5 Grower Champagnes + 98 Cacheux Echezeaux

[Baby Chickpea]

Dinner at Mixing Pot in Glebe. They are very well priced (typically 40-50% below the NV cuvees from commercial houses) and are worth a look for something different.

1999 Launois Pére & Fils Grand Cru Blanc de Blanc (Les Mesnil-Sur-Oger)
From 60-70 year old vines. 100% chardonnay. Dosage 8g/L. Light yellow. Bouquet incredibly buttery, aldehydic, slight H2S, bready with a hint of lemon. Very reductive and heavy-on-lees ageing style which is difficult to enjoy. Good length. Balanced and elegant. Nice wine and palate superior to “worked” nose. A Salon “copy”? – not according to me. PS – I Across the road is Krug’s ‘Clos du Mesnil’ vineyard.
85 / 100

1999 Laherte Frères et Fils Cuvée Prestige Brut Millésime (Chavot)
85% chardonnay; 15% pinot meunier. 7g/L. Light yellow. Nose is cleaner, fresher, crispier and more tangy than the Launois. Hints of lime and citrus. Slightly one dimensional and not as pungent. Palate has longer length and better structure than Launois. New oak slightly shows (vanilla). Good solid wine and WOTN.
87 / 100

1999 José B. Michel Le Chardon (Pierry)
85% chardonnay; 15% pinot meunier. 10g/L. No oak; only stainless steel. Light straw yellow. Plenty of frothing bubbles and very fine mousse (best so far). Nose is youthful and flowery yet closed. Good. Palate is simple, and one dimensional. Nothing stands out. A Hyundai wine – well made but forgettable. PS – they make a 100% pinot meunier (I have not tried it but will seek it out).
84 / 100

NV Tarlant La Vigne d’Antan Non Greffée Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut (Oeuilly)
Blend of vintages 1998/99. Made from ungrafted original chardonnay rootstock planted in 1961. 2g/L. Light yellow. Bouquet is powerful and raw. Palate simple. Like 99% of TV today – boring. PS – Also makes a 100% pinot meunier.
83 / 100

1998 Marc Hebrart Brut Millésime (Mareuil-sur-Ay)
80% pinot noir; 20% chardonnay. 8g/L. Mild yellow. Dead mousse. Nose is very yeasty, counterpointed by freshly cut lemons. Pretty ho-hum palate with not much that is interesting (albeit richer in style). Bland.
84 / 100

2003 Bret Brothers Viré-Clessé La Verchère (Maconnais)
Light yellow. Nose of pear, quince, butter. Very nice tropical overtones. Palate is a shocker – bitter, grungy, oak-a-go-go zone with 14% alcohol dominating the anaemic fruit. 45-year old vines’ fruit is wasted. Makes Aussie cask wine look like Chevalier-Montrachet!
82 / 100

1998 Jacques Cacheux & Fils Echezeaux (Vosne-Romanée)
Mid red with good clarity. Bouquet of floral petals, touch of oak, fragrant red fruit and seaweed. Palate is youthful, with abundant acidity. Still hard and tightly closed. Needs time.
85 / 100

2000 Dominque Laurent Nuits-St.-Georges
Lighter red and showing more age than the Cacheux. Nose more approachable with floral nuances, vanilla oak, sweet strawberries. Palate is good but unexciting and finished hard. Tastes of cherries. Nice and quaffable for now. Not a bad effort. For the price (A$50) would stand up very well against its Aussie behemoths. In fact better than 90% of Aussie pinots under $50.
86 / 100

[Adair]

In fact better than 90% of Aussie pinots under $50.

Danny,

Out of interest, would you mind giving some examples of the 10% of Australian Pinot Noir better than the 2000 Dominque Laurent under $50 ?

Thanks,
Adair

[Baby Chickpea]

...Umm, er, perhaps Bannockburn? That's 10%!

[Adair]

...Umm, er, perhaps Bannockburn? That's 10%!

Just as I thought!

Adair