Vintage 2002 is legendary in Champagne and has often been named the vintage of the century. But did the hype and unanimity of its success result in the unfair neglect of another, perhaps equally, great vintage? We conducted a blind tasting to find out.
Essi Avellan MW recently hosted our latest Krug Experience tasting, in which guests sipped no less than twelve Krug champagnes (both Grande Cuvée and Vintage), including four examples from magnum. Check out the review and photos of the event here.
Combining all the vibrancy of the 2002 vintage with the complexity and youthful vigour afforded by extended lees ageing, the recently released Dom Pérignon P2 2002 is one of the best champagnes of the decade and has already received a coveted 20/20 score from Jancis Robinson MW.
Following the recent release of Rare Le Secret, the 20-year clandestine project of Rare Champagne Chef de Cave Régis Camus, we were invited to a vertical tasting of past Rare Champagne vintages – dating all the way back to 1979 – with the secretive cellar master himself.
In this article, we outline our top picks for Christmas 2018, highlighting some of the best new releases, award-winning cuvées, sparkling magnums, and a selection of the champagnes that we’ll be sipping next to an open fire this festive season.
Our once-in-a-lifetime champagne tasting celebrating Richard Geoffroy’s magnificent achievements over his 28-year career was a roaring success, with guests sampling 23 champagnes from 1990-2009. Read the review from Simon Field MW and browse photos from the event here.
At our most recent tasting at 67 Pall Mall, guests blind tasted Krug Grande Cuvée Editions 162-166 NV (2006-2010), and Krug Vintages 2000-2004, including Krug 2000 from magnum. Find out which champagnes were the highest rated on the evening here.
Last week’s Louis Roederer Cristal Vertical Tasting compared every vintage of Cristal produced this century, from 2000-2009. Guests also tasted the two latest vintages of Cristal Rosé, and Cristal 2006 from both bottle and magnum. Read the full write-up here.
How well does vintage champagne age? We set out to answer this question last week, under the expert guidance of Essi Avellan MW, during our Evolution of Champagne Masterclass. With vintage champagnes ranging from 1983-2012, it was a night to remember.
Vintage 2008 has been stealing all the headlines lately but what about the future? Despite low yields due to frost and hail in the early season, a perfect August produced exceptionally mature and healthy grapes in 2012. Is this the next outstanding vintage?
Louis Roederer recently revealed that a very limited quantity of original disgorgement Cristal 2002 and Cristal Rosé 2002 were kept in the cellars in Reims for additional bottle ageing. Now 9 years post-disgorgemt, a small number have been re-released into the market.
Last week, we held the most comprehensive Krug Grande Cuvée vertical tasting to date. At 67 Pall Mall, guests blind tasted Grande Cuvée Editions 158-166 NV (2002-2010). We also tasted two Krug Vintages: 2002 and 2004.
We met with winemaker Amine Ghanem to taste the 2017 vins clairs. As usual, discussion turned to the future of winemaking, of which Moët is at the forefront. Technological corks, thermovinification, thermal imagery – you name it, they’re doing it.
Legendary Chef de Cave Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon took us on a remarkable tour of the 2017 vintage, sharing trials on organic and biodynamic farming. We also tasted a mesmerising range of champagnes, including Cristal Vinothèque 1995.
As with other houses, the 2017 season was a complicated one for Piper-Heidsieck. We met with current Chef de Cave Régis Camus and his deputy Séverine Frerson to taste a selection of vins clairs and hear their take on the vintage.
Last year, we blind tasted every vintage of Krug produced since 1988 with Olivier Krug and Jancis Robinson MW. With over ten vintages, a Grande Cuvée and a magