Champagne Recommendations – Brilliance From Billecart Salmon And Taittinger

Thoughts on a few notable new releases of Champagne:

Piper-Heidsieck Rare 2002 – Rare is the prestige cuvée of Piper-Heidsieck, the famed Champagne house of Reims that dates back to 1785. Rare is produced seldom, as there have been only 11 vintages produced in the last four decades, and two of them, 2007 and 2008, have been for a Rare Rosé offering.

The newest release of Rare is from the 2006 vintage, the first since 2002, and if this latest effort is not quite as stellar as the 2002, that is to be expected, given the nature of the 2002 vintage, one of the two best of the past decade (2008 being the other). A blend of 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir, this is a full-bodied, rather powerful Champagne, and while it may not scale the heights of the 2002, which was outstanding, this is a worthy followup; this is a style of Champagne that would be favored by those who admire ripe fruit as the primary focus of their wines. This is impressive now, but will display greater complexities in another 3-5 years, and there is proper acidity and structure here for cellaring for 7-10 years. Excellent

Charles Heidsieck Rosé Reserve – Despite the last name, the Charles Heidsieck house is not as well known as it should be outside of France. That is a pity, especially when you consider the consistent excellence of these Champagnes. Their Blanc de Blancs is first-rate, while their prestige cuvée, Blanc de Millénaires, is outstanding. This is a Blanc de Blancs that is as complex and beautifully structured as any in Champagne; the current vintage is 2004, the first to be released since the 1995, which should tell you a lot about the energy and passion that go into this wine.

I am a lover of Rosé Champagne and often turn to Charles Heidsieck for their versions. There is a vintage rosé (2006 is the current release) as well as a non-vintage, labeled as Rosé Réserve. A blend of 40% Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay and 25% Meunier, with 20% being reserve wines, this is a seamless blend that features delicious plum and red cherry aromas and flavors, very good acidity and a lengthy, round finish that is fruit-driven. This is dry without being exceedingly so and is best paired with a number of foods ranging from duck breast to prime rib; enjoy over the next 3-5 years. Excellent

Billecart-Salmon Brut Nature – Whenever I hear or read the opinion of some Champagne “expert” about how the best examples are always from small growers, I smile and enjoy a glass of Champagne from one of the great houses in the area. A few, such as Philipponnat and Pol Roger, come to mind immediately, as I would match their lineup of cuvées with any Champagne producer.

Another brilliant Champagne house is Billecart-Salmon, located in the small village of Mareuil-sur-Ay, literally across the street from Philipponnat – there must be something in the water (or is it Champagne?) there. The house is perhaps best known for its non-vintage Rosé, that is unquestionably among the most powerful of all Rosé Champagnes, and is today, considered one of the classic examples of this sparkling wine type.

The Billecart-Salmon Brut Nature is not as well-known as their Rosé, but after tasting the latest release of this cuvée, maybe it should be. A blend of 30% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay and 40% Meunier, with zero dosage, this was aged on its lees for 48 months. Deep yellow with a light copper hue, there is a beautiful persistent stream of bubbles. The expressive aromas feature notes of toast, orange zest and hazelnut, and the wine is medium-full with excellent concentration. Very good acidity, rich, tightly packed mid-palate and outstanding persistence. Notable complexity, this is beautifullly textured and a marvelous success; extremely dry, the finish goes on and on. Enjoy over the next 5-10 years. Given its intensity, explosive character and lively acidity, this is a Champagne lover’s Champagne. Enjoy over the next 5-10 years. Superb

Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs 2008 – This is one of the most recognized and celebrated of all prestige cuvées in Champagne, and arguably the most famous Blanc de Blancs. First produced in 1952, the Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs (100% Chardonnay) from Taittinger is always a marvelous combination of elegance as well as richness and backbone, this is a charming Blanc de Blancs that offers texture, great depth of fruit and excellent aging potential.

Taittinger has recently released the 2008 version of this cuvée, one of the last Champagne producers to do so. 2008 is considered one of the greatest Champagne vintages of the last 20 years for several reasons, one being the high acidity that will preserve these wines for a very long time. There is a distinct chalkiness in the aromas (the fruit is sourced entirely from the Côte des Blancs), along with notes of lemon grass, peach and yellow flowers. Medium-full with a rich mid-palate, there is a pleasant creaminess on the palate (a small percentage of the wine was matured in wood) a lengthy finish, excellent persistence and lively, finely tuned acidity. Offering superb harmony and varietal purity, this is one of the finest examples of Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs I have ever tasted. Near-perfection, this should age well for at least 20 years. Superb