavy and rich apple flavours, it tastes like a sparkling cider. Even though I enjoyed it, it's not what I look for in a sparkling wine.
The second was another British wine, Denbies Sparkling Rose 2007. I had high hopes for this wine, as I really like Denbies still rose wines. This didn't live up to expectations. It was terribly bitter, and even drinking it with food couldn't mask the harsh finish.
So back to France for the last bottle...Ocado was running a special, so I bought a bottle of Perrier-Jouet Grand Brut, a blend of the three traditional champagne grapes, pinot noir, chardonnay, and pinot meunier. This was so much better than the other two bottles - plentiful bubbles, crisp, biscuity flavour. A reminder of why champagne is champagne. That said, I've had just as good champagnes for a better price than this one (usually in the high £30's, I bought it in the high £20's). So while it was a refreshing change from the British bubbles I had drunk this month, it's still not something I'd buy again.
It hasn't been all disappointing in November...we're also working our way through our latest order of Billecart-Salmon, although since I've reported on it all before, I'm not writing up the repeat bottles. There's still not much that compares to this brand though, for bubbles, flavour, and quality at price point. It's a sure-thing, always nice to have on hand when a never-before-tried bottle of something else disappoints.
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