31 Dec
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December 21, 2010, 1:49 pm
10 Champagnes Worth Seeking Out
By ERIC ASIMOV
Tony Cenicola/The New York Times
Eric Asimov is the wine critic for the Times.
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My column in the dining section this week is on the world of French sparkling wine beyond
Champagne. To a certain extent, you could look at these bottles as Champagne replacements.
They are cheaper . topping out at $30, which is about where basic Champagne begins
nowadays. They can certainly step in and serve in the celebratory role at which Champagne
excels.
Still, as much as I enjoy all ends of the sparkling wine spectrum, nothing quenches my
desire for Champagne itself. Champagne from big houses, from small houses, blanc de blancs
especially but blanc de noirs as well, rose occasionally, single-vineyard Champagne
always. I.m especially fascinated by the small farmers who make their own Champagnes, the
so-called grower-producers.
These wines are often more distinctive than those from the big houses, which may be blends
of grapes from all ends of the Champagne region. By contrast, the Champagnes from small
producers are far more likely to exhibit the terroir from a more narrowly defined area,
say, Vertus in the Cote des Blancs or Ambonnay in the Montagne de Reims, rather than a
blend of the two.
Often, but not always, you can tell a grower by a tiny two-letter code on the label. If it
says RM, for recoltant-manipulant, you can be confident the wine will have been made and
bottled by a producer who owns almost all of the vineyards. But you can.t always be sure
it.s not a grower-producer if the code reads NM, for negociant-manipulant. That.s because
French inheritance laws sometimes require an estate to be divided up among siblings. A
small producer who has to buy 50 percent of his grapes does not qualify legally as a RM,
even if he.s buying the grapes from his brother, who owns contiguous vines. One must
verify.
I have many favorite grower producers, but I thought I would single out 10 whose
Champagnes are consistently worth seeking out and for the most part should not be too
difficult to find.
1. Cedric Bouchard . Unusual and almost Burgundian pinot-noir dominated cuvees have gained
a cult following.
2. Ulysse Collin . Blanc de blancs with razor-sharp focus.
3. Roger Coulon . Wines with great finesse. All but the top cuvee are made with a high
percentage of pinot meunier.
4. Jose Dhondt . Superb dry, minerally blanc de blancs.
5. Egly-Ouriet . Excellent Champagnes, dominated by pinot noir or pinot meunier.
6. Pierre Gimonnet . Crisp, precise blanc de blancs.
7. Godme Pere & Fils . Excellent blanc de noirs.
8. Larmandier-Bernier . Superb Champagnes from the Cote des blancs. I especially like the
pure, terroir-specific Terre de Vertus.
9. Pierre Moncuit . Very fine, focused blanc de blancs.
10. Camille Saves . Lively Champagnes from Bouzy. The Carte Blanche brut is a great value.
11. Vilmart & Cie . Complex, textured and distinctive.
Oops, 11 rather than 10. My bad.
i
The ever-expanding realm of Champagne. (Photo: Craig Lee/Special to The Chronicle)
After reading Eric Asimov.s list on the New York Times. blog of 10 (OK, 11) of his
favorite Champagne labels, and seeing as I.ve had Champagne on the brain a lot lately, why
not circle back to it one more time?
I loved Eric's list of mostly small grower-producers . would especially second his
choices of Cedric Bouchard, Larmandier-Bernier and Egly-Ouriet, plus Vilmart (rising with
a bullet). So even though I.ve done a brain dump of favorite bubblies before, I couldn.t
resist the chance to add to the roster with a list of 10 more irresistible choices. And
this doesn.t even include some of my favorite larger names, like Gosset and Ruinart.
Here.s hoping that the sum total of all this bubbly name-dropping has convinced you to
branch out. I.ll be off for the holidays for a few days, so see you on the other side.
Happy drinking!
1) Varnier-Fanniere: From the town of Avize, in the prime Chardonnay territory of the
Cote des Blancs, this tiny label proves that grower Champagne can still be thoroughly
decadent. This is powerful, ripe grand cru Chardonnay-driven Champagne, with opulence
written all over it.
2) Marc Hebrart: Hebrart, located in Mareuil-sur-Ay, has a specialty in his Special Club
bottlings, the expressions meant to represent the best bottlings of the 26 grower members
of the Club Tresors de Champagne. But his Rive Gauche-Rive Droite, an oak-aged expression
of his Special Club effort, is stellar too. Hebrart is also married to Isabelle Diebolt,
who helps run the Diebolt-Vallois label (more on that later), so this is a family that
drinks well.
3) Jacquesson: This small Dizy house is notable for the decision by Jean-Herve and Laurent
Chiquet to bottle their mostly oak-aged nonvintage effort under a successively numbered
series of cuvees: Cuvee 733, Cuvee 734 and so on. These are extraordinary examples of a
small negociant label supremely focused on quality.
