THE PENGUIN ON TOUR: CHAMPAGNE - PART FOUR - ALSO TASTED....VILMART, PIERRE PETERS + MORE

See below notes from a smattering of other top grower and small producer wines tasted while in Champagne (plus one purchased in Lyon in 2013). This eclectic selection confirms in the most positive way that there has never been a better time to drink premium Champagne.

NV VILMART GRANDE RESERVE
Producer: Vilmart
Variety: Champagne/Sparkling Wine (70% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay)
Vintage: Non-vintage
Region: Champagne, France
ABV: 12.5%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: N/a
Date tasted: 28 May 2014

Tasting Note:
Blend of Premier Cru Pinot Noir (70%) and Chardonnay grown in Rilly-la-Montagne.
Bright lemon yellow with greenish tinge. Fine and persistent bead. Clean and fresh bouquet of crystallised fruit (honeydew melon, orange, cumquat). Nutty notes emerge with air. Crystallised fruits flow through to the palate which is fine, fruity and elegant.
Score: 16/20

NV BENOIT LAHAYE BRUT NATURE
Producer: Benoit Lahaye
Variety: Champagne/Sparkling Wine (90% Pinot Noir, 10% Chardonnay)
Vintage: Non-vintage
Region: Champagne, France
ABV: 12.0%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: N/a
Date tasted: 29 May 2014

Tasting Note:
Predominantly Pinot Noir from the Grand Cru village of Bouzy. No dosage.
Copper tinged hue. Expressive and intense nose of red fruits interwoven with bright citrus. Weighty, rich palate of real substance and depth. Delicate red fruit carries the palate, underlined by grapefruit citrus.
Score: 17/20

2005 PIERRE GIMMONET BLANC DE BLANCS OENEPHILE 1ER CRU
Producer: Pierre Gimmonet
Variety: Champagne/Sparkling Wine (100% Chardonnay)
Vintage: Non-vintage
Region: Champagne, France
ABV: 12.0%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: N/a
Date tasted: 30 May 2014

Tasting Note:
No dosage.
Pale silvery yellow with golden glints. Clean piercingly fresh nose – direct and forthright! Freshly squeezed lemon juice, crisp green apple, grilled hazelnuts. Dry but not austere. Slight creaminess up-front, very fresh and alive. Real depth and substance on the mid-palate.
Score: 17.5/20

NV PIERRE PETERS BLANC DE BLANCS GRAND CRU
Producer: Pierre Peters
Variety: Champagne/Sparkling Wine (100% Chardonnay)
Vintage: Non-vintage
Region: Champagne, France
ABV: 12.0%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: N/a
Date tasted: 31 May 2014

Tasting Note:
100% Chardonnay from Le-Mesnil-Sur-Oger.
Very pale silvery lemon in appearance. Steely nose of lemon zest, greengage and crap apple. Dry, slightly chalky in the mouth, limpid, tart green apples, lemony acidity. Real cut and verve!
Score: 16.5/20 

Tasted in Lyon in 2013.  Emmanuel Brochet is a tiny producer with just a few hectares under vine.  If this bottle is any evidence, quality is excellent.

NV EMMANUEL BROCHET CHAMPAGNE EXTRA BRUT ‘LE MONT BENOIT’
Producer: Emmanuel Brochet
Variety: Champagne & Sparkling (40% Pinot Meunier, 35% Chardonnay, 25% Pinot Noir)
Vintage: Non-vintage
Region: Champagne, France
ABV: 12.5%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: N/a
Date tasted: 9 September 2013

Tasting Note:
Bright lemon yellow with golden glints. Very fine vigorous bead on pouring. Small bubbles. Attractive nose of acacia, grilled hazelnuts, red apples, grapefruit pith. Moderate autolysis. Smells mature. Dry and elegant palate; not austere in any way. Finishes very long. A very good grower Champagne that is more than a match than any Grande Marque at the same price.
Score: 17+/20

THE PENGUIN ON TOUR: CHAMPAGNE - PART THREE - LARMANDIER-BERNIER

Larmandier-Bernier sits at the summit of Champagne’s growers. Based in the village of Vertus in the Côte de Blancs, it produces a range of primarily Chardonnay-based terroir-focused wines from 16 hectares of owned vineyards.

