Ah 2000! The year that was to see us all disappear, according to those who know how to read coffee grounds. We’re still here, and we’re here to enjoy this first vintage of the third millennium, which sits comfortably between 1995 and 1998, and is superior to 1999.
The juices tasted at the beginning and during the first fermentation in vats confirmed this good impression: the wines were well-balanced, clean and straightforward. The length on the palate of the clear wines tasted before bottling for bubbling fully justified the vintage of the first harvest of the 21st century. In contrast to previous harvests, the three grape varieties showed a certain homogeneity: chardonnays with a floral rather than mineral profile, pinots meuniers, round, supple and fruity, and pinots noirs, full-bodied and fleshy, with aromas of small red fruits.
Ageing on laths in the intimacy of chalk-cut cellars lasts 7 years. Disgorgement is done “à la volée”, i.e. by hand. For tasting The nose expresses the power and intensity of this wine, supported with great finesse by butter aromas, roasted and toasted notes, and remarkable tertiary aromas of undergrowth (mushrooms, truffles) which testify to the wine’s good evolution. Powerful on the palate, with good acidity providing the freshness needed for balance. It confirms the tertiary aromas detected on the nose, with a delicate woody note. Serve with mushrooms, shellfish and grilled fish, accompanied by a citrus juice with a few bursts of dried fruit.
Price ex-cellar: 56 euros
Where to buy Lafayette Gourmet Paris 9e,
INNO Paris 15th, independent wine merchants
and Champagne Alfred Gratien.
Champagne Alfred Gratien
30 rue Maurice Cervaux, BP 3
51201 Epernay Cedex
Tel. : 03 26 54 38 20
[email protected]
www.alfredgratien.com
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