4) Franck Bonville: It.s always a pleasure when the nonvintage Blanc de Blancs from this
Chardonnay house in Avize appears on K&L shelves. Quite simply, one of the best deals
in grower Champagne.
5) Gaston Chiquet: The other branch of the Chiquet family, down the road from their
Jacquesson relatives, are holding up their end of things equally well. The entire Chiquet
lineup is superb, but the Blanc de Blancs d.Ay . old-vine Chardonnay grown in the Pinot
Noir soils of Ay . is a unique and memorable bottle.
6) Leclerc Briant: Bottles of this biodynamic-focused Epernay producer have been scarcer
since Pascal Leclerc Briant passed away last month. I.m hoping they return soon. The house
specializes in single-plot bottlings from several vineyards; the Chevres Perrieuses, from
Cumieres, is a spectacularly dramatic wine.
7) Agrapart: This Avize house does a great job blending among its dozens of parcels in
mostly grand cru villages. The 7 Crus (from Avize, Cramant, Oger, Oiry, Avenay Val d.Or,
Bergeres-les-Vertus and Mardeuil, over two vintages) in particular is an amazing value in
Champagne.
8 ) Drappier: This historic house in the Aube region remains a benchmark for Pinot
Noir-dominant wines from that southern part of Champagne.
9) Gonet-Medeville: While I.m completely partial to the wines of the tiny Cramant house of
Diebolt-Vallois, they share a U.S. importer (Martine.s Wines) with this 10-year-old label,
a partnership between husband-and-wife Xavier Gonet (whose family runs the house of
Philippe Gonet) and Julie Medeville, whose family owns Chateau Gillette in Sauternes.
These are forward, pretty wines.
10) Gatinois: This is for the advanced-placement crowd, mostly because it.s virtually
impossible to find in California. This jewel of a house in Ay makes a tiny amount of
muscular, Pinot-driven grand cru Champagne with extraordinary depth. The Rosén particular
is intense and yet refined enough to pair with an entire meal.
bennett44
1:06 PM on December 27, 2010
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Gaston-Chiquet rocks! We were in the region last May. We were treated to a wonderful
afternoon of tasting and tour by Msr Antoine Chiquet. Also the champagnes from the Les
Riceys were incredible. Very intense and playful rose champagnes, especially the house of
Morize et Fils. We stated near the village of Le Breuil which has several small houses.
Check out the houses of Phillipe or Antoine Mignon. Such an incredible region. Visit a
couple of large producers (really liked Pommery) but visit as many small producers in
different regions.
latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-wow-20101231,0,3150113.story
latimes.com
Wines of the Week: Four Champagne picks for New Year's Eve
December 30, 2010
Advertisement
H. Goutorbe Brut Premier Cru 'CuvéPrestige,' Champagne Laherte Frès Rosée
Saigné'Les Beaudiers,' Champagne Paul Bara Brut Grand Cru 'Grand Rosé
Champagne Philipponnat Non DoséRoyale Rérve'
Dry and delicately yeasty, Goutorbe "CuvéPrestige" comes alive in the mouth and
finishes long and lovely. This respected producer's Champagne has masses of tiny
bubbles and beautiful balance. Importer Thierry Thiese knows how to pick 'em. Under
$50.
Available at Liquid Wine & Spirits in Chatsworth, (818) 709-5019
begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (818) 709-5019
end_of_the_skype_highlighting; http://www.liquidpartyworks.com; Wine Exchange in Orange,
(714) 974-1454 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (714) 974-1454
end_of_the_skype_highlighting, http://www.winex.com; Wine Expo in Santa Monica, (310)
828-4428 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (310) 828-4428
end_of_the_skype_highlighting.
Champagne Laherte Frès Rosée Saigné'Les Beaudiers'
This is a unique Champagne made entirely with Pinot Meunier by a small grower in the
village of Chavot. The first impression of this pale pink Champagne is raspberries and
wild herbs. Second impression: dry and crisp with a lingering finish. Exquisite, and a
wonderful bargain at around $38.
Available at Hi-Time Wine Cellars in Costa Mesa, (949) 650-8463
begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (949) 650-8463
end_of_the_skype_highlighting, http://www.hitimewine.net; Mission Wines in South Pasadena,
(626) 403-9463 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (626) 403-9463
end_of_the_skype_highlighting, http://www.missionwines.com; Palate Food + Wine in
Glendale, (818) 662-9463 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (818) 662-9463
end_of_the_skype_highlighting, http://www.palatefoodwine.com; the Wine House in West Los
Angeles, (310) 479-3731 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (310) 479-3731
end_of_the_skype_highlighting, http://www.winehouse.com
Champagne Paul Bara Brut Grand Cru 'Grand Rosé
You could say Paul Bara has experience: six generations of it since 1833. A rosy salmon in
color, this Grand Cru rosés dry and subtle with miniscule bubbles and a hint of pink
grapefruit. The finish tastes of wild strawberries. It would be great with charcuterie and
salumi and probably goose. From $42 to $50.
