Champagne

While the rest of France´s ranking system is based upon "terroir" and complex "appelation" with classifications, Champagne is very simple as it is solely based upon the reputation of the different champagne houses. Champagne is normally non vintage to protect the same "image or reputation" year after year. The good thing about the non vintage champagne is that you know what you get.

The bad thing is that it´s actually like blended whisky and can sometimes be quite thin and acidic as the vines are young and the grapes are picked under-ripe to increase the yields.

Careful attention to the style of the different champagne houses is therefore a must.

The best champagne come from the area south and north of Epernay where one will find the best champagne houses, co-ops or growers. Champagne is made from three grapes; Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir.

A visit to Champagne is worthwhile, there are 1 billion bottles stored underneath the area, in Epernay there are houses with tens of kms of underground tunnels which can be toured.

The best champagnes that we have tasted come from;

Billecart-Salmon (especially the rose)

Bollinger (Special Cuvee)

Deutz (especially Blanc de Blancs, i.e 100% Chardonnay)

Egly- Ouriet (small domaine)

Henriot (especially Blanc de blancs)

Krug (luxury stuff very smooth)

Larmandier- Bernier

Moet Chandon (sells 25 millions bottles a year, including Dom Perignon!)

Pommery

Roederer (Blanc de blancs)

Taittinger (vintage ones)

Veuve Clicqot

"Come I am tasting the stars!"--Attributed by legend to Dom Pérignon (1638-1714)

Comments

Leoville Lascases 1988

Last week was a special week for me as I received my last pay check from my previous employer. An event that required some sort of celebration with some good friends. Of the many bottles opened during that evening was a Leoville Lascases 1988. This Bordeaux wine from St. Julien is second Grand cru classee but it has the quality of a first growth. This chateau was also the wine that made me change from beer to wine as I had the pleasure of tasting a Leoville Lascases 1945 back in 88. The 1945 just knocked me off my guard and I remember thinking what a fantastic wine it was and what an experience to drink this wine from the year when world war 2 ended. I was in shock and I then just decided to enter into the world of wine. I have always had a soft spot for this chateau ever since. And to my pleasure it has been performing well at much more reasonable prices than the much more expensive first growths in the 1855 classification. Nowadays a bottle of this wine costs around ...

Condrieu 2014 by Cuilleron

In the steep hills north in the Rhone valley there is a small appelation which is called Condrieu. Here the rare grape of Viognier is grown. A grape not well known to many people but which gives a fantastic wine when grown here. It is a full bodied white with a very pronounced and overwhelming smell of flower, peach, apricot, tropical fruit etc. The taste is dominated by ripe fruit, medium acidity and a long finish. Very good to outstanding quality. This is not a white for the fainthearted as the style is rather opulent. But with 2 year old Comte it is the perfect match. Cuilleron (manager) has many different styles. The wine is pricy and rare to get hold of. Condrieu 2014 "La Petite Cote" Yves Cuilleron ca 30€ or 400 nok

Chianti Riserva 2016

Castello de Farnatello has a basic Chianti and a Riserva on the market. Both of them are good value for money. We tried the Riserva the other day, in two different glasses; Riedel Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. The Syrah glass is more closed at the top (to the right). The colour of the wine is medium red and the nose discrete smell of cherries, leather and nuts. Attractive acidity with a firm well balanced taste. This is perfect with lamb for ex. 5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Merlot has been added to the wine as well and that gives it more body than the pure Sangiovese. And which glass works best? The Syrah glass enhances the smell much more than the CS glass in which the wine seems much more closed. Chianti Riserva 2016, Castello de Farnatello Ca 230 kr or 13euro

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