CHAMPAGNE TASTING: EGLY-OURIET Grand Cru and more!

FRIDAY, DEC. 18, 4:30-7:30pm Concord

POP THOSE CORKS! Join us for this festive tasting featuring grand cru champagne from top grower EGLY-OURIET. Francis Egly’s outstanding, outsized grand cru champagnes have earned a cult following and raised the bar for distinctive bubbly with extended aging on the lees and disgorgement date on every bottle. Did we mention they’re amazingly delicious???

ROGER COULON Brut “Tradition” $50
“the rare Delicious! wine - that is, a wine that is not only tasty but truly exciting . . . this is the kind of wine you could give to or serve to a wine lover and have a friend for life.” - wsj

PIERRE PETERS BRUT Blanc de Blancs “Grand Cru” $58
“Vivid citrus and green apple aromas are complicated by subtle lees, spice and brioche qualities, as well as a slow-building floral quality. Firm and focused, offering tangy orange and orchard fruit flavors along with anise and sweet butter.”–IWA

GASTON CHIQUET Blanc de Blancs ‘Grand Cru’ $60
Exotically perfumed, smoky bouquet of pungent flowers, pear skin, orange, lime, sweet butter and minerals; smells like a Meursault. Fleshy orchard fruit flavors are complicated by musky herbs, turning nuttier with air.”- IWA

EGLY-OURIET Brut Tradition ‘Grand Cru’ $72  92 pts.
“The blend for the Tradition bottling is 75% pinot noir and 25% chardonnay, all from the grand cru villages Ambonnay, Bouzy and Verzenay. “Energetic lemon, peach pit, pear, redcurrant and honeysuckle on the nose. Spicy, finely etched orchard fruit flavors are given depth and a refreshingly bitter edge by fruit skin and quinine. Gains weight on the broad, chewy, impressively persistent finish.” - IWA

EGLY-OURIET Brut Rose ‘Grand Cru’ $105  92 pts.
“Wild strawberry, cherry skin and potpourri on the nose, which is complicated by candied ginger and gentle leesiness. Supple red fruit flavors are firmed by dusty minerals and given bite by a late note of white pepper. A juicy, deeply flavored pink Champagne that could handle rich fish dishes or aged cheeses.”–IWA

WINE TASTING: Grower Champagnes from the Thierry Thiese Portfolio Fri. Dec. 18, 5-7:30pm, Belmont.

Nothing says “CELEBRATE” like the explosive sound of a champagne cork! Tom Modica from Atlantic Imports will present select grower champagnes from the Thierry Thiese collection. Champagnes for this tasting may include:

We thank all of you for your support in 2008, and wish all of you the very best in the year ahead.

May we make a few bubbly suggestions?

Excellent NVs

EGLY-OURIET NV Brut “Tradition” Grand Cru $72
75% pinot noir; 25% chardonnay. Pale, vivid gold, with a frothy mousse. Energetic lemon, peach pit, pear, redcurrant and honeysuckle on the nose. Spicy, finely etched orchard fruit flavors are given depth and a refreshingly bitter edge by fruit skin and quinine. Gains weight on the broad, chewy, impressively persistent finish.

GUY LARMANDIER NV Brut Vertus 1er Cru $50
Pale silver-straw color, with an energetic mousse. Aromas of talc and mineral salts along with yellow apple, yellow plum and orange oil. Initially firm and crisp on the palate but opens up to show fine-grained apple and white peach flavors that continue to build through the finish. Deceptively powerful and concentrated Champagne with excellent potential.

ROGER COULON NV Brut 1er Cru $50
Yellow-gold. Smoky peach and poached pear aromas are complemented by exotic cherry pit and green cardamom. Fleshy and ripe, with gently ripe orchard fruit and melon flavors supported by soft acidity. Finishes supple and long, with a lingering melon quality.

Superb Sparkling - Burgundy, France

DOM. ALAIN GUILLOT St. Genevieve Extra Brut $33 100% Chardonnay, this Brut sparkling wine is made with no dosage (added sugar), and is aged on the lees for a full five years. The Extra Brut livens the palate with its fine mousse, crisp fruit flavors and great length.

DOM. ALAIN GUILLOT St. Genevieve Brut Rosé $33 From 100% Gamay, with only 6 grams of dosage, this lovely deep salmon-colored rosé is aged on the lees for 48 months. Restrained, elegant style with amazing mineral length, the rose offers red fruit flavors and refreshing acidity. Citrus and stony notes on the finish.

SPARKLING SPECIAL — Champagne Method from Trento, Italy

2000 DORIGATI “METHIUS”Brut Riserva was $66; now 20% off at $52.80!
Produced with 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir; the wine is re-fermented and aged in bottle for about five years. The Methius offers complex and compelling flavors of honey, grapefruit, apple and hazelnut, that linger on the very long finish.

