Taittinger Champagne (Balthazar 12L) in Wood box NV

Tasting Notes...

Dom Perignon Vintage Champagne is the flagship wine from the House of Moet et Chandon.
A vintage, Cellar Master, Vincent Chaperon is convinced has been misguidedly overlooked. 54% Chardonnay, 46% Pinot Noir. Dosage 5g/l.
Amazingly, obviously, Dom P on the nose – the powerful lemon-mousse nose came soaring out of the glass long before my nose got anywhere near it. Massive intensity of complex aroma hints that this might be a little blowsy on the palate but not a bit of it. It's really tense and tight on the palate and has a certain fumey smokiness to the very concentrated palate. But its most marked feature is the persistence of the finish. This, along with the concentration, makes us confident we will be seeing this in a Plentitude 2 version in later years. Jancis Robinson scored 18.5/20

Tasting Notes...

Several different clones of cool Wairau Valley Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes are used in Cloudy Bay Pelorus Brut; after harvesting, they are gently pressed and the juice is given a short period of settling before being inoculated with pure Montrachet yeast. After fermentation in a mixture of stainless steel and oak barrels, the wines are left on their lees for eight months to develop their flavour prior to blending, and then left for a further three months before bottling and ageing for a further two years.

All this attention to detail, pays off in the final wine with its pale straw colour and aromas of ripe citrus fruits that indicate its Chardonnay base. A layered bouquet of apple and lemon citrus complements fresh bready notes derived from the two years in bottle on the lees. The deliciously crisp palate displays toasty, creamy complexity, enhanced by a lingering nutty finish

Tasting Notes...

Macabeo, Xarelálo and Parellada grapes from their own DO Cava vineyards. Made following the Traditional Method, it has been aged and matured in their cellars at Sant SadurnÌ_ d‰ÛªAnoia. Pale yellow, with floral and honey notes, it is fresh, balanced, fruity and with fine bubbles. Ideal as an aperitif and for accompanying rice dishes, fish, seafood and grilled white or red meats