This tasting over an extended lunch in the Restaurant Rössli in Bad Ragaz was organized by Roger Bischof and Roger Zysset of Secli Weinwelt who typically host 3-4 exclusive Champagne blind tastings per year. Wines were served in flights of four. I always like these thoughtfully curated events of Roger, both from a hedonistic and learning aspect. This lunch was no different. The wines have shown exceptionally well, accompanied by wonderful food. Noteworthy was the incredibly high level of all the wines that were served. The consistency of these benchmark wines over two vintages was impressive.
The 2012 and 2013 Vintages
2012 is considered a top vintage, together with 2008, 2002 and 1996 among the best in the last 30 years. The style of 2012 is generous, rich and charming, yet with a lot of freshness and firm structure. 2013 is considered a little lighter, maybe more elegant with a touch more acidity. In 2013 most of the harvest took place in October, which is late by today’s standard. On paper it should thus not be too difficult to distinguish between both. In reality, during the tasting, we sometimes struggled to pinpoint which wines were from which vintage. It often was easier to call the producer than the vintage. That is a testament to the quality of the at times overlooked 2013 vintage, but also to the high quality and strict selection of the houses and growers that were represented in this tasting. While 2012 might be the broadly more consistent vintage, the heights in 2013 are really high and might eclipse their peers of 2012 in certain cases.
The tasting
Aperitif / Encore wines
Moussé Fils, Special Club “Les Fortes Terres” 2013, 93 Points
100% Meunier, non-blind. Served as aperitif. Fresh lemon with some white flowers, green apples, chiseled and racy without being lean. There are also some herbal notes, red fruit and a touch of soy sauce. Medium-full bodied, with medium-high acidity. It does not feel like the most typical Meunier, much less spices and bruised apples as with Chartogne-Taillet, Gamet or Bedel. Almost like a Blanc de Blanc with a touch of oxidative wine making like at Jacquesson. Great purity.
Bollinger, La Grande Année 2012, 96 Points
From a Jeroboam. 65% Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay, non-blind. Medium yellow. Wonderful nose, lots of brioche, generous. Very complex and giving, ripe pear, yuzu, apricot, pineapple, some red berries, cinnamon spice, and again autolytic notes of brioche, as well as some hazelnuts. There is also a chalky minerality cutting through it. Medium-full bodied, with medium-high acidity adding freshness. A crowd pleaser that will also appeal to the connoisseur. Ripe and rich, but also deep and with enough freshness. A very good Grande Année.
Bollinger, Blanc de Noirs Vieilles Vignes Françaises 2013, 98 Points
100% Pinot Noir, served blind. Medium yellow. Strict, tense, a bit closed, needs swirling to come alive. But then very rich, savoury, aristocratic with lots of structure, deep and authoritative, with excellent phenolics on the finish. Building complexity of pear, citrus, red berries, minerality, autolytic notes and spices, but at this early stage it’s more about structure and texture. Full-bodied and with high acidity, but also creamy mousse and mouthfeel. This feels young with a lot of power and reserve left. Impressive, but one to lay down further. Still hides a lot of structure and aromas. A great murmur filled the room when the bottle was revealed. Rare bird, and a very generous contribution of Roger Bischof.
Flight 1
Agrapart, Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru L’Avizoise 2013, 94 Points
3g dosage. Light yellow. Discrete nose, quite closed, lemon and lime on the attack, chalky mineral notes, some spices and some bruised apples on the finish. Racy, with pretty high acidity, medium+ body and very good bubbles. Long finish with medium complexity and a touch of bitterness. Needs some more cellar time, but excellent.
Agrapart, Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru L’Avizoise 2012, 95 Points
5g dosage. Light yellow, expressive nose of lemon with a touch of saffron, some yellow plum and chalky minerality, some found it attractive and complex, others found that a slightly musky note made the wine at first seem a little unclean, but it blew off with some air. Generous palate with bruised apples, dry, low dosage feeling, but felt riper and sweeter than the 2013 next to it. Medium-full bodied, with medium-high acidity. Lingering finish.
