Champagne tasting: Tête de cuvée”

Over the past few years, we have run several events featuring champagne including Champagne 101: An Introduction to champagne, Grower champagnes, and “English” Champagnes.  Now we arrive at the “tête de cuvée”, literally the cream of the crop of champagne.  As the ultimate expression of a house style, the winemakers take a serious and meticulous approach to producing these champagnes, using only the best grapes and often aging them for many years before release.  These wines are typically reserved for only the best years, of which 2008 is considered to be one of, if not the best vintage of champagne. We are extremely fortunate to be able to put together an evening of some of the absolute best champagnes from the 2008 vintage.

The event will comprise of a champagne reception followed by a guided tasting of 7 champagnes, each accompanied by a paired tasting plate intending to highlight the unique flavours of each of the champagnes. 

THE CHAMPAGNES

 The reception champagne: Taittinger

 The tasting champagnes:

Louis Roederer Cristal 2008

60% pinot noir, 40% chardonnay: already something of a legend, this is as good as champagne gets. A vibrant bouquet of crisp fruits, brioche and white flowers, with a pure, powerful and focused palate ending with a long, chalky finish. Average critics score: 98-100

Piper Heidsieck Rare 2008

30% pinot noir, 70% chardonnay: and rare it is. Produced only 11 times since its debut in 1976 and made in small quantities. Usually a rich, radiant chardonnay dominated wine, the 2008 is typical.  Beautifully detailed nose with fresh fruity profile with pineapple, lemon, sweet vanilla and roasted coffee beans meeting liquorice and smoky almonds. The acidity is perfectly bound to the pure, ripe fruitiness, finishing with a palate-cleansing fresh salty tang. Average critics score: 98+

Krug 2008

53% pinot noir, 25% pinot meunier, 22% chardonnay: Krug is unusual for a high-end producer as it is better known for its Grande Cuvee NV than its vintage champagne. Both are high quality, big rich wines with good acidity and the ability to age for decades.  In the case of 2008, we might be drinking it a bit young, and it will likely come across as a tightly wound ball of complexity, showing tastes of iodine, toffee, salted caramel, and some citrus.  Divides the critics who can’t decide if it is little lean for a top Krug vintage (and lacking some of the house’s usually toastiness) or that it just needs a lot more time to come round.  Critics scores range from 94 to 100!

Dom Perignon 2008

50% pinot noir, 50% chardonnay (probably): power and precision, but with a light laciness and elegance that defies the fact that this is a high-volume production. Dense core of ripe lemon fruit, with toasty brioche notes and a hint of smokiness.  Regarded as one of the best Dom’s ever.

Average critics score: 98+

Pol Roger Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill 2008

Pinot noir dominated but the blend is not disclosed: composed exclusively of grapes sourced from Grands Crus Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vineyards which were already under vine during Churchill's lifetime, the style is always one of robustness, a full-bodied character and relative maturity. The rich nose boasts notes of white flowers and freshly baked brioche aromas, then scents of dried fruits and toasted almonds and hazelnuts, combining with a hint of orange zest. The palate is immediately powerful and yet exquisitely well-balanced; refreshing flavours of citrus fruit, notably grapefruit, are coupled with creamy notes of pastry. All followed by a long, lingering finish.  Critics score: 96-100

Bollinger R.D. 2008

71% pinot noir, 29% chardonnay: “RD” means recently disgorged.  The 2008 was only disgorged in November 2022, a few months before its commercial release.  This process makes for a complex and medium to full-bodied wine with subtle hints of sweet patisserie, nuts and yellow apples, but also one with remarkable freshness, minerality and biscuity complexity. Average critics score: 98+

 Philipponnat Clos des Goisses 2008

45% pinot noir, 55% chardonnay:  more chardonnay than is usual because it was a cooler vintage.  Philipponnat were the pioneers of single vineyard champagne. The Clos des Giosses vineyard is a small, very steep chalk hillside overlooking the Marne valley.   Production is small and the wine unique.  With no malolactic fermentation, it is vibrant, fresh and chalky, but also harmonious with waves of fresh fruit and brioche. Average critics score: 97-98