NOTE: A selection of EGLY-OURIET will be opened for tasting in West Concord on Sat. Dec. 6, 2-5pm. Try, before you buy! 

EGLY-OURIET CHAMPAGNE: for those in the “know,” there is no other

Francis Egly, simply put, represents the pinnacle of artisanal winemaking in Champagne.
VINTAGES has championed the champagnes of EGLY-OURIET since our start. We have seen this small estate rise from the obscure to cult status, driven not by trends, but by Egly’s unparalleled standards of excellence. With increased demand, the starting point for champagne these days is high — make sure the dollars you spend are going toward quality and value, not trends and marketing. While other “prestige” champagnes can easily be had for a certain price, Egly-Ouriet champagne is both rare and exceptional. It is produced in microscopic quantities; it has few peers in terms of quality; and if you appreciate fine Champagne, it is certainly worth going any length to acquire.

With vines in Bouzy, Verzenay and in the heart of Ambonnay, Francis Egly is able to craft rich, vinous Champagne with incredible character, grace and length. Most of his vines are 30-40 years old–ancient for Champagne–and are very low-yielding. Egly’s work in the cellar is unparalleled; most of his wines spend years on “fine lees,” which contributes layers of concentration and a profound depth of flavor. Each label is marked with the disgorgement date and amount of time the wine spent on the lees. It is this extra step that shows just how serious a winemaker Francis Egly is, and why his wines are always in high demand.

If you are looking for the finest in Champagne, look no further.

1999 EGLY-OURIET Grand Cru Brut $159 (3 cases avail.) THIS WINE IS NOT IN THE SAT. TASTING!
(Disgorged July, 2008 after eight years on the lees.) “Light, bright yellow, with a frothy mousse. Deep, exotically perfumed bouquet of candied citrus, yellow apple, yellow plum, baking spices and sweet butter, plus an intriguing undertone of smoky minerals. Rich orchard fruit and brioche flavors are underscored by zesty minerals, gaining power and depth with air. Leaves anise and marzipan notes behind on the very long, sappy finish. At once rich and impressively energetic. A blend of 70% pinot noir and 30% chardonnay. 93 pts.“–IWC

NV EGLY-OURIET Brut Rose Grand Cru $105 (2 cases avail.)
(Disgorged July, 2008 after 48 months on the lees) 60% pinot noir and 40% chardonnay. “Bright salmon-tinged pink. Wild strawberry, cherry skin and potpourri on the nose, which is complicated by candied ginger and gentle leesiness. Supple red fruit flavors are firmed by dusty minerals and given bite by a late note of white pepper. A juicy, deeply flavored pink Champagne that could handle rich fish dishes or aged cheeses. 92 pts.” –IWC

NV EGLY-OURIET Blanc de Noirs Brut $135 (2 cases avail.)
(Disgorged July, 2008 after 48 months on the lees) “Bright gold, with a steady bead. Strikingly complex nose offers a kaleidoscopic display of Meyer lemon, blood orange, baking spices and dried flowers. Lush, chewy citrus and pit fruit flavors are complicated by cherry pit and floral pastille qualities, with a late note of cinnamon. Clings impressively on the finish, which strongly echoes the cherry note. These vines are reportedly over 70 years old, from the grand cru Ambonnay. 93 pts.“–IWC

2000 EGLY-OURIET Grand Cru Brut Prestige Millesime $145 (3 cs. avail.)
(Disgorged in April 2008 after 82 mos. on the lees.) 70% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay from 40-year-old vines in Ambonnay, aged completely in barrel (25% new.) Virtually no dosage. Dazzlingly gold in the glass, with aromas of ginger-infused crème bruleé and honeyed nuts, followed by sweet peaches and white flowers. The mouth is luxurious and enticingly rich; oatmeal dotted with butter, a basket of fresh, ripe red berries; a peach turnover with toasted almonds. Like a great Meursault, with bubbles! Very fresh and lively.

EGLY-OURIET Grand Cru Brut “Tradition” $72
“The blend for the Tradition bottling is 75% pinot noir and 25% chardonnay, all from the grand cru villages Ambonnay, Bouzy and Verzenay. Pale, vivid gold, with a frothy mousse. Energetic lemon, peach pit, pear, redcurrant and honeysuckle on the nose. Spicy, finely etched orchard fruit flavors are given depth and a refreshingly bitter edge by fruit skin and quinine. Gains weight on the broad, chewy, impressively persistent finish. 92 pts.”–IWC

Note: VINTAGES quantity discounts start at 6 bottles.