A Rebel Fair with small wine producers in Champagne
A handful of quality oriented importers arranged a more intimate “salon” to showcase their champagnes in parallel with the big Champagne Day recently in Stockholm. There were many organic wines and there was quite a lot of talk about “non-dosé” (no or very little added sugar at disgorgement), minerality and disgorging date. There were highly motivated importers and producers and many an informed discussions and overall high quality (and often small scale). As always, it is the appreciation of the contents of the glass that counts. Here are some personal favourites sorted by importer, in no particular order.
Wine Trade
2007 Terre de Vertus (non-Dose, DG 2011), Champagne Larmandier-Bernier
Really, really good, maybe the best non-dosé I have tasted. I have also tasted this cuvée in earlier editions and have always enjoyed it if memory serves me right. Strong recommendation!
The rest of Larmandier-Bernier champagnes are good, especially Vielles Vignes Cramant. But I usually like the Vertus cuvée above the most of their wines.
The wines from the producer Demarne-Frisons are also good, but not quite my style.
Vin & Natur (Wine and Nature)
The importer Vin & Nature has many champagnes from smaller growers. All are fun and interesting to try, although not everyone is to my taste. My favourites:
Raphael Bereche
Reflet d’Antan (from magnum) and Le Cran 2005 from the producer Champagne Raphael Bereche: both with nice fruit, good acidity and minerality and a nice complexity.
Christophe Mignon
Christophe Mignon Cuvée Millesime 2006 was another favourite of mine poured by the knowledgeable and affable Emil.
TM Kvalitetsviner (TM Quality wines)
Here the focus was on one single producer, Champagne Françoise Bedel & Fils. They are located in the small town Crouttes Sur Marne. The family has about 8 hectares of vineyards and the wines are often dominated by pinot meunier.
Françoise Bedel & Fils, 2002 L’ame de la Terre & 1996 Robert Winer
The vintage wine 2002 L’ame de la Terre is very good (although I’m normally not a big pinot meunier fan), and the 1996 Robert Winer is surprising youthful and fresh, and of course with considerable complexity after 14 years on the lees in the bottle.
Vinlistan (The wine list) / Jan Netterberg
Jan is a doyen in the champagne world in Sweden and imports several renowned producers. I like in particular the creamy and apply 2005 Legras & Haas and the oaky and complex Vilmart 2004 Coeur de Cuvée is fantastic.
David Leclapart
But I cannot deny that David Leclapart’s wines are special. There is a special energy and minerality. It is very exciting wines although they might still be a little bit too young today.
At the end Jan gently pours a Selosse Initial (DG September 2012) which is very good, flowery, fruity and a lovely richness in the mouth on several levels.
Grande Bouteille
Nick pours a couple of pure, elegant and truly great wines from Cedric Bouchard. Both are excellent.
Champagne Ulysse-Collin
Next to Nick stands the couple behind the Champagne Ulysse-Collin. They’re pouring both the 2008 and the 2009 in three different excellent cuvées: Blanc de Blanc Les Pierrieres, Blanc de Noirs Les Maillons and finally Les Roises with grapes from the oldest vineyard. It is exceptionally good champagnes with rich and deep fruit, good acidity and fine minerality.
Overall, many truly good and interesting Champagnes from clearly very dedicated growers and importers; wines with clear personality behind the lable! Then it’s really fun to write about wine! Many thanks to everyone who organised the salon.
Peter Dybeck is an “amateur” wine lover who writes about tastings on BKWine Magazine and on his own wine blog Vintresserad.
[box type=”info” style=”rounded” border=”full”]If you want not just to taste a lot of champagne, but also get an opportunity to meet the winemakers and talk to them in their own cellars, then you can travel to champagne on a wine tour with BKWine.[/box]
