Tonight is quite the line-up of Champagne from the great houses – just in time for Christmas. Rarely do you get to have a sit-down tasting through such a quality line-up of prestige cuvées – comparing vintages, blends, techniques and expressions. To think that we’re starting with Dom Pérignon and then start climbing the ladder! In the safe hands of Nick from the Fine Wine department doing the chat, and Jared keeping the customers happy, it is great glass after great glass – a fun, informative, classy evening.
Across the tables are artisanal cheeses that are a superb foil to the bubbles as the evening progresses. Wines are poured in pairs, beginning with some vintages expressions (and that Dom Pérignon). I do extoll the virtues of local Méthode Traditionnelle of course – but some of what’s on show tonight are amongst the finest wines in the world! Here are some thoughts on what’s in the glass when you extend the budget and scope of what you want from your Christmas bubbles.
Dom Pérignon 2015
Champagne named after Dom Pierre Pérignon, a 17th-century Benedictine monk – renowned for its ageability. 2015 vintage, which was a warm, dry year. A complex bouquet that I noted showed chocolate, jasmine and asian spices as well as the peach, citrus and apple you might expect. A good brioche note too. Quite energetic with acidity and a fresh, crisp palate to offset that depth of spice and toast.
Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame 2015
A blend of 90% Pinot Noir and 10% Chardonnay – also from the excellent 2015 vintage. Breadcrumbs and candied citrus stand out on the nose, with ginger, lemon and honeysuckle florals. A richness and textural depth to the palate, with great carry and line, before finishing with a dry, saline tang.
Perrier Jouët Belle Epoque Rosé 2013
The Belle Epoque contains 50% Pinot Noir, 45% Chardonnay and 5% Pinot Meunier. A change to red fruits here, with strawberry, redcurrant and hibiscus in the perfume, alongside almond meal and lemon zest. Lighter – only medium-bodied at most, and has a refined delicacy that whispers, not shouts, but rides a wave of bright acidity and chalky minerality.
Laurent Perrier Alexandra Rosé 2012
With a combination of 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay this is another glass that works in the red spectrum of flavours. The colour is heads a little more orange than pink, and there’s a lovely ‘negroni’ bitters and orange peel accent to the bouquet too. Honey, candied nuts, raspberry and clementines feature in my notes. A well-balanced style that also has plenty of character.
Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blanc 2014
Taittinger’s top vintage cuvée comes exclusively from Grand Cru Chardonnay vineyards. There is citrus, nectarine, green herbs, apple pie and sweet pea florals in the bouquet, reflected in the palate, then joined by a crushed shell, chalky minerality. Very fine and elegant – the palate is tight and linear, with just a hint of smoky incense adding some shade.
Laurent Perrier Grand Siecle Iteration 26
This wine and the one that follows are premium multi-vintage expressions from only the best vineyards and library stocks. Here is where you see the art, and completeness of a blend. 58% Chardonnay and 42% Pinot Noir, with 65% of the 2012, 25% of the 2008 and 10% of the 2007. So complex and layered. Quite vinous and savoury, with just a tingle of citrus, nectarine and ginger. Both dense and broad, yet agile and energetic, with a mile-long finish.
Krug Grande Cuvée 172 edition
A blend of 131 wines, but built around the 2016 vintage (58%) including some from 1998. Quite yeasty and spicy on the nose, it takes a while for the veil to lift. A tight, upright expression, with intricacy and balance to the elegant palate. The texture builds throughout, adding rotundity, with the drive of zesty acid keeping it moving. That reserve wine comes through at the back of the palate, adding polish and weight. A lot to take in! Quite a delight.
Pol Roger Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill 2013
Pol Roger created their Prestige Cuvée in homage to Sir Winston Churchill, mindful of the qualities that he sought in his champagne : robustness, a full-bodied character and relative maturity. As the great man said: “My tastes are simple, I am easily satisfied with the best”. The wine is plush and golden, with notes of peach, lemon curd, pistachio, apple danish, and a brioche autolysis note. Well-rounded and with an aged density and decadence that shows more clearly than some of the other similar vintage wines tonight. A crowd-pleaser that lives up to its reputation.
