One Of My Top Three Non-Vintage Champagnes - Bollinger Special Cuvée Non-Vintage

Generally when I ask people in Australia if they like Bollinger, they either erupt into displays of overwhelming joy or look at me like they've been sucking on a lemon.

Bollinger is perhaps the most polarising champagne I have come across.

To be honest, I used to be one of those people that screwed up their face when presented with the same question - or even the thought - of drinking a glass of Bolly. That is, of course, until recently.

In February I blogged my tasting notes on Bollinger Special Cuvée Non-Vintage. I used words like 'pow' and 'it feels like a meal in itself' and 'heavy'. I can still recall the flavours in my mouth; overly yeasty, caramel, subdued acidity, and overly-ripe fruit.

In the end, I concluded that 'I wasn't a Bollinger kind of gal'. What I didn't realise then was how stale the bottle was. I naturally thought this was the champagne's style - and of course it wasn't.

Elegance And Expression - R de Ruinart Brut Non-Vintage

I am having a love affair with Ruinart right now. Over the past two weeks I have sipped, enjoyed and learned about their R de Ruinart Brut Non-Vintage and their Ruinart Brut Rosé Non-Vintage. Every taste, every smell has been a wonderful experience.

It's been my first foray into the world of Ruinart, brought on by preparation plans for our trip to Champagne in September this year. Our trip includes a tasting at Ruinart. At 140 Euros, it doesn't come cheap; but I did my research and France's oldest champagne house seems like one not to miss.

Ruinart produces an incredibly expressive style of champagne; so in researching for my blog this week I wanted to understand why it is so aromatic and floral on the nose and why the flavours are so fresh and intense.

The finesse, elegance, and minerality of chardonnay is the golden thread that runs through all of their cuvées. And whilst the R de Ruinart Brut Non-Vintage and Ruinart Brut Rosé Non-Vintage are not dominated by chardonnay in the blend, the chardonnay is carefully used to restrain the berry forward flavours of pinot noir.

 

Which brings me to my next point; Ruinart’s cuvées are very well balanced. There is a truly wonderful and clever act happening in the background between all elements of the champagne; no one element dominates another. It’s more of a happy, complementary and exciting marriage.

Everything That A Non-Vintage Blanc de Blancs Should Be - Billecart-Salmon Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs NV

It’s 3am and for the life of me, I cannot sleep. As I tell myself to keep on trying for another hour or so, I can’t stop thinking of a presentation that’s due for work.

I give in, get up, jump-start my laptop and pour a glass of sparkling mineral water. The bubbles remind me of champagne – there’s no escaping it once it’s on the mind. So I pour myself a glass – why not?

Rob and I started a bottle of Billecart-Salmon’s Brut Blanc de Blancs Non-Vintage (NV) the day before as an aperitif before heading off to see the stage production of Yes Prime Minister. With a few glasses left in the bottle, it was a perfect opportunity to indulge - after all, the bottle was already open!

There is something strangely intoxicating about sitting alone in deafening silence enveloped by a haze of darkness with nothing but the muted bubbling of champagne at your side.

The Secret To Success Is Constancy To Purpose - Billecart-Salmon Brut Reserve NV

When champagne is served in first class on Air France, you know it must be pretty good – after all, the country’s synonymous relationship with champagne must reflect well on the airline’s best product.  Billecart-Salmon’s Brut Reserve Non-Vintage (NV) is one such champagne that only a select few well-to-do, lucky passengers have the privilege of sitting back and relaxing with when they fly with the national carrier.

But thankfully for the majority of us, you don’t need to have the fat cheque books of the super-rich to enjoy this lovely cuvée. At around $90 a bottle, this high quality champagne represents excellent value and is the best starting point for commencing a life-long long love affair with the surreal and sublime productions of Billecart-Salmon.

Whilst rosé may be the famous style that defines this medium size champagne house, their Brut Reserve NV demonstrates the core principles of the house and framework inherent in each cuvée.