A Lesson In Ageing - Billecart-Salmon Elisabeth Salmon Brut Rosé 2002

Imagine the most glorious sunset at the beach. The sky is crystal clear and beaming with the brightest of bright colours - pink, purple, and orange. The sun, like a sphere of fire, marginally sits above the horizon. The reflection on the ocean is so luminous that it's piercing to look at - in fact, it's so intense that you can't see much of the ocean. You look away.

It was this kind of sensational yet blinding sunset that saw in the start of my 2012 New Year's Eve at Henley Beach along Adelaide's magnificent coastline. It was one of those events in nature that stays with you - the kind that somehow stamps itself on your memory. And for me, its imprint will remain forever after tasting, not long after, Billecart-Salmon's Elisabeth Salmon Brut Rosé 2002 - one of my special purchases from our recent trip to Champagne.

I decided it would be a wonderful choice - a decent drop worthy of heralding in a new year but also one that carried some sentimentality from our our recent travels. 

Retailing in Australia for almost $300, Elisabeth Salmon is also pretty expensive. Putting all of this into consideration, my expectations were relatively high, especially after reading Tyson Stelzer's review of the 2000 vintage where he suggested it had gone beyond its best and to instead wait for the 2002 release.

Journey to Champagne 2012 - Part 1

Champagne is unlike any other wine region in the world. It's how I imagine it would be to travel to the land of OZ. Minus Dorothy's red shoes and a few funny looking friends, it's like another world; one that people aspire to and is filled with all that represents living a beautiful life - regional gastronomy, provincial living, and - of course - champagne.

To this end, the region of Champagne should be another tourist mecca like Burgundy or Bordeaux - but it's not. Thank goodness for that. The yellow brick road that leads to the Champagne hubs of Reims or Epernay from Paris is less than an hour north-east by train. Whether you head there for a few hours or a few days, it's a wonderful respite from the calamity of Paris during high season.

Our entire four week European sojourn had been mapped around visiting Champagne in early October, taking care to observe likely harvesting times, which historically occur in September. In light of some pretty horrific downpours, devastating hail storms, and cooler weather, I kept a vigilant eye on any emerging news from Champagne that may have provided a hiccup in our schedule.

Not dissimilar to the difficulty Dorothy had getting in to see the Wizard of OZ, securing a tour or tasting at a champagne house or grower can be just as tricky - even in the best of times. So obtaining access during harvest is almost impossible as the houses and growers go into lock down. That is, if you're a relative nobody like me. Needless to say, as each day passed with no news from the CIVC (Comité Interprofessional du Vin de Champagne) on harvesting times, our itinerary was beginning to look a little bleak.

But then, true to Champagne style, the bad weather went away just as it was thought all hope had been lost. The clouds parted, the sun came out, and the ripening began. Harvest commenced on 10 September in the Marne and Aube regions and concluded almost two weeks later. With every appointment confirmed (apart from one), we were set.

The Effects Of Regionality On House Style - Perrier-Jouët Blason Rosé Brut Non-Vintage

Regionality is something that is rarely defined on the labels of champagne bottles or indeed on the websites of champagne producers. Yet we cannot begin to fully appreciate  how terroir (the soil, climate, weather and topography) is manifested in the champagne that we drink without first understanding Champagne's regions and the villages that comprise them.

Each village is unique, feeding the grapes it produces with properties that can only come from its defined location. When the Grandes Marques bring these grapes together in cross-regional blending, each village becomes a critical ingredient in a complex recipe. Whilst grower-producers will often showcase the terroir of a village - or indeed specific vineyards - using more defined parcels of land. 

Getting into the 'nitty gritty' of grape manifestations according to their village is a daunting and complex task - it also can be quite alienating. Start talking to people about the oyster shell or chalky minerality of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger and watch as people's eyes start to glaze over!

Champagne, Sparkling Wine And Cheese Appreciation Course - The Smelly Cheese Shop

Learning to appreciate champagne - or any wine for that matter - goes beyond what is in the glass. My enjoyment is increased exponentially when I know where it comes from, its history, its production processes and any interesting or quirky stories that go with it.

 
But this is just the beginning of the appreciation journey. When it comes to champagne, our love and appreciation of it can be taken to a whole other level when paired with complementing or contrasting food.

Champagne and wine with cheese are perhaps two of the best bedfellows you can find because they often share the same terrior - the climate, soil and typography of a given geographical space.
 
Last night I went along to a champagne, sparkling wine and cheese appreciation course by The Smelly Cheese Shop from Adelaide's Central Markets. The Smelly Cheese Shop is Adelaide's best known and highly regarded suppliers and connoisseurs of cheese from the international market. Fresh cheeses are air-freighted direct from the producers in France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom weekly, arriving in Adelaide after only a few short days of transport. And it shows. I find their cheeses to be the absolute freshest in town.

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.

The Rewards Of Time And Patience - Pol Roger Brut Rosé Vintage 2000

"In this world where most champagne businesses are owned by large companies we have this extra dimension of being a family owned company. It brings a lot of pleasure, consistency and long-term view to the running of our business. We are not in a hurry...."

This statement by Pol Roger's Hubert de Billy, in an article by Smith and Taylor, does well to capture the values of 'excellence and independence' embraced by the house and in doing so, the sentiment applied to their vintages. 

Since their first vintage in 1874, Pol Roger has lovingly and patiently been the custodians of time, waiting eight years and applying highly meticulous production processes to allow its vintage champagnes to not only be good upon release, but to have excellent ageing potential.  I discuss what makes Pol Roger's production processes special in more detail in my post from 18 June.

A Toast To Her Majesty - Pol Roger Brut Vintage 2000

Diamond Jubilees don’t happen very often. None of us were alive for Queen Victoria’s and the reality is none of us will be around to see another. 

 

Whilst, admittedly, I am a monarchist, I’m not a raving one. I’m not the type, nor do I have the motivation, to line the streets for hours to get a glimpse of the Queen or Kate (despite her fabulous shoes, hats and dresses). I don’t collect royal souvenir tea towels or spoons or buy Woman’s Day to scan the pages for salacious gossip about Pippa Middleton. I’m not that kind of royal fan.  

 

But there is something really special about a 60 year reign when it’s characterised by benevolence and good stewardship, prevailing unwaveringly, and embraced infectiously by millions of people around the world.

 

So as we hurried home after work to take front row seats in our living room and watch the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee concert on replay, I thought about what champagne would best mark the occasion. No champagne came to mind other than Pol Roger. Pol Roger seemed so fitting; it had long been a favourite of the royal family, receiving the Royal Warrant in 1911 - the same year it was served at the Guildhall Luncheon to celebrate the coronation of George V. Since then, Pol Roger has been served at almost every major state event in Britain, including at William and Kate’s wedding where they served Pol Roger Non-Vintage Brut. 

Could This Be The Best Cooperative In Champagne? Le Mesnil Sublime Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs 2004

I first introduced Le Mesnil  on 15 April when I reviewed Le Mesnil Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Non-Vintage (NV). I was totally blown away by my new find; it was truly an exciting experience. 

The amazing cooperative behind Le Mesnil Sublime Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs 2004 and five other labels consists of 553 growers who represent the very best parcels of Grand Cru estates in the Côte des Blancs– around 305 hectares' worth. Whilst they have been supplying grapes for some of the best houses in Champagne (such as Salon’s Brut Blanc de Blancs Le Mesnil and Krug’s Clos de Mesnil) since 1937, they also bottle their own under the simply named label 'Le Mesnil'.

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.