4g Wines
Pierre Gimonnet & Fils
Special Club Cuis 1er Cru Extra Brut Champagne Chardonnay 2019
Philippe Glavier
La Grace D'Hakamiah Champagne Blend
57month sur latte, 4g/L, bright, candied hazelnuts, clotted cream, citrus, bread and chalk. Finely textured. — 2 years ago
Lombard & Cie
Extra Brut Premier Cru Champagne Blend
4g/L, 4 years on leas. Perfect dryness for my liking and still really approachable. Tangy citrus and subtle yeasty breadyness. Really loved it — 4 years ago
Doyard
Vendémiaire Blanc de Blanc Premier Cru-Brut Chardonnay
My first time with Doyard’s Vendemiaire after previously having enjoyed their other cuvées.
100% Chardonnay; 2017 base vintage; 48 months on lees; 4g/l dosage
I normally trend toward BdN champagnes as some BdB can be overly lean/sharp when young, but the time on lees here (and use of some barrel) gives this a beautiful frame while accentuating the bright Chardonnay fruit. Honeysuckle, sea salt and lemon on the nose with faint roasted cashews. Beautifully energetic on the palate with some powdered lemon bar, white peach, salted popcorn kernel with a little bit of vanilla and toast coming through kudos to the gentle barrel use. Delicious BdB at a nice price.
Not a surprise, but I recommend enjoying this cool but not ice cold…it was less aggressive and more expressive after warming up a bit from the ice bucket. — a month ago
Gallimard Père et Fils
Les Meurgers Extra Brut Champagne Blanc de Noir
The more Gallimard I drink, the more I like it. I thought their Cuvée de Réserve was pretty darned good the first time I tried it 6 years ago. Now, I think they are a leader in the value for money game. The “Les Meurges” Blanc de Noir Extra Brut is 100% Pinot Noir from Les Riceys, bottled at 4g/l.
Popped and poured; enjoyed over two days. Best on Day 2. The “Les Meurgers” BdN pours a striking pale salmon color with a persistent mousse. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of golden raspberries, strawberries, white peach, brioche, citrus blossom, lemons and minerals. On the palate, the wine is dry with high acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and delicious. So easy to fall for. Best with some area and a decant, in fact, would not be a bad idea at this stage. Yum! — a year ago
Moussé Fils
L'or D'Eugene Brut Blanc de Noirs
We enjoyed this one coming directly after “Anecdote”. A more traditional (for Moussé) blend of 80% Pinot Meunier and 20% Pinot Noir. Straw color with a persistent mousse; more bubbles than the “Anecdote”. On the nose, this is fresh, not as autolytic with bruised pear, Gala apple and raspberries. In general, this comes across more round with slightly less acid and a more subdued mineral finish. Still, quite delicious. 4g/l, Disgorged on 07092019. — 4 years ago
Château Meylet
Baiser d'Ange Sémillon
Maurice Vesselle
Brut Millésimé Grand Cru Champagne Blend 2013
Maurice Vesselle is a récoltant whose small estate of maybe 15 acres, is in Bouzy and Tours sur Marnes. Most of their vineyards, all Grand Cru, are dedicated to Pinot Noir with the balance, Chardonnay. They are a strict no-malo, all INOX producer. One other note, the corks on these bottles are so stubborn. I had one hell of a time getting it extracted in an elegant fashion. We had people over and I was multitasking, making the risotto which, of course, needed my undivided attention. Ultimately, I ended up grabbing the Wüsthof and sabering that mf’er.
So, sabered and poured. The wine is a straw color with medium- viscosity and a persistent mousse. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of strawberry, light brioche, lemons, marzipan and limestone minerals. On the palate, the wine is dry with high acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long, mineral driven and zippy! This needs a ton of air at this stage but if you allow it, what a treat! Better after 2025 through 2043. The Millésimé is typically 80/20, Pinot Noir/Chardonnay. Dosage 4g/l (and seems it). Disgorged June 2023. — a year ago
Somm David T
Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator
⚡️⚡️⚡️I ordered more before starting my notes.
I would normally wait on a PGSC for 5 plus years, but wanted to know if I wanted more.
2019 was a challenging growing year in early & mid season but favorable August-September conditions created a quality vintage that should prove to be cellar worthy.
The Champagne Special Club, initially called Club de Viticulteurs Champenois, was founded in 1971 with 12 members. Three of those founding members, Pierre Gimonnet, Gaston Chiquet, and Paul Bara, are still active within the club of now 24 members today. The number of members changes yr to yr.
Beautiful nose of; green apple, lime zest, Meyer lemons to meringue pie, tropicals, stone fruits, kiwi, some heather honey, white spice-ginger, sea fossils/foam, yeasty bread dough, whipped cream, subtle caramel notes, limestone/volcanic minerals, white spring flowers, yellow lilies and whiffs of jasmine.
The palate is dazzling & has everything one would want. Incredible mousse & mouthfeel. It has a slight creamy texture. Simply beautiful in every way. Ripe & rich; green apple, lime zest, Meyer lemons to meringue pie, tropicals, stone fruits-yellow & white peach-nectarines, apricots & kiwi. Heather honey, nougat, some toffee/butterscotch, white spice-ginger limestone/volcanics burro their way into the center tongue/palate, subtle herbaceous quality, sea fossils/foam, yeasty bread dough, cream to whipped cream, caramel, vanillin, crumbled chalkiness for days, white spring flowers, yellow lilies, jasmine, perfect acidity, well; knitted, balanced, tension, structured, polished finish that lasts minutes starting fruit and landing on mineral-spice. So balanced.
This at $112 for Champagne is a good value today.
Bottle data: 4,020 bottles produced. 100% Chardonnay-90% from Croix-Blanche and 10% from Les Roualles. 4g dosage & my personal sweet spot. Disgorgement 9/2024.
Photos; long view of House of Gimonnet & vines, their very old rootstock, Olivier & Didier Gimmonet and their beautiful Chardonnay grapes. — a day ago