Available at Envoyer Fine Wines in Laguna Hills, (949) 701-9175
begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (949) 701-9175
end_of_the_skype_highlighting, http://www.envoyerfinewines.com; Hi-Time Wine Cellars in
Costa Mesa, (949) 650-8463 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (949) 650-8463
end_of_the_skype_highlighting, http://www.hitimewine.net; Silverlake Wine in Los Angeles,
(323) 662-9024 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (323) 662-9024
end_of_the_skype_highlighting; http://www.silverlakewine.com; Vendome Liquors in Toluca
Lake, (818) 766-9593 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (818) 766-9593
end_of_the_skype_highlighting, http://www.vendometolucalake.com; The Wine Club in Santa
Ana, (714) 835-6485 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (714) 835-6485
end_of_the_skype_highlighting, http://www.thewineclub.com; The Wine Country in Signal
Hill, (562) 597-8303 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (562) 597-8303
end_of_the_skype_highlighting, http://www.thewinecountry.com; Wine Expo in Santa Monica,
(310) 828-4428 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (310) 828-4428
end_of_the_skype_highlighting.
Champagne Philipponnat Non DoséRoyale Rérve'
The bubbles just keep coming in Philipponnat's "Royale Rérve." Note the
words "non dosé or no dosage. This refers to the syrup of Champagne, sugar and
sometimes spirits that usually is added after the first fermentation. That's why this
version is so dry and crisp. Yet it's also supple and lush, a truly elegant sip.
Great with food, this Champagne bears noticing. About $60.
Du Vin Wine & Spirits in West Hollywood, (310) 855-1161
begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (310) 855-1161
end_of_the_skype_highlighting, http://www.du-vin.com; and Wine Exchange in Orange, (714)
974-1454 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (714) 974-1454
end_of_the_skype_highlighting, http://www.winex.com.
Copyright © 2010, Los Angeles Times
Truths about sparkling wine bubble to the surface
Dave McIntyre
Special to The Washington Post
Tuesday, December 28, 2010; 3:13 PM
We tend to call any sparkling wine "champagne," a tribute to the region that
even today defines the genre. But that's unfair, not only to the makers of true
champagne, who deserve the right to protect their product's image, but also to
producers elsewhere, by denying their sparkling wines their own character and identity.
In the end, it's unfair to lump them all together and deprive ourselves of the fun of
exploring different styles, flavors and terroirs from around the world. It is more than
bubbles, to those of us who care: We want to taste the earth the vines grew in and the
sweat of the hands that tended them.
France's efforts to protect the name "champagne" for sparkling wines made
in the Champagne region have largely succeeded. The U.S. government, under intense
lobbying pressure from a few American producers that had long used the name, won a
concession for a few wines to continue being labeled "champagne." Those
companies apparently lack enough confidence in their wines to allow them to succeed or
fail on their own merits.
I was reflecting on that recently while savoring a glass of Cuvee Ludwig Hahn, a modest
sparkling wine with no appellation controllee designation on the label. It is produced in
the far western region of France's Loire Valley by Guy Bossard, the owner and
winemaker of Domaine de l'Ecu, one of my favorite Muscadet producers. Bossard
practices biodynamic viticulture, the "beyond organic" school of farming that
inspires near-religious devotion from its followers and cultish opposition from its
detractors.
The Cuvee Ludwig Hahn is a blend of Folle Blanche, chardonnay, Melon de Bourgogne (the
grape of muscadet) and a surprising dollop of cabernet sauvignon. In no way could it be
mistaken for champagne, and, at $24, it isn't cheap. Yet the wine is beautifully
expressive of earth and fruit, and full-bodied in an almost casual way that contrasts with
the formality of champagne.
It's probably not for everyone, but I love it.
I have never met Bossard, but in tasting his wines I imagine a grower who is comfortable
allowing his grapes to express themselves naturally, with minimal intervention. He guides
the wines into bottle without imposing preconceived notions of a house style, and he
accepts whatever a vintage gives him as the voice of his vineyard's terroir.
France offers dozens if not hundreds of sparkling wines as alternatives to champagne. Most
are called cremant, a term that used to apply to a sparkling wine with less pressure
(bubbles) than champagne but now refers to wines made outside the Champagne region by the
traditional champagne method. Cremant de Bourgogne, typically made with chardonnay, most
resembles champagne. Cremants from Alsace and the Loire typically use regional grapes and
often are excellent values. Other styles, such as Blanquette de Limoux and Clairette de
Die, are lightly effervescent and slightly sweet.