As a grower, Larmandier-Bernier is in stark contrast to the large houses. All of its vineyard holdings are farmed biodyamically, something that is impossible for the big guns sourcing from dozens of growers across the region. Oak barrels are the preferred fermentation and maturation vessel, though two concrete eggs are employed exclusively for the Pinot Noir-based rosé.

In terms of philosophy, Larmandier-Bernier is more aligned with a small Burgundy domaine than Champagne’s larger houses. The traditional Champagne bywords of ‘blending for consistency’ is of little import here compared to that of terroir expression.

There is real quality to be found throughout the entire Larmandier-Berner range and a sense of place that isn’t always evident with the wines of the larger houses. All of the wines show a real mineral edge akin to licking chalk. While dosage levels are low (no greater than 4g/l), there is no sense of austerity in any of the wines, such is the quality of the fruit at the estate’s disposal.

NV LARMANDIER-BERNIER ROSÉ DE SAIGNÉE
Producer: Champagne Larmandier-Bernier
Variety: Champagne/Sparkling Wine (Pinot Noir 100%)
Vintage: Non-vintage
Region: Champagne, France
ABV: 12.0%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: N/a
Date tasted: 30 May 2014

Tasting Note:
100% Premier Cru Pinot Noir fruit from Vertus fermented in concrete eggs. Dosage is 3g/l.
Bright strawberry pink – quite deep in colour. Elegant lifted nose of cranberry, redcurrant rhubarb. Delicate, elegant red-fruited palate. Very bright and lively. Great rosé Champagne!
Score: 17.5+/20

NV LARMANDIER-BERNIER LATITUDE
Producer: Champagne Larmandier-Bernier
Variety: Champagne/Sparkling Wine (Chardonnay 100%)
Vintage: Non-vintage
Region: Champagne, France
ABV: 12.0%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: N/a
Date tasted: 30 May 2014

Tasting Note:
100% Chardonnay from vines planted on deeper and richer topsoils in Vertus. The 2011 vintage provides the base for this release, blended with 30% reserve wines from 2004 to 2010. Dosage is 4g/l. Dry, very delicate and elegant. Crisp green apple and chalky minerals. Zesty citrus acidity carries the finish. More mineral that fruity.
Score: 17/20

NV LARMANDIER-BERNIER LONGITUDE 1ER CRU
Producer: Champagne Larmandier-Bernier
Variety: Champagne/Sparkling Wine (Chardonnay 100%)
Vintage: Non-vintage
Region: Champagne, France
ABV: 12.0%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: N/a
Date tasted: 30 May 2014

Tasting Note:
100% Chardonnay from vines planted on thin topsoils in Vertus and Cramant. Based on the 2010 vintage with 40% reserve wines.
Lifted nose of whitecurrants, grapefruit. Very delicate, refined and elegant. Lively and very long on the finish. Chalky mineral grip.
Score: 17.5/20

2009 LARMANDIER-BERNIER TERRE DE VERTUS 1ER CRU
Producer: Champagne Larmandier-Bernier
Variety: Champagne/Sparkling Wine (Chardonnay 100%)
Vintage: 2009
Region: Champagne, France
ABV: 12.0%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: N/a
Date tasted: 30 May 2014

Tasting Note:
Single vineyard Chardonnay. No dosage.
Open and expansive nose of white fruit, touch of pain grillé and hazelnut. Bone dry, delicate. Lemon citrus and minerals (crushed rocks?!). Very long.
Score: 18/20

2009 LARMANDIER-BERNIER LES CHEMINS D’AVIZE GRAND CRU
Producer: Champagne Larmandier-Bernier
Variety: Champagne/Sparkling Wine (Chardonnay 100%)
Vintage: 2009
Region: Champagne, France
ABV: 12.0%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: N/a
Date tasted: 30 May 2014

Tasting Note:
Single vineyard Chardonnay.
No dosage. Lifted, perfumed nose – floral, acacia. Dry, earthy, racy. Very mineral and tense. Like a young Grand Cru Chablis! Should flower in bottle.
Score: 18.5+/20 

