Champagne Producers - In what order?

I would consider Larmandier, Tarlant, Egly as top of this list, not necessarily in that order.

======= As I learn about Champagne (I also started out in life thinking I did not like it...) I distinguish between :

3) the smaller récoltants that I love, our AFW friend Francis Boulard, of course, but also De Sousa, Diebolt, Egly, Fleury, Gatinois, Gimonnet, Larmandier, Pouillon, Prévost, Selosse, Tarlant

There are surely others that I have forgotten.

Mike

Dear Mike

Thanks for this information.

Champagne is a complicated area and your comments are greatly appreciated.

Marc

"Mike Tommasi" a écrit dans le message de news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com...

Krug vintage is near the top of my list. Even their multi-vintage blend is far superior to the single vintage Champagne of many houses. If I were told I could have Champagne from only one producer, Krug is the one I would select.

My mailbox is always full to avoid spam. To contact me, erase snipped-for-privacy@webtv.net from my email address. Then add snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com . I do not check this box every day, so post if you need a quick response.

From these mentioned, I have little experience except for Delamotte (a house I really respect - don't forget, it's them who make Salon), and Tarlant (execrable wines some 10 years ago, but never tasted since).

Having tasted 82 champagnes recently for VINARIA magazine (just about everything to be had on the Austrian market except for Moët, Laurent-P. and Taittinger), the houses that showed best in this (blind!) tasting were Pommery and Billecart-Salmon who showed extremely well with all their offerings. As to the standard bruts ("bruts sans année", as the champenois say), these were the top wines (I leave my comments in German for those who are interested):

Pol Roger Extra Cuvée de Réserve Reife Nase, dicht und tief; straff, klassisch, dicht, ein ganz und gar typischer Pol Roger, "sauber wie ein Pfiff an einem klirrend- kalten Wintertag", wie Michael Broadbent einmal sagte.

Billecart-Salmon Brut Reserve, 26,08 Kräftiges Gelb; feine, tiefe, schmeichelnde Nase, wunderschön verwoben; feine Zitronenzesten, transparent, prachtvolle Balance, ausgezeichnet.

Gosset Grande Réserve Brut Reiferes Gelb; feine, dichte Biskuitnase, füllig und tief; saftig, dicht, kraftvoll, lang, ausgezeichnet.

Bollinger Spécial Cuvée Brut Funkelndes Gelb; wunderbar feine, tiefe, reiche und süße Nase; dicht, fast wuchtig, dabei cremig in der Textur, viel Stoff, fast tanninig im Ausklang, maskuliner Biss, seriös, nichts für Anfänger.

Pommery Brut Royal Wunderbar mineralischer, aldehydiger Schmelz, feingliedrig und süß; cremiges Mousseux, frisch und dennoch tief, gute Länge, herrliche Balance, eleganter Bilderbuch-Champagner.

R de Ruinart, 31,80 Dezente Würzkräuter mit Zitrus, fein-aldehydige Reife; kraftvoll, herzhaft, viel Biss, jung, aber schon am Beginn der Antrinkbarkeit, jetzt schon sehr fein, kann aber noch zulegen.

The overall top 14 (scoring 17,0/20 or more):

17,7 1996 Bollinger Grande Année

17,7 N.V. Pommery Blanc de Noirs Wintertime

17,4 1997 Billecart-Salmon Blanc de Blancs

17,3 N.V. Pol Roger Brut

17,1 N.V. Gosset Grande Réserve Brut

17,0 1995 Pol Roger Rosé

17,0 1995 Veuve Clicquot Grande Dame

True.

From these, this is what I tasted:

Fleury Père & Fils (Aus Bioanbau nach Demeter) Helles Kupferrot; reife, pinotbetonte Nase; knackig fest am Gaumen, stahlig und straff, schöner Biss, gute Fülle und Länge, sehr, sehr ordentlich.

1998 Roger Pouillon Le Millésime 1998 Brut Chardonnay Noch sehr jugendliche, ein wenig rustikal angehauchte Nase; blitzsauber und sehr dicht, wenn auch der Charme derzeit noch ein wenig zu wünschen übrigen lässt, wird sich aber mit Lagerzeit gewaltig verbessern, denn die Anlagen sind da.

Jacques Selosse Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs, 35,70 Fein, dichte Chardonnaynase, sehr weinig, Hauch von Holz spürbar; sehr eigenwillige Wachsnote, Bitterorangenobertöne, unruhig und sehr individuell - für Optimisten mit Geduld.

HTH a little,

M.

"MC" a écrit dans le message de news:bpt64d$9r7$ snipped-for-privacy@news-reader2.wanadoo.fr...

Dear Marc,

In order to reply to your question, how is the own palate and own nose of your friend ? Does he prefere a full-body champagne / or a fine and subtil champagne, very supple / or very dry, fine or complex and matured aromas, wine-making in oak or in stainless vats, a fine chardonnay or round pinot noir, ... etc ... ? To say : each people, and each expert in wine and, or, champagne, has his own palate ... and his own taste.

but what the experts in champagne and sparkling say :

Tom Stevenson

Richar Juhlin

There are also, few other experts but unfortunatly they have no website, just magazines ou guides.

But, let me know the own palate of you friend, I'll let you know the order that it would be the best for him.

But Egly-Ouriet and Larmandier-Bernier seams at the Top, and then all the others...

But, personnaly I would add : at the Top Quality

• Selosse, Bollinger, Salon, Krug, J-P Fleury, Roederer, and few others, Total around 100 great producers, with many different styles, from diffrent terroirs, with different wine-makings, grape-growings ( the way to produce the grape ) and grape-varieties ( is the taste of a chardonnay better than a pinot... and more ? ) .

Best sparkling wishes,

Francis