These bubblicious beauties
are guaranteed to brighten any day.
Champagne is our favorite wine. And not because it goes with everything. We like Champagne for deeper, more spiritual reasons. No other wine is so routinely soothing, so irrefutably restorative, as Champagne. It dispels sadness, provokes camaraderie and transforms mundane moments into special occasions. Indeed, we believe with Serena Sutcliffe, that ”Champagne should be a companion for life, ... part of the fabric of our days, on hand to mark a birthday or a piece of good news, and equally accessible when we need cheering up.“ For those of you who wish to join us on that journey, we offer the following 30 wines.
NON-VINTAGE CHAMPAGNE
A blend of two or more vintages; must be aged minimally a year and three months on the yeast.
Five-Star Non-Vintage Champagne
Outstanding: Wines of such remarkable character and quality
as to be in a class by themselves.
*NV DELAMOTTE BRUT, $44. Rich, creamy and lush, with a nice almondy overlay and a long, elegant finish.
*NV POMMERY BRUT APANAGE, $65. A blend of 20 select crus; 55 percent Pinot grapes and 45 percent Chardonnay; aged four years on the yeast prior to disgorgement. Big, rich, bread dough and mineral flavors, with a deep, long, toffee-like finish.
*NV TAITTINGER PRELUDE GRANDS CRUS, $70. Fifty percent Chardonnay from the Grands Crus Avize and Les Mesnil sur Oger; 50 percent Pinot Noir from the Grands Crus Bouzy and Ambonnay. Big, rich, brioche and toasted nut flavors combined with a round, elegant, deliciously balanced finish. BEST OF SHOW
Four-Star Non-Vintage Champagne
Excellent: Wines of exemplary character and quality --
benchmarks of their type
*NV NICHOLAS FEUILLATTE BLUE LABEL BRUT, $30. Plush, round, succulent and creamy, with soft, almondy tones on the finish. Co-BEST VALUE
*NV CHARLES HEIDSIECK BRUT RESERVE (Mise En Cave 1998), $40. Fetching bread dough and mineral nose; rich, medium-weight, mineral and toast flavors.
*NV MONTAUDON BRUT, $30. Creamy, elegant and finely balanced, with a nice hint of toast on the finish. Co-BEST VALUE
*NV PERRIER JOUET GRAND BRUT, $37. Seductive brioche, almond and mineral flavors; good, crisp acidity.
*NV VEUVE CLICQUOT YELLOW LABEL BRUT, $40. Big, forthright, minerally attack; plush, pear-like undertones.
VINTAGE CHAMPAGNE
One hundred percent from a single year; must be aged minimally three years on the yeast.
Five-Star Vintage Champagne
Outstanding: Wines of such remarkable character and quality
as to be in a class by themselves.
*1997 BOLLINGER LA GRANDE ANNEE, $120. Big, rich, palate-coating, bread dough and toffee flavors; lush, elegant finish.
*1996 HENRIOT BRUT MILLESIME, $40. Beautifully knit, subtly composed, brioche, cream and toasted nut flavors.
*1997 LAURENT-PERRIER BRUT MILLESIME, $60. Rich, plush, full-bodied, brioche, mineral and toasted nut flavors; long, elegant finish.
*1996 BRUNO PAILLARD ASSEMBLAGE, $64. Big, powerful, mineral, brioche and toasted hazelnut flavors; deep, long, resonant finish. Co-BEST OF SHOW
*1998 PIPER-HEIDSIECK BRUT VINTAGE, $65. Big, deep, rich, nuanced, toast, nut and mineral flavors; long, rivetting, elegant finish. Co-BEST OF SHOW
*1999 VEUVE CLICQUOT GOLD PONSARDIN LABEL VINTAGE, $60. Big, pronounced, almond and bread dough aromas; plush, elegant, deliciously winsome, toast and cream flavors.
PRESTIGE CUVEE CHAMPAGNE
A luxe, complicated blend kept especially long (five years or more) on the yeast; often -- though not always -- from a single year.
Five-Star Prestige Cuvée Champagne
Outstanding: Wines of such remarkable character and quality
as to be in a class by themselves.
*1999 BOLLINGER R.D., $180. Big, deep, rich, complex, brioche and toffee flavors; long, resonant finish.
*1998 DOM PERIGNON, $160. Quite stylish, with pronounced brioche and cream flavors; lush, classy finish.
