Only two more stations – in addition to Berlin also Hamburg on the following day – and only 16 individual exhibitors in addition to the joint stand of Kierdorf Wein. The current crisis in the champagne market also left its mark on the Falstaff Champagne Gala. However, the capital city can be happy that the event at Berlin’s prestigious Capital Club on Gendarmenmarkt continues to be so successful overall. And unlike Stuttgart, Frankfurt, Munich, Düsseldorf, Vienna or Hamburg, the city is ‘set’ as a location year after year.
As in previous years, I am not reporting on champagnes that were showcased again and that I have already presented. This applies, for example, to Laurent-Perrier’s magnificent Grand Siècle Itération 26, the exciting Meuniers from Pannier, Leclerc Briant’s Abyss 2017 and the finely matured Pommery Cuvée Louise 2005. The sentences from the previous year apply to the Kierdorf range: exciting houses, but only the entry-level cuvées. This time, Les Quatres Terroirs Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Brut by Pertois-Moriset from Le-Mesnil-sur-Oger was particularly impressive, also in terms of price.
1 Champagne Valentin Leflaive Oger Les Peignottes 20 3.0 Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut
Probably the most exciting discovery at this year’s Champagne Gala: Champagne Valentin Leflaive. The house is rooted in a joint project between Olivier Leflaive from Puligny-Montrachet and Champagne De Sousa from Avize in 2015. Valentin Leflaive received its official status as Négociant in Oger in 2020. It transports the Burgundian philosophy to Champagne like no other house. Above all, this means a quality pyramid in three stages. At the base are the cuvées, in the centre various crus (in Burgundy: villages) and at the top the lieu-dits. The code on the label stands for the vintage and the dosage. There was a sample of each level in Berlin. The elegant Cuvée Sigma 20 | 4.0 as a pure Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs (91 P.). The fresh and multi-layered Verzenay Blanc de Noirs 20 | 3.0 ( 93 P.). And finally, the crystal-clear, enormously focussed Oger Les Peignottes 20 | 3.0 (95 P.).
2 Champagne Louis Roederer Vintage 2016 Brut
Roederer produces three classic vintages. A traditional Brut, a Rosé and a Blanc de Blancs. From 2016, the former was the last to be launched on the market. As has been customary for some time, Pinot Noir grapes from Verzy dominate the blend (68 per cent). Because the municipality belongs to the Montagne de Reims, the house calls it ‘Vin de Montagne’. However, 32 per cent Chardonnay grapes from Chouilly are also used. Chef de Cave Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon has announced that Maison Roederer may produce its Vintage Brut as a Blanc de Noirs, a pure Pinot Noir champagne in future. In any case, Vintage 2016 is an extraordinary success. In a way, it is a synthesis of the slender and elegant 2014 vintage and the powerful and full-bodied 2015 vintage. Very fresh (only 5 per cent of the cuvée has undergone malolactic fermentation) and with the ravishingly cool fruit of the Pinot Noirs from the north side of the Montagne de Reims (94 P.).
3 Champagne Yann Alexandre Grande Réserve Premier Cru Brut
The first-time appearance of Champagne Yann Alexandre on the stand of his German importer Champagne24 was also very pleasing this year. The winemaker from Courmas supplies grapes for such important houses as Krug and Gosset, but also produces his own cuvées. In Berlin, Brut noir was presented as an entrée, alongside the Meunier-influenced Roche Mère Brut Nature, which I have already presented in my Champagne book. Grande Réserve Brut Premier Cru made an even stronger impression. It comes from vineyards in the Petite Montagne de Reims, specifically the municipalities of Coulommes-la-Montagne and Ville-Dommange. The base vintage is 2015, plus 30 per cent reserve wines. The blend consists of 50% Pinot Noir, 45% Chardonnay and 5% Meunier. The first fermentation takes place in wooden barrels, the bottle fermentation lasts seven years. Only 1,800 bottles are produced. The result is creamy and multi-layered and has a distinctive fruity-sweet core (with only 6 grams of dosage) (92 P.).
4 Champagne Laurent-Perrier Millésime 2015 Brut
Laurent-Perrier has recently caused a stir with new cuvées such as the Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature and the Héritage . In contrast, the Millésime has almost faded into the background. Apart from the incomparable Rosé-Prestige cuvée Alexandra, this is the only vintage champagne from the traditional house in Tours-sur-Marne. It is also produced quite rarely for a ‘standard vintage’. The predecessors to the current 2015 were 2012 and 2008. As always, Brut Millésimé 2015 is a blend of 50 per cent Chardonnay and 50 per cent Pinot Noir. The Chardonnay comes from the Côte des Blancs (Chouilly, Oger, Cramant, Oiry), the Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims (Tours-sur-Marne, Aÿ, Tauxières, Verzenay, Ambonnay). The wines see no wood, pass through the Malo and mature for eight years. A very classic, generous vintage champagne: yellow fruit, citrus and brioche. Elegant, creamy and concentrated on the palate (93 P.).
5 Champagne Boizel Joyau de Chardonnay 2007 Brut
I have already written about Boizel, the ‘B’ in the Lanson-BCC group, on several occasions (here and here). Since Florent Roques-Boizel took over the helm, a new wind has been blowing in the house on Avenue de Champagne in Épernay. The German importer FrischeParadies thankfully presented a few ‘treasures’ alongside some standards. On the one hand, the fine, but in contrast to its successor 2013, somewhat inconspicuous Grand Vintage 2012, but above all Joyau de Chardonnay 2007 Brut. Since 1961, this series, until recently known as Joyau de France, has formed the prestige line of the house. The Chardonnay comes from four municipalities on the Côte de Blancs: Avize, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Oger and Vertus. Now aged for well over ten years, the champagne has the flavour of a sponge roll filled with lime and cream (93 p.). This does not reach the spectacular quality of the Joyau 2008, but will give great pleasure to all lovers of rich, almost decadent champagnes.
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Stefan Pegatzky / Time Tunnel Images