2006 LARMANDIER-BERNIER VIELLES VIGNES CRAMANT GRAND CRU
Producer: Champagne Larmandier-Bernier
Variety: Champagne/Sparkling Wine (Chardonnay 100%)
Vintage: 2006
Region: Champagne, France
ABV: 12.0%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: N/a
Date tasted: 30 May 2014

Tasting Note:
Six years on lees.
Open and expansive nose – honeycomb, crème brulée, spice. Dry, elegant and stylish. Plenty of complexity on show here. Quite superb.
Score: 18.5+/20

THE PENGUIN ON TOUR: CHAMPAGNE - PART TWO - GOSSET

Gosset is a mid-sized house that occupies a premium position in the marketplace thanks its high
quality and smartly packaged Grande Réserve and Grande Rosé. Recent years have witnessed major change at Gosset, the most significant change being the move from Äy to new headquarters and state of the art production facilities in the heart of Epernay.

In market contrast to Bollinger, Gosset’s former neighbour in Äy, all Gosset wines are fermented in stainless steel. Malolactic fermentation is blocked for all wines save for the relatively commercial, entry level Brut Excellence. As a result, Gosset’s wines do tend to develop very well in bottle.

There is a common theme of elegance, finesse and harmony across the Gosset range. As the Grande Millésime 2004 and Cuvée Celebris 2002 demonstrate, they have genuine ageing ability and deserve to be ranked among Champagne’s upper echelon.

On evidence of this visit, Gosset is a house on the move (quite literally dare I say!). A combination of slick new packaging and smart new facilities puts it in a good position to take advantage of emerging markets.

NV GOSSET GRANDE BLANC DE BLANCS
Producer: Gosset
Variety: Champagne/Sparkling Wine (100% Chardonnay)
Vintage: Non-vintage
Region: Champagne, France
ABV: 12.5%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: N/a
Date tasted: 30 May 2014

Tasting Note:
Blend of fruit from the Côte de Blancs and Montagne de Reims. 3 years on lees.
Very fine. Steely, citrusy, green apple. Delicate, taut and racy. Featherweight in texture.
Score: 17/20

NV GOSSET GRANDE RÉSERVE
Producer: Gosset
Variety: Champagne/Sparkling Wine (Pinot Noir 42%, Chardonnay 43%, Pinot Meunier 15%)
Vintage: Non-vintage
Region: Champagne, France
ABV: 12.0%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: N/a
Date tasted: 30 May 2014

Tasting Note:
Blend of 20 different villages, all of which are Premier and Grand Cru. 4 years on lees.
Rich round and elegant with genuine depth and volume. Excellent length.
Score: 16.5/20

2004 GOSSET GRANDE MILLÉSIME
Producer: Gosset
Variety: Champagne/Sparkling Wine (Pinot Noir 45%, Chardonnay 55%)
Vintage: 2004
Region: Champagne, France
ABV: 12.0%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: N/a
Date tasted: 30 May 2014

Tasting Note:
9 years on lees.
Rich and round, crème patissiere. Evolving, but not there yet. Honey and acacia. Drinking well now and should develop further.
Score: 17.5/20

NV GOSSET GRANDE ROSÉ
Producer: Gosset
Variety: Champagne/Sparkling Wine (Pinot Noir 34%, Chardonnay 66%)
Vintage: Non-vintage
Region: Champagne, France
ABV: 12.0%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: N/a
Date tasted: 30 May 2014

Tasting Note:
Gosset’s rosé is always a Chardonnay-dominant blend rather than saignée, the aim being to produce a wine that is pale in colour and consistent from on bottling to another. At 12% of sales, it is a key player in the portfolio.
Pale onion skin – gentle pinkish hue. Delicate bouquet of strawberry, spring flowers. Very delicate, elegant and fine.
Score: 17/20