Jacques Lassaigne. Brut Nature Blanc de Blancs Millésimé 2013, 96 Points
0g dosage, Light yellow, first muted nose, very clean with ice bonbon, ripe apples, but also some darker notes of flowers, mineralic palate, some sweet spices (vanilla), deep but also subtle and complex. It’s medium-full bodied, with creamy bubbles, pretty high acidity and excellent length. Restraint, intellectual and building up in the mouth, a wine with lots of power. A high quality Champagne.
Jacques Lassaigne, Brut Nature Blanc de Blancs Millésimé 2012, 94 Points
0g dosage. Medium yellow, riper nose here with spices, ripe pear, red apple, stone fruit. Richer and riper than the rest, also a touch of vanilla and some floral notes, reminded some of Jacquesson. Medium-full bodied, slightly richer than 2013, but with pretty high acidity and very good length. Lots of bruised apples on the palate, there is also a touch of phenolic bitterness. Very good to drink today. No need to wait longer. Doesn’t reach the heights of 2013.
Flight 2
Veuve Fourny, Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Clos Faubourg de Notre Dame 2013, 93 Points
3g dosage. Light yellow, Expressive nose of lemon, Boscop apple, almost buttery but cool notes, generous and complex on the palate, with some chalky mineral notes, too. Medium+ bodied, with good persistence, some lighter bubbles and medium+ acidity. There is good overall balance.
Veuve Fourny, Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Clos Faubourg de Note Dame 2012, 94 Points
3g dosage. Light yellow, red apples, citrus, some mint adding coolness, minerality and yellow fruit, riper on the generous palate, but also with some stony minerality. Medium+ bodied, a little richer than 2013, with medium bubbles and some medium-high acidity. Overall, very nice balance of tension and richness. Good length.
Jacques Lassaigne, Brut Nature Blanc de Blancs Clos St. Sophie 2012, 96 Points
0g dosage, medium yellow. Ripe nose of cinnamon spice, some darker fruit, ripe pear, smoky minerality, but also some sweet spices like vanilla (and cinnamon, as mentioned before). Pretty complex, with a rich palate, some oxidative notes, medium-full bodied, with good persistence, there is also medium-high acidity and very good length. Dry, sappy finish. Excellent and already drinking well now.
Jacques Lassaigne, Brut Nature Blanc de Blancs Clos St. Sophie 2013, 98-100 Points
0g dosage, dark yellow. Expressive nose. Superbly complex with aromas of sweet spices, citrus, with lots of gun flint, minerals, white flowers and jasmine, overall extremely precise and racy. It’s medium-full bodied, deep and intense, with high acidity cutting through everything. Very good bubbles, too. Superb length and fantastic potential. This is a little bit like a Coche-Dury with bubbles. I am speechless. A singular experience, never had a Champagne like this before. This was one of the wines of the night and is a Champagne/wine of the very highest level, agreed on by quite a few of the participants.
Event host Roger Bischof of Secli Weinwelt with a Jero Bollinger La Grande Annee
Flight 3
Pierre Peters, Blanc de Blancs Cuvée Speciale Brut Les Chétillons 2012
4g dosage, light yellow, unfortunately corked. NR
Pierre Peters, Blanc de Blancs Cuvée Speciale Brut Les Chétillons 2013, 95 Points
4g dosage. Very light yellow. Discrete nose with lime, lemon oil, also some mint, chalky minerality and slate, a touch of brioche, then some bruised apples. This is medium- bodied, not surprisingly lighter than all the other wines in the line-up, but with very good persistence. There is medium-high acidity and very nice tension, elegant bubbles too. Long finish with very nice overall complexity and so much finesse. More of a Ballerina than a bruiser and it’s easy to overlook the elegance and class of this wine in a line-up of many top-notch Champagnes that are mostly more full-bodied. Will need time and might get even better from here.
Charles Heidsieck, Brut Millésimé 2012, 91 Points
8g dosage. Light yellow, sugar, molasses, ripe pear, citrus, also some autolytic notes, sweet finish, plush, not as aromatic as other wines in the line-up. Pretty full-bodied and rich, with good balance of medium+ acidity and creamy mousse. Dosage noticeable on the finish. A good Champagne, but lacks the complexity and class of the prestige Cuvées in this line-up.