*1990 HENRIOT CUVEE DES ENCHANTELEURS, $135. Deep, rich, round, elegant, pear and toasted nut flavors; long, surprisingly fresh (given its age) finish.
*NV KRUG GRANDE CUVEE, $140. Big, deep, rich, brioche, mineral and toasted nut flavors, with a crisp, steely finish that never quits.
*1995 KRUG VINTAGE, $225. Big, rich, powerful, mineral, brioche and toffee flavors that explode on the palate. Co-BEST OF SHOW
*NV LAURENT-PERRIER GRAND SIECLE, $110. Floral aromas; toasted almond flavor notes; lots of finesse, with a nice, lacy, wonderfully seductive character.
*NV PIPER-HEIDSIECK CUVEE RARE, $120. Rich, focused, sublimely elegant, pear and oatmeal flavors; long, lush, succulent finish. Co-BEST OF SHOW
*1996 POL ROGER CUVEE SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL, $225. Big, rich, ripe, pure, pear, and brioche flavors; long, lush, creamy finish.
BLANC DE BLANCS CHAMPAGNE
One hundred percent Chardonnay; when vintage-dated, must be aged minimally three years on the yeast.
Five-Star Blanc de Blancs Champagne
Outstanding: Wines of such remarkable character and quality
as to be in a class by themselves.
*1995 CHARLES HEIDSIECK BLANC DE MILLENAIRES, $95. Crisp, fresh, elegant, oatmeal, pear and cream flavors; plush, round, highly sophisticated finish. BEST OF SHOW
Four-Star Blanc de Blancs Champagne
Excellent: Wines of exemplary character and quality --
benchmarks of their type
*1999 DELAMOTTE BLANC DE BLANCS, $79. Lush, creamy, toffee-like flavors; elegantly balanced finish.
*2000 LOUIS ROEDERER BLANC DE BLANCS, $78. Soft, silky, supremely elegant, almond and pear flavors.
VINTAGE ROSE CHAMPAGNE
Generally made by blending a tiny proportion of red Pinot Noir juice with a large proportion of white juice; as with regular vintage Champagne, must be aged minimally three years on the yeast.
Five-Star Vintage Rosé Champagne
Outstanding: Wines of such remarkable character and quality
as to be in a class by themselves.
*1996 MOET ET CHANDON CUVEE DOM PERIGNON ROSE, $400. Brilliant orange-pink color; nutty, succulent, somewhat smoky, red berry and cream flavors; lush, round, ultra-classy finish. BEST OF SHOW
*1997 LAURENT-PERRIER GRAND SIECLE ALEXANDRA ROSE, $150. Rich, round, succulent red berry flavors; classy stuff.
Four-Star Vintage Rosé Champagne
Excellent: Wines of exemplary character and quality --
benchmarks of their type
*2000 DEUTZ VINTAGE ROSE, $77. Brilliant pale pink color; ripe, zesty, highly refreshing, red berry flavors; crisp, clean, elegant finish.
*1998 HENRIOT VINTAGE ROSE, $80. Deep-burnished salmon color; smooth, plush, succulent, red berry and toasted nut flavors; good underlying acidity.
*1998 POL ROGER VINTAGE ROSE, $92. Brilliant orange-pink color; round, succulent, highly polished, red berry flavors.
NON-VINTAGE ROSE CHAMPAGNE
Generally made by blending a tiny proportion of red Pinot Noir juice with a large proportion of white juice; as with regular non-vintage Champagne, must be aged minimally one year and three months on the yeast.
Five-Star Non-Vintage Rosé Champagne
Outstanding: Wines of such remarkable character and quality
as to be in a class by themselves.
*NV NICHOLAS FEUILLATTE BRUT ROSE, $40. Brilliant, shimmering pink color; fresh, nutty, red berry and nectarine flavors; long, lush finish. BEST OF SHOW
Four-Star Non-Vintage Rosé Champagne
Excellent: Wines of exemplary character and quality --
benchmarks of their type
*NV BRUNO PAILLARD PREMIERE CUVEE ROSE, $56. Pale, salmon-pink hue; deliciously off-dry strawberry flavors; plush, silky finish.
*NV TAITTINGER PRESTIGE ROSE, $65. Brilliant pale pink color; ripe, creamy, red berry flavors; nice, crisp, zesty finish.
© 2007 Tasters Guild Orlando