2002 GOSSET CUVEÉ CELEBRIS
Producer: Gosset
Variety: Champagne/Sparkling Wine (Pinot Noir 48%, Chardonnay 52%)
Vintage: Non-vintage
Region: Champagne, France
ABV: 12.0%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: N/a
Date tasted: 30 May 2014
Tasting Note:
Serious nose of spice, ground coffee/mocha, yellow fruits, spiced apple. Quite superb, with its best years ahead of it.
Score: 18/20

THE PENGUIN ON TOUR: CHAMPAGNE - PART ONE - BOLLINGER

This is the first of a series of reports form recent travels through Champagne and Alsace. It was the fourth time the Penguin had visited Champagne, but proved to be a real eye-opener, a chance to get out among the villages and get a genuine feel for the region. At a superficial level, Champagne is about marketing gloss, but dig a little bit further and it is a fascinating region, producers small and large making varied expressions of the world’s greatest sparkling wine.
We start this series with Bollinger, one of Champagne’s big guns. Established in 1829, Bollinger has 164 hectares of owned vineyard, supplemented by fruit that is sourced via contracted growers (roughly 40% is bought in).

As many will no doubt be aware, Bollinger is a Pinot Noir-dominant style characterised by an oxidative notes thanks to partial fermentation and maturation in oak barrels. One should note that the use of wood is not about imparting oak-derived characters, but oxygen exchange.  Average barrel age is 5 years.

Oak is reserved for juice from Premier and Grand Cru fruit, meaning that less than 30% of the must designated for Special Cuvée spends time in wood. This increases up to 100% for vintage bottlings. The folks at Bollinger argue that the slow process of micro-oxygenation via the wood protects the wine. By way of example, no sulphur dioxide is added at disgorgement; it’s simply “not needed”.

What of the wines themselves? This particular tasting was limited to the Special Cuvée and Grande Année 2004 (sadly no sign of the recently released Bollinger RD 2002). This particular showing was a most positive one, both wines displaying a lovely balance of richness, elegance and complexity. Most importantly, there was a genuine freshness to both wines.  There has been talk that current releases aren't meeting the lofty standards one expects of Bollinger, but this showing was extremely positive.

NV BOLLINGER SPECIAL CUVÉE
Producer: Bollinger
Variety: Champagne/Sparkling Wine (60% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay, 15% Pinot Meunier)
Vintage: Non-vintage
Region: Champagne, France
ABV: 12.5%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: N/a
Date tasted: 28 May 2014

Tasting Note:
Minimum of 3 years on lees. Dosage is 9g/l.
Open and complex nose of crème patissière, brioche, honey, acacia and stonefruit. Elegant, delicate and fine. Fades slightly in the glass, but an excellent showing for Bollinger’s volume driver.
Score: 16/20

2004 BOLLINGER GRANDE ANNÉE
Producer: Bollinger
Variety: Champagne/Sparkling Wine (60% Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay)
Vintage: 2004
Region: Champagne, France
ABV: 12.5%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: N/a
Date tasted: 28 May 2014

Tasting Note:
Made exclusively from Premier and Grand Cru fruit. Minimum of 7 years on lees. Dosage is 8g/l. Intense and brooding – powerfiul and elegant at one. A touch closed perhaps? Certainly not as open or giving as the Special Cuvée at this point in time. Pinot Noir drives both the bouquet and palate. Tightly coiled and needing time. Will reward patience.
Score: 17.5/20

2011 SONS OF EDEN 'FREYA' RIESLING - IN THE FLESH!

The 2011 vintage in southern Australia has been much derided in the wine press. The cool and wet conditions of 2011 certainly presented many challenges for vignerons. However, relatively little kudos has been given to some of the vintage’s success stories. In many cool climate regions, Chardonnay was as good as we have ever seen. In our warmer climates, 2011 produced some lovely elegant reds, albeit more medium rather than longer term propositions. Out west, it was yet another excellent vintage with Margaret River Cabernet to the fore.

Riesling also had its success stories. ‘Freya’ Riesling from Sons of Eden was one wine that impressed immensely on release. A couple of years on, it’s in good shape, albeit maturing at a fairly fast pace. The wine has really started to fill out on the palate; soft and fleshy with a gentle underpinning of acidity. There’s lovely aromatic lift and depth on display in a very pretty, Eden Valley sort of a way; this is a wine that’s more than just lemon and lime. Drinking now and over the next 5 or so years.