Charles Heidsieck, Brut Millésimé 2013, 90 Points
8g dosage. Light yellow. Discrete nose with stone fruit, ripe pear, honey, white flowers, some brioche. On the palate there is quite a bit of sweetness. Pretty full-bodied and rich, with medium acidity adding some grip, there is a certain creaminess to the bubbles, too. Very correct, but not really inspiring. Good is the enemy of great and vice versa. These wines might have suffered from being served in this epic line-up.
Flight 3
Pol Roger, Brut Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill 2013, 96 Points
7g dosage, medium yellow. Explosive, rich and heady, this is showing notes of oak spices, ripe apples, cinnamon, but also autolytic notes, honey and some minerals, too. Full-bodied, with a very generous palate and an almost creamy mouthfeel, this is also showing pretty high acidity providing a counterpoint to the richness. Long finish. Lots of power here, a hedonistic, rich but also complex Champagne.
Pol Roger, Brut Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill 2012, 95 Points
7g dosage, medium yellow. This is very similar to the 2013 next to it, the 2013 might have a touch more freshness though. Ripe nose of yellow fruit and apple, extensive cinnamon and oak spices, autolytic notes, too. Full-bodied, rich and powerful, with enough freshness of medium-high acidity on the finish. A really big wine, but surprisingly balanced.
Dom Pérignon 2013, 94 Points
6g dosage, medium-light yellow. Explosive nose of brioche, caramel sugar, ice bonbon, also some lemon oil and chalky mineral notes, as well as some autolytic notes. It’s medium-full bodied, but decidedly lighter than the Winston Churchill, has medium-high acidity and good length. Fresh finish with some dosage lingering.
Dom Pérignon 2012, 95 Points
5g dosage, medium-light yellow. Very similar to wine Dom Pérignon 2013, but a touch richer. Notes of brioche, chalk, citrus oil, some spices, honey and nuts. Very good aromatics. Medium-full bodied (richer than the 2013, but much lighter than the Winston Churchill), with medium-high acidity and good length. A very good Champagne on this large scale.
Flight 4
Bérêche et Fils, Le Cran Extra-Brut 2013, 98-100
3g dosage, dark yellow/golden color. Expressive and explosive nose, the aromatics are slightly oxidative, rich, there is bruised apple, citrus, also some red berries, lots of spices, some chalky mineral notes, layer over layer of complexity building up with some air. It’s full-bodied, deep and full-throttle, with an almost phenolic quality and with high bracing acidity accompanying the superb persistence and complexity. Super long finish. A Champagne of the very highest level and a contender for the WOTN (Wine of the Night) in this stiff competition. This could also benefit from a few more years in bottle. Top.
Bérêche et Fils, Le Cran Extra-Brut 201, 98-100
3g dosage, dark golden color. Expressive nose with enormous richness, this is deep and powerful, without being over-the-top. Notes of red apples, lots of spices, earthy elements, some autolytic notes, too. Full-throttle, full-bodied and rich, with excellent persistence and high bracing acidity cutting through the richness, there is also an oxidative quality to it that is adding even more complexity. Next to the 2013, this seemed a little tighter and younger, but with so much potential. I like the balance here on a very high tightrope. While Christian had a slight preference for the 2012, Markus slightly preferred the 2013. Both wines are equally stunning.
Egly-Ouriet, Grand Cru Brut Millésimé 2013, 98 Points
2g dosage. Medium yellow. Complex, layered and deep, this is showing notes of rich spices, some stone fruit, citrus, also a touch of herbs, pepper, aromatically slightly similar to the Le Cran but with a little more finesse. Nevertheless, this is full-bodied, rich and almost painfully intense (at this early stage), very high acidity cutting through everything, very vinous with nicely integrated bubbles, as the style of the house always is. Superb length. Top-notch, more racy than the Le Cran next to it. Built for the long haul.
Egly-Ouriet, Grand Cru Brut Millésimé 2012, 98 Points
1g dosage. Medium-dark yellow/golden. Extremely layered, deep, rich, yet laser sharp. This is showing notes of red berries, some citrus, chalky minerality, sweet spices, some herbal notes, too. There is richness and freshness at the same time, it’s full-bodied, dense and powerful, with high acidity and some perfectly integrated bubbles. Superb length, also lots of finesse. Wonderful.
