Champagne, France
V17 (so 2017 vintage) April 2019 disgorgement. These wines are made as a single vintage, single vineyard, single varietal and very low dosage. A darling of the grower champagne movement.
The fruit here is crazy intense, both aromatically and on the palate. Spiced prickly pear, mango, oxidized apple and wild herbs. It’s racy and nervy on the palate sporting honeyed stone fruits, limestone and sea salt. Didn’t pick up much yeast character as this is fairly lean, but the slight autolysis flair was welcomed and gave this a nice boost in complexity. For being so low in dosage, this is surprisingly (in a good way) full bodied and even somewhat creamy in texture. Very enjoyable. Thanks for helping me get my hands on a bottle @joe leatherwood .
V17 (so 2017 vintage) April 2019 disgorgement. These wines are made as a single vintage, single vineyard, single varietal and very low dosage. A darling of the grower champagne movement.
The fruit here is crazy intense, both aromatically and on the palate. Spiced prickly pear, mango, oxidized apple and wild herbs. It’s racy and nervy on the palate sporting honeyed stone fruits, limestone and sea salt. Didn’t pick up much yeast character as this is fairly lean, but the slight autolysis flair was welcomed and gave this a nice boost in complexity. For being so low in dosage, this is surprisingly (in a good way) full bodied and even somewhat creamy in texture. Very enjoyable. Thanks for helping me get my hands on a bottle @joe leatherwood .
Bouchard’s Blanc de Noirs Val Vilaine is especially strong in 2017 and also a fabulous introduction to this range of magnificent Champagnes. Beautifully resonant and inviting, the 2017 is so gorgeous. Pear, baked apple, dried flowers, mint and spice all build as the 2017 opens up in the glass. More than anything else, the 2017 impresses with its poise and raciness. The slightly reductive character found in some previous releases is not present in the 2017, and that really lets the purity of the fruit shine through. Bouchard does not push this site to the degree he does most of his other vineyards, so the Val Vilaine doesn’t quite offer the complexity of the top wines here, but words really can’t do justice to just how delicious the 2017 is. Don’t miss it. No dosage. Disgorged: April, 2019. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, December 2019)
Bouchard’s Blanc de Noirs Val Vilaine is especially strong in 2017 and also a fabulous introduction to this range of magnificent Champagnes. Beautifully resonant and inviting, the 2017 is so gorgeous. Pear, baked apple, dried flowers, mint and spice all build as the 2017 opens up in the glass. More than anything else, the 2017 impresses with its poise and raciness. The slightly reductive character found in some previous releases is not present in the 2017, and that really lets the purity of the fruit shine through. Bouchard does not push this site to the degree he does most of his other vineyards, so the Val Vilaine doesn’t quite offer the complexity of the top wines here, but words really can’t do justice to just how delicious the 2017 is. Don’t miss it. No dosage. Disgorged: April, 2019. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, December 2019)
Gosh, this shit rocks! Takeout sushi at home... amazing fatty tuna sashimi..: of course champagne. Gorgeous balance, brilliant tiny bubbles, and impeccable lightness of being (sorry lit majors). I’m searching out more of this in recent years. For good reason. At this price point, why ever drink anything else? Green apple, pear, lemon pith..and absolute pleasure.
Gosh, this shit rocks! Takeout sushi at home... amazing fatty tuna sashimi..: of course champagne. Gorgeous balance, brilliant tiny bubbles, and impeccable lightness of being (sorry lit majors). I’m searching out more of this in recent years. For good reason. At this price point, why ever drink anything else? Green apple, pear, lemon pith..and absolute pleasure.
Mar 20th, 2021
At this point, my favorite young vintage of this wine (from V12-current).
At this point, my favorite young vintage of this wine (from V12-current).
Feb 15th, 2020