2011 SONS OF EDEN ‘FREYA’ RIESLING
Producer: Sons of Eden
Variety: Riesling
Vintage: 2011
Region: Eden Valley, South Australia
ABV: 12.5%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $25.00
Date tasted: 18 April 2014

Tasting Note:
Silvery yellow with green tinges. Delicate bouquet of greengage, grapefruit and lime blossom. Medium bodied, starting to fill out on the palate. Soft, cushioned mouthfeel underpinned by a fine prickle of acidity. Gooseberry, pineapple and grapefruit/lime pith. A touch of tangy citrus grip carries the finish. Very solid though seemingly maturing fairly quickly.
Score: 16/20

2010 DOMAINE DES ESPIERS CÔTES DU RHÔNE VILLAGES SABLET - SPICE UP YOUR LIFE!

The wines of the sprawling villages of the southern Rhône deliver plenty of drinking pleasure at a modest outlay. While generic Côtes du Rhône can be somewhat of minefield, Côtes du Rhône Villages, more specifically named villages, are often worth the extra expense.

We’ve previously seen the excellent basic Cotes du Rhone from the small, organic Domaine des Espiers. The village level wine from Sablet, is a step up in richness and intensity, but in keeping with the style by the (so-called) lesser wine. There’s plenty of juicy, pulpy drinkability on show here, and a modicum of complexity too.

2010 CÔTES DU RHÔNE VILLAGES SABLET
Producer: Domaine des Espiers
Variety: Grenache et al
Vintage: 2010
Region: Southern Rhône, France
ABV: 14.5%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: $35.00
Date tasted: 9 May 2014

Tasting Note:
Mid-crimson. Open nose of kirsch, plum liqueur, star anise, liquorice, white pepper. Full bodied, initial attack of sweet red fruit, moving to savoury on the mid-palate. Exotic spice lends complexity on the finish, which is long and satisfying.
Score: 16.5/20

2011 BANNOCKBURN SAUVIGNON BLANC - WHISPERING GRASS.....

Bannockburn Sauvignon Blanc is one of the truly distinctive wines made in Australia. This is no ‘by the rulebook’ stainless steel fermented herbaceous cash cow. The wine sees a combination of new and seasoned oak, as well as Italian acacia. Depending on the vintage, a touch of Riesling and/or Chardonnay is added to the mix, respectively lending aromatic lift and body. The result is a wine that owes little to Sauvignon Blanc, but is a compelling, food friendly dry white.

With a few years in bottle, the 2011 rendition of Bannockburn Sauvignon Blanc is taking on complexity. It is arguably the most true to variety of Bannockburn Sauvignon Blancs we have seen in recent years, the cooler conditions perhaps exacerbating the grassier aspect of the wine. Compared to the most recent review of the same wine, it is more true to its core variety.  That said, there’s a lot here for Sauvignon lovers and haters to both enjoy, and sufficient depth to suggest it will continue to develop in bottle for another few years yet.

2011 BANNOCKBURN SAUVIGNON BLANC
Producer: Bannockburn Vineyards
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage: 2011
Region: Geelong, Victoria
ABV: 13.5%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $30.00
Date tasted: 11 April 2014

Tasting Note:
Bright silvery green. Open aromatic nose of cut grass, chopped herbs, pear, grapefruit, lemon zest. Dry, medium bodied, a Sauvignon-like Bannockburn Sauvignon Blanc! Palate flows on from the nose, slightly herbaceous and grassy. Good length and extremely drinkable.
Score: 17.5/20

2012 CALABRIA PINOT BIANCO - SOLID AS A ROCK

Calabria Family Wines is the new name for family-owned Riverina producer Westend Estate. While it boasts an expansive portfolio of varietal wines, the most exciting work being done at Calabria is with alternative varietals. The Penguin is particularly impressed by the Calabria Aglianico, the 2010 of which was reviewed on these pages some time back.