Bollinger VVF – Vieilles Vignes Francaises, a very generous “encore” contribution by our host
Flight 6
Krug, Grande Cuvée 168ème Edition (base 2012), 98 Points
6g dosage. Light yellow. Expressive nose, beautifully perfumed, layered and deep, with notes of roses, white flowers, brioche. citrus oil, some strawberries, also some rocky/chalky mineral notes. It’s medium-full bodied, but feels lighter and fresh due to its pretty high acidity and the overall level of finesse. Zesty, floral and beautiful, it showed a similar relative lightness as the Dom Pérignon on this occasion, but with more body and complexity. Tense and chalky finish. A great Grande Cuvée that was singing today, absolutely wonderful.
Krug, Grande Cuvée 169ème Edition (base 2013), 96 Points
6g dosage. Light yellow, rich and ripe, a bit broad, but also seems younger at the moment. It’s still layered, complex and excellent, but overall a touch less complete than the 2012. Citrus oil, some red berries, minerality, also some spices and again plenty of mineral notes. High acidity, medium-full body and overall very good, just suffering a tiny bit from being served next to the other wines. Good density, very long finish, but could not fully keep up with the 2012.
Louis Roederer, Cristal 2013, 95 Points
7.5g dosage. Light yellow. Rich, ripe, generous, good acidity, yellow fruit and white flowers, but also some exotic notes of pineapple and mango, plenty of autolytic notes too, some honey, citrus, red berries and spices. Generous dosage. It’s rich, powerful, intense, and appealing. Medium+ acidity providing freshness. Good but not among the best, it lacks the restraint, tension and class of the Krug, Bérêre and Egly-Ouriet on this occasion.
Louis Roederer, Cristal 2012, 94 Points
8g dosage. This seemed even a little more exotic in its fruit of pineapple, mango, etc. Then also autolytic notes, honey, citrus, red berries, also some spices and herbs. It‘s rich, powerful and very appealing, but again lacks the restraint and class of the top few producers on this occasion. Slightly less fascinating than the 2013, also the dosage seemed a little prominent at this early stage. Super full bodied, with medium+ acidity and a certain roundness. Good finish.
Flight 7 – Rosé
Vilmart & Cie., Emotion Brut Rosé 2013, 91 Points
8g dosage. Medium salmon/orange color. Dense, phenolic, dry, dark cherry and raspberry, some strawberries and orange zest, too. There is also some minerality. Medium-full bodied, with medium+ acidity and some medium length. Very nice Rosé, good, but not very complex.
Vilmart & Cie., Emotion Brut Rosé 2012, 91 Points
8g dosage. Medium salmon/orange color. Notes of strawberries, with some notes of flowers, orange zest, also some chalky minerality. It‘s medium-full bodied, with medium acidity and medium length. A touch of bitterness on the finish, good, but not very complex.
Krug, Brut Rosé Edition 24 (base 2012), 96 Points
Dosage undisclosed. Medium-dark orange color. Wow nose, absolutely stunning with beautiful cranberry, farmyard and forest floor notes, some smoke, chalky minerality, orange zest, rose petals and dried berries. Good phenolics, medium-full body, nicely layered, it has medium-high acidity adding freshness and very good quality bubbles. Appropriately dry and long finish with a lot of tension. Very good. Maybe a small step down from the Grande Cuvée today, but an excellent and complex Rosé.
Krug, Brut Rosé Edition 25 (base 2013), 95+ Points
Dosage undisclosed. Medium-dark orange color. Great nose as well. Very similar in both aromatics and structure to the Edition 24. Very complex, with smoky mineral notes, some orange zest, floral notes, chalk. Again, the nose is very expressive, too. Lots of depth and red fruit, farmyard. Medium-full bodied, with medium-high acidity and excellent quality bubbles. A touch richer than the 2012, equally great.
Authors:
Markus Kumschick, WSET III & Christian Raubach, WSET III, FWS, WSG Champagne Master
May 2024