Tom Gable, APR, PRSA Fellow’s Post

　 Académie du Vin Tokyo Lecture on December 21, 2024 Topic: Les grands clos de Champagne 2002 https://lnkd.in/gVW7DzS6 　 1. Krug Clos d'Ambonnay 2002                   2. Jean Vesselle Le Petit Clos 2002                          3. Billecart-Salmon Le Clos Saint-Hilaire 2002 4. Bollinger Vieilles Vignes Françaises 2002 5. Philipponnat Clos des Goisses 2002        6. (Wine X) Cristal 2002                              7. Krug Clos du Mesnil 2002                       　 Twelve educated enthusiasts tasted above seven wines in blind format. All the wines were in fine condition. Wine #5 Clos des Goisses showed the deepest color of all, reminded us of sunlight reflection from Canal Latéral à la Marne. Paradoxically Wine #6 Cristal was the palest, although the bottle was disgorged much earlier than the others. 　 Krug Clos d'Ambonnay was the most popular wine in the evening receiving four votes, followed by Clos du Mesnil with three. Bollinger Vieilles Vignes Françaises and Cristal received each two votes. 　 Years ago we have conducted similar flights featuring Champagne originated from ‘Clos’ with earlier vintages. In the past we found some Blanc de Noirs Champagne were excessively heavy due to low acidity, particularly with 1999 vintage. It was a pleasant surprise that such brands were balanced this time with refreshing acidity presumably due to cool nights just before the harvest. 　 I personally loved Krug Clos du Mesnil for its biscuity flavor with vivid effervescence. High acid was balanced by viscosity and the lemony after-taste last long. 　 After the tasting and presentation, tasters debated whether ‘Clos Champagne’ is superior to ‘Blended Champagne’. There were several opinions but clear consensus was that ‘Clos Champagne yields more money’ as we see more and more new ‘Clos’ appears in the region. 

When it comes to celebrating special occasions, Champagne is often the drink of choice, but its high cost can be prohibitive. For those looking to enjoy the sparkle without breaking the bank, sparkling wine serves as a budget-friendly alternative. While true Champagne must originate from the Champagne region of France, many refer to all sparkling wines as Champagne, even though they may come from different regions around the world. Despite this technicality, many sparkling wines offer similar flavor profiles and the same festive bubbles. In an effort to find the best affordable "Champagne," the author sampled 12 popular and widely available sparkling wines that are easier on the wallet. These selections, although not true Champagnes, are meant to provide the same celebratory experience at a fraction of the cost. The wines were ranked based on their taste, bubble quality, and overall value, providing a helpful guide for those who want to enjoy a sparkling wine that feels special without spending too much. The rankings give readers an idea of which sparkling wines offer the best balance of flavor and price, making it easier to choose a bottle for any festive occasion. Whether you're celebrating a wedding, anniversary, or just enjoying a casual get-together, these budget-friendly sparkling wines can help make any moment feel a bit more special.

Understand the nuances of Champagne and sparkling wines, their flavors, production methods, and ideal pairings. Explore different styles and find your perfect bubbly match. https://hubs.la/Q02YmZ1r0

The Forgotten Grapes of Champagne are making a comeback!   This is a statement I made a few years ago, which was met by a lot of resistance, and more than a few raised eyebrows. These four grapes were ripped out after WWII because of their low yield, late ripening and susceptibility to disease, but with climate change and improved technology, they are now showing incredible potential. Don't get me wrong, they will never replace the noble grapes of Champagne, but Arbane and Petit Meslier are showing great capability to retain acidity even in riper years. This will be an asset if temperatures go up even in the slightest. On the other hand, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris are a fascinating way to showcase terroir through a different lens. They are fruit forward and their smoky and nutty aromatics make them approachable and complex even in their youth. I believe that with recent vintages being so ripe, in particular the 2018 vintage, a lot of producers have decided to replace a small portion of their vines with one of these four grapes. The figures from the Comité Champagne have specified that 0.3% of the appellation is planted in forgotten varietals. I wouldn't be surprised if this doubled in the next five to ten years. This would result in just over 200 ha under vine or 1.5 to 2 million equivalent bottles produced per year. Compelled to share the story of these cépages d'antan, I have put together a list of all the cuvées containing one or more of these grapes. What I thought would be quickly compiled into a short list of 20 or 30 has grown to over 70 wines including 8 coteaux champenois. To explore these wines in depth, I now have almost a dozen of these bottles in my cellar and will be opening them up for a tasting in Singapore. Should you be interested in joining for what promises to be a hell of a tasting, send me a message. The full list of wines can be found here: https://lnkd.in/dvJ5YHZT