While the Pinot Bianco doesn’t quite reach the lofty standards of the Aglianico, it is nevertheless an extremely satisfying wine given its modest price tag (a mere $15). Clean and fresh, with distinctive green apple and honeydew melon characters, it is the ideal wine for those who enjoy a lightly oaked Chardonnay. Medium in body, fresh and bright, with good varietal character and fruit intensity, there is little complain about here.

2012 CALABRIA PINOT BIANCO
Producer: Calabria Family Wines (formerly Westend Estate)
Variety: Pinot Blanc
Vintage: 2012
Region: Riverina, New South Wales
ABV: 14%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $15.00
Date tasted: 24 April 2014

Tasting Note:
Bright greenish yellow. Clean and fresh nose of green apple, pear and honeydew melon. Fruit forward and fairly straightforward. Medium in body, slightly creamy in texture, fruit profile on the palate is much the same as the nose. Simple and direct, but very clean and well made.
Score: 15/20

2006 SPINIFEX ESPRIT - SPIRIT IN THE SKY

Spinifex is deservedly lauded for its southern French-inspired blends. Esprit, a four-way blend of Mourvèdre, Grenache, Shiraz and Cinsault, is a typical Barossa meets southern Rhône style. It bursts with rich and lush fruit, spice lending complexity on the finish.

All in all, the wine delivers what one expects, with reasonable complexity. While there is a good amount to like now, past experience suggests Barossan red blends such as these can be aged well beyond critics suggested drinking windows, developing considerable aromatic complexity in that time.

There’s plenty to like with this wine in a rich and fleshy, juicy fruit kind of way. Indeed, it’s a superior crowd pleaser. For this particular imbiber, it lacks for a certain je ne sais quoi, an extra layer of complexity that would elevate it from the every day to ethereal.  For those seeking secondary complexity, perhaps time is all that is needed.  Little seems to have changed with the 2006 Spinifex Esprit since it was lasted tasted almost two years ago.

2006 ESPRIT
Producer: Spinifex
Variety: Grenache et al (Mourvèdre 34%, Grenache 31%, Shiraz 30%, Cinsault 5%)
Vintage: 2006
Region: Barossa Valley, South Australia
ABV: 14.5%
Closure: Diam
Retail Price: N/a
Date tasted: 26 April 2014

Tasting Note:
Saturated plum red in appearance. Rich nose of blood plums, mulberry, violet, liquorice and exotic spaces. Full bodied, lush and velvet in the mouth. Nice balance of sweet and sour, spice adding complexity on the finish. Does what it says on the label and drinking well now, but has the stuffing for age and potentially develop secondary complexity for 4-5 years.
Score: 16/20

2003 CLONAKILLA SHIRAZ VIOGNIER - SOME LIKE IT HOT....

Clonakilla is one of Australia’s most feted cool climate producers, feted for its Côte Rotie styled Shiraz Viognier. 2003 was a drought year in Murrumbateman and it reflects in the Shiraz Viognier from that vintage. At this point of its development, the wine isn’t revealing a great deal. The bouquet is rather subdued, and lacking the lifted aromatics one tends to associate with the style. Similarly, the palate is rather four-square and direct, belying the this label’s fine pedigree.

Tasting through a bottle of 2003 Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier, one wonders if it is more 2003 than Clonakilla. Extended airing brings out a touch of complexity, but it also exaggerates tannins on the finish. It may well be the case that this particular bottle was enjoyed at less than ideal point in the wine’s evolution, and further bottle age is all that is needed. One’s main concern is that the tannins on the finish (perhaps the mark of a drought year) fail to resolve.

2003 CLONAKILLA SHIRAZ VIOGNIER
Producer: Clonakilla
Variety: Syrah/Shiraz
Vintage: 2002
Region: Canberra District, New South Wales
ABV: 14%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: N/a
Date tasted: 3 May 2014

Tasting Note:
Deep crimson in appearance. Slightly subdued bouquet initially, but opens up to reveal red berry compote, liquorice and just a touch of black pepper. Soft and plush up-front, raspberry and dark berry fruit, camphor and charcoal. Tannins become more prominent on the finish with extended airing. Relatively straightforward at present, and lacks the finesse one associates with this label. May improve with further ageing.
Score: 15.5?/20