Chenin blanc is the mainstay grape of Loire Valley sparkling wines. Two new ones in our
market are particularly good. The Chateau de l'Aulee Brut Cremant de Loire is gutsy
and earthy, rich and flirtatious, with flavors of mutsu apples and Bosc pears and a hint
of sweetness. The Triple Zero, from winemaker Jacky Blot's Domaine de La Taille aux
Loups in the sub-appellation of Montlouis-sur-Loire, is almost the exact opposite in
style. Blot uses extra-ripe grapes from 50-year-old vines and does not add sugar: not
during primary fermentation, not at bottling (when sparkling wines are often topped off
with sugar and yeasts to induce the secondary fermentation and bubbles), not when the
bottled wine is disgorged, or cleared of sediment. The result is a nearly clear wine with
bracing minerality, a laserlike focus and precision, and gentle bubbles that tickle the
palate.
So the next time you raise a glass of bubbly, be it champagne, cremant, prosecco from
Italy, Spanish cava or American sparkling wine, take a moment to appreciate what the wine
is trying to tell you. You might find yourself uttering another toast: Vive la difference!
Recommended sparkling wines
Monday, December 27, 2010; 7:43 PM
Jacky Blot La Taille aux Loups Triple Zero *** Montlouis-sur-Loire, France, $26
This wine, from old-vine chenin blanc, is tight and focused, with impressive minerality.
It is a cremant to impress champagne lovers, and it really perks up even more with food -
another reminder that these are, above all, wines and not just vehicles for bubbles. This
is new to the market and not yet widely available.
Country Vintner: Available in the District at Cork Market; on the list at Cork. Available
in Maryland at I.M. Wine in Fulton and Longmeadow Wine & Liquors in Hagerstown. On the
list in Virginia at Brix in Great Falls.
Francis Mure Brut ** 1/2 Alsace, France, $18 (Great Value)
This cremant, a blend of pinot blanc, pinot gris and Riesling, is quite delicious, with
tart peach and apricot flavors, medium depth and a satisfying, dry finish.
Ansonia: Available in the District at Ansonia Wines and Wagshal's Market; on the list
at Eola.
Chateau de l'Aulee Brut ** 1/2 Loire, France, $20
This is 100 percent chenin blanc, produced using sustainable farming practices. It is rich
and rather forward in style, somewhat oxidative, with flavors of Mutsu and Granny Smith
apples. Don't think of this as champagne; it is less refined, more gutsy and earthy,
and very fun. This cremant's richness calls out for food, and it should be popular at
Chinese restaurants.
Bacchus: On the list in the District at Central Michel Richard. Available in Maryland at
Chesapeake Wine Co., Wine Market and Wine Source in Baltimore; Wine Cellars of Annapolis;
Fairground Discount Beverages in Timonium; Town & Country Wine Liquor Etc. and Wishing
Well Liquors in Easton.
Domaine de l'Ecu Cuvee Ludwig Hahn Brut ** 1/2 Loire, France, $23
This certified biodynamic wine is an unusual blend of Folle Blanche, chardonnay, Melon de
Bourgogne and cabernet sauvignon; it is charmingly earthy and expressive in a way that
seems designed to challenge our preconceptions of what a sparkling wine should be.
Kysela: Available in the District at MacArthur Beverages. On the list in Maryland at
Woodberry Kitchen in Baltimore. Available in Virginia at Barrel Thief Wine Shop
(Patterson) in Richmond, Let's Talk Wine in Chesapeake, Timeless Wines in Winchester.
Simonnet-Febvre Brut Rose ** 1/2 Burgundy, France, $20
A scintillating rose from a Chablis specialist, beautifully focused and refreshing. It
approaches champagne in quality.
M. Touton Selection: Available in the District at Bell Wine & Spirits, Calvert
Woodley, Circle Wine & Liquor, Cleveland Park Wine and Spirits, Magruder's,
Paul's of Chevy Chase, Potomac Wine & Spirits, Rodman's. Available in
Maryland at the Bottle Shop in Potomac; Cork & Fork in Bethesda; Franklin Liquors in
Ijamsville; Franklin's Restaurant, Brewery and General Store in Hyattsville; the
Tasting Room Wine Bar & Shop in Chevy Chase; Viniferous and Old Farm Liquors in
Frederick. On the list at Shab Row Bistro in Frederick.
Albert Bichot Brut Reserve ** Burgundy, France, $24
Rich and supple, with apple and apricot flavors, this delightful wine is relaxed,
copacetic and happy with any number of foods, thank you very much.
Constantine: Available in the District at Broad Branch Market, Cleveland Park Wine and
Spirits, Cork 'N Bottle, De Vinos.
Key
***Exceptional **Excellent *Very Good
Prices are approximate. Check Winesearcher.com to verify availability, or ask a favorite
wine store to order through a distributor.
View all comments that have been posted about this article.
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