Special Club Brut Grand Cru Champagne

Sensational Champagne with pale gold color and deep autolytic flavors. Crisp ripe apple and lemon, chalky minerality, subtle raspberry, biscuit, brioche, Acacia, hawthorn, and hazelnut with an achingly long finish showing chalk, flint, honey and biscuit. A dazzling match with pan-seared scallops.

I’ve had a number of Paul Bara N/V’s & a few vintage cuvées, all have been ok to good. This 2016 Special Club stands out as one of the very best I’ve had from this producer.

It is a blend of 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay. Its dosage is 6 g, which makes it just into the lowest level of Brut, which is another reason why I probably enjoy it. Extra Brut has definitely become my wheelhouse. This right now is more 93 to 94. With 5-8 yrs of cellar time, it should improve another point or two.

Paul Bara is one of 28 or 29 special club members currently.

The nose shows; bright, lemon, cream, notes of honey, caramel, lime, zest, pineapple juice, honeydew, and tropical melons, beautiful, chalky powder, yeasty notes, spring, flowers, yellow, lilies and Jasmine.

The mouth entry shows beautiful, mousse and crisp acidity. Meyer lemon, frothed whole milk, cream, notes of honeysuckle & caramel, lime zest, green apple, pineapple juice, honeydew, tangerine, white stone fruits, yellow & red Rainier cherries and tropical melons, touch of fresh herbs beautiful, chalky powder, gritty, grey, volcanic minerals, white spice, limestone, yeasty notes, spring, flowers, yellow, lilies and Jasmine. The finish is; well structured & balanced, elegant, last nearly 2 minutes and falls gently on chalk, volcanic minerals and nice spring florals.

Definitely delicious!

Pairing - green, vinaigrette salad w/ honey crisp apple, pomegranate, heirloom tomatoes, walnuts & more.

Photos of; the Champagne House of Paul Bara, Paul Bara brand Ambassador, library cellar and Bouzy vineyard.

This the 2015 Vintage - from Bouzy Grand Cru - seems so fresh pear/apple ,Brioche, toasted grain , great mousse

Truly spectacular!

“Rain drops, drop top…” this bottle of the 2004 Paul Bara “Special Club” was popped and poured and enjoyed over the course of 90 minutes. The color is a light gold with a significant and persistent mousse. Developing, the nose is redolent of fresh, ripe raspberries, strawberries, peaches, apples, lemons, brioche, and marzipan. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ acidity. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long, rich and delicious and there’s an almost oily texture. I thought this was outstanding on its own and worked very well with both the chicken and duck dish at the table. While this is singing right now, I have little doubt this will continue to age with grace for another 10+ years. A decadent champagne that’s definitely, ahem, “bad and Bouzy”.

In a lovely spot soft complex staring to develop secondaries . Dosage a little high other quite lovely .

Age your special clubs

Subtle and restrained at first but this wine blossoms in the glass (just don’t bother with a flute that would construct the nose). Fine pinpoint bubbles carry aroma of crisp red fruit like wild raspberries and sour cherry, white flowers and lemon zest. Gorgeous grand cru fruit, 70% Pinot noir, 30% Chardonnay. Very long finish with loads of minerality on the close.

So fresh toasty bread honey spiced apples 2005 doing so well

I loved this. So complex and delicious. It had a finish that went on for a minute or more.