www.Virgin.com Virgin www.VirginWines.co.uk Virgin Wines! CRÉMANT is the name for French 🇫🇷 «Sparkling Wine» that’s made outside of the www.Champagne.fr Comité Champagne 🥂 🍾 appellation. It is hard to properly celebrate without the pop of a cork from a «Sparkling Wine». That one detail can come with a bit of stress when trying to find the right bottle to choose. Should you go with the classic celebration tool, Champagne? Will another sparkling do? What is the difference between sparkling varietals anyway? Does the price reflect the quality? While Champagne can only be made in the Champagne region of France 🇫🇷🇪🇺 and with very distinct grapes, sparkling wines aren’t held to the same restrictions. Sparkling wine may be made with the exact same grapes as Champagne or an entirely different blend. Some popular varieties of sparkling wine from different regions include Prosecco (Italy) 🇮🇹🇪🇺, Sekt (Germany) 🇩🇪🇪🇺, Cava (Spain) 🇪🇸🇪🇺, Cremant (France) 🇫🇷🇪🇺 etc. Sparkling wine is a broad category so here’s some advice to help you pick the right option! Thanks. #ONE #Wine #Champagne #SparklingWine #FOCUS

What better news to start the long weekend than this: The 2023 vintage promises very good quality at more moderate prices than in previous years. The sales process, typical of Bordeaux, is quite unique: a portion of the wines from the previous autumn's harvest is sold through the subscription market in the spring. The fermented grape juice then continues to age in oak barrels. Wine lovers who engage in «en primeur» purchases are generally rewarded with lower prices than they would find later in speciality stores, though they must wait two years for their cases and bottles to be delivered from the châteaux. Mouton-Rothschild: 458 Instead of 722 Euros Some top wines of the 2023 vintage are even up to 40% cheaper. Château Mouton-Rothschild 2023 was offered to merchants in the subscription market at 458 euros per bottle, compared to 722 euros the previous year. #bordeaux #finewine

It's time to choose what wines you are going to open over the holidays - and hopefully you can get some inspiration on the site this week...!! Coming up this #newcontentthursday, my Top 50 Wines of 2024. This means 50 particularly memorable wines, split into Top 10 Left Bank, Top 10 Right Bank, Top 10 Value, Top 10 Non Bordeaux and Top 10 Whites. In each case I have chosen wines that will make brilliant choices for drinking over the holiday season, selected over a range of vintages that are ready – or almost ready, with a little coaxing – to be drunk now. This seems to be the most helpful approach to selecting wines of the year, as opposed to simply the most impressive bottles from all tastings – and is possible because I am able to so regularly access and taste wines that span several decades each year. The youngest vintage that I have picked is 2022, and the oldest 1930, all brilliant choices to share with family and friends over the holidays. Among them you'll find a wonderful vintage of Mouton from before it was promoted to First Growth, a little known St Emilion that is pure limestone brilliance, a fantastic Francs Côtes de Bordeaux from the Thienpont family, and a Tasmanian late-disgorged sparkling legend. Love writing this tasting report, hope you enjoy... #winesoftheyear #winecritic #insidebordeaux #newcontentthursdays #winerecommendations #festivewines #winenewsletter #insidebordeauxnewsletter