If you missed my article in Forbes last week, I’ve reposted it here…
Luxury Champagne deserves to be drunk on more occasions than milestone celebrations; at the very least, it complements tragedies equally well, if not better. Consider the notoriously depressing events that have defined 2016. Even if you achieved personal bests in health, love, or money, regarding the collective we can agree the year unfolded like a Cormac McCarthy novel, exacting a psychic toll on the country.
From the deaths of legendary musicians Prince, David Bowie, Phife Dawg, Leonard Cohen; to the passing of wine icons Peter Mondavi, Margrit Mondavi, Mary Novak, Paul Pontallier; to the ceaseless loop of negative election coverage that failed to end with the election. Brexit, Ryan Lochte, Harambe, the Syrian refugee crisis, Zika, heat records, massive flooding, and Trump’s tweets. Even the year’s most acclaimed film stars an Affleck brother plumbing the depths of Manchester’s saddest janitor. And who knows what December surprise looms ahead. So, I suggest popping corks and putting this broken year out of its misery one month ahead of schedule, and the only wine with the gravitas to pair to the tragicomedy of 2016 (after all, Alec Baldwin returned), is prestige cuvée Champagne.
While no rules define the term prestige, typically these cuvées represent the producer’s best and most expensive bottle; the wine a Champagne house considers its top expression from their finest fruit. This generally entails grand cru grapes from the oldest vines, with extended cellar aging, often with a late disgorgement.
Freshness and Finesse from a Founding Family…
Billecart-Salmon Cuvée Nicolas Francois Brut 2002, $200
Established in 1818, Billecart-Salmon is one of the few remaining Champagne Houses to be continuously owned and operated by the founding family. The brand also remains relatively under-the-radar with American consumers although it persists as a favorite amongst sommeliers and wine professionals. Billecart-Salmon does a few things differently. For example, they harvest early to capture acidity in pursuit of freshness, delicacy, and elegance over power. The Cuvée Nicolas François, a blend of 60/40 Pinot Noir to Chardonnay, was created in 1964 in honor of the House’s eponymous founder.
Profile A delicate, fresh nose offers perfumed citrus, raspberries, peach and crème brulee notes. Crunchy and bright acidity on the palate delivers lemon curd, peach, strawberries, and pastry. Deftly balances weight with elegance, finishing with a touch of nutty complexity yet great purity. Electric.
Blanc de Blancs Specialist…
Dom Ruinart 2004, $150
Ruinart’s emphasis on Chardonnay over the Pinots results in consistently exceptional Blanc de Blancs, further evidenced by their consideration of the 2004 as the house’s prestige bottling. Made from 100% grand cru Chardonnay, grapes derive predominantly from the Côte des Blancs (70%), with the remainder from the Montagne de Reims. While lesser known in the U.S. than in overseas markets, Ruinart is the oldest established Champagne house, founded in 1729 by Nicolas Ruinart. His uncle, Dom Thierry Ruinart, was a friend of Dom Pérignon. Little did they know the legacy they’d create.
Profile On the nose, sweet notes of coconut, croissant, and crushed almonds mingle with citrus and honeysuckle. The lively palate reveals mineral undertones layered below orange and lemon zest, smoke and a dash of sea salt. Unfolds with precision, length and clarity. Thrilling.
Barrel and Long Lees Aged, The Tipple of James Bond…
Bollinger RD 2002, $350
This independent, family house has a predilection for Pinot Noir and aging in oak. In the 1960s, Lily Bollinger combined those style decisions with exceptionally long lees aging to create the RD. The initials stand for Récemment Dégorge or Recently Disgorged. Her idea was to show Champagne lovers how the extra time on spent yeast transforms a wine. The blend is 60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay, 71% of which is sourced from grand crus the remainder from premier cru vineyards. The wine matures nearly three times longer than required by the appellation.
Profile On the nose, one senses weight and power backed by aromas of lemon peel, ripe golden apple, nutmeg, and white chocolate flan. The creamy, full-bodied palate yields richness and depth balanced by striking acidity. Finishes long and layered with a tinge of lemon pith. A last supper wine.
Not Just For Kings...
Louis Roederer Cristal 2009, $250
Can we finally disentangle Cristal from Russians and rappers, and view it objectively for the fine wine that it is? While it does have a regal pedigree, created originally for Tsar Alexander II, later adopted by the country’s oligarchs, then prized and discarded by America’s hip hop royalty, the bubbles in the bottle transcend those associations. Only produced as a vintage wine, 2009 is the current release. Composed of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay from grand cru fruit from the Reims mountain, the Marne Valley, and Côte des Blancs.
Profile Enticing aromas hint at warm brioche, toasted nuts, lemon, white peach and red berries. On the palate, the texture is supple, the fruit flavors ripe and rich, but focused acidity provides tension and frame. Ginger spice, apple, and pastry linger on the energetic finish. Superb.
When Rosé Is Required…
Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Rosé 2006, $260
Founded by Jacques Fourneaux in 1734, Pierre Taittinger bought the property and relaunched it under his family’s surname in 1932. At one point, the brand was sold to the Starwood Hotel Group, but the family bought it back less than a year later. Taittinger is known for using a higher proportion of Chardonnay, and for its extensive vineyard holdings. Produced only in exceptional years, Comtes Rosé is made from 100% grand cru grapes. The Chardonnay comes from prestigious vineyards in the Côte des Blancs, and the Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims.
Profile Offers a refined and complex nose of cherries, raspberries, rose petals, nuts, and anise. The creamy palate leads with red berry fruit, then develops into tea, toast and licorice on the structured midpalate. Finish is long and complex, juicy and fresh. Worth every dollar.
The Art of Blending…
Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle, $150
Rather than declare a vintage wine as its prestige expression, Laurent-Perrier adheres to its blending philosophy; a logical move given the house views the sculpting of Champagne from different vineyard sites and points in time an art. The blend consists of 55% Chardonnay and 45% Pinot Noir, made exclusively from grand cru grapes of three complementary, declared vintage years. The concept of Grand Siècle launched in 1959, the vision of late leader Bernard de Nonancourt.
Profile Lovely, fragrant nose of wildflower honey, sweet orange, toasted almonds, and brioche. Textured on the palate, offers similar aromatic notes plus gingerbread and a subtle nuttiness. Structured and complex yet elegant. Brilliant.
CHASING THE VINE 