Champagne Extravaganza
Bill and Lynn MacDonalds - September Ninth, Two Thousand and Seven

I have assembled the following champagnes for our annual event. I am enclosing a list of champagnes and the comments made by various reviewers. Frank Kemble

1) Paul Bara 2000 Special Club Brut, bright, pale gold, lively and fresh, with precise aromas of lemongrass, pine nut and yeasted bread dough. Firm and quite fine, with sharply focused blood orange, lime and wild strawberry flavors. Intense, vibrant and long on the finish. It is worth cellaring this for at least a few more years. (91+ IWC)

This is a relatively small Champagne House with 11 hectares of Grand Cru Vineyards. These compromise 70% P. Noir and 25% Chardonnay.

2) H. Billiot Millesime 1999 Brut, ripe, complex nose dominated b y peach and minerals, then round and easy going with impressively concentrated flavors of ripe peach and apricot. A very accessible, well made Champagne. Finishes toasty, tangy, ripe and long. (90 ST).

This is a small producer with 5 hectares of vineyards all of which are 100% Grand Cru. The annual production is 3,750 cases (360 cases to the USA). The composition is probably 75% P. Noir and 25% Chardonnay.

3) Delamotte Blanc de Blanc 1997, Pale Color. Subtle, perfumed aromas of tangerine, lime, stone and smoke. Ripe and aromatic in the mouth, with creamy soft citrus and floral flavors perfectly framed by brisk acidity. There’s something wild and soil-driven about this blanc de blanc Champagne. Dense, concentrated, harmonious and long. (92 ST).

This house was formed in 1760 and compromises Grand Cru Vineyards. The company is now owned by Laurent-Parrier, which is the fifth largest Champagne producer in the World. Delamotte Vineyards are next door to those of Salon.

4) Diebolt-Vallois Champagne Fleur de Passion 2000, Those that know Champagne know the wines of Jacques Diebolt. 100% Chardonnay from Cramant, this comes from 65 year old vines that deliver great minerality combined with the typical creaminess indicative of this Champagne region. Look for lots of green apple and bright fruits coupled with a lovely creamy texture. Finishes with mineral and nuts. The 2000 has not yet been rated by Tanzer, but all of the Diebolt’s previous Fleur de Passion’s have received 92+ points.

This is a small Vineyard of 10 hectares.

5) Egly-Ouriut Brut Tradition NV (disgorged December 2005). Light gold. Deep and earthy bouquet, with strong scents of honeyed apple, poached pear, apricot and peach skin. Rich in ripe orchard flavors, with a chewy texture and accents of
floral honey and toffee. Complicating mineral notes and a hint of smoke together with a spicy long finish. (90 IWC)

6) Larmandier-Bernier Terre de Vertus Blanc de Blanc 1er Cru Brut NV, This is grower Champagne, meaning that Guy Larmandier actually grows the grapes that go into making this wine. This elegant bottling has what we look for in Blanc de Blanc: a vivid, lively blend of deep fruit. The wine shows ample mousse with serious minerality and a long lingering finish. Disgorged February 2006 (92 IWC)

This is a small Vineyard of 11 hectares. They use wild yeast. It is from a single vineyard and is probably derived from the 2004 vintage. The wine is said to be very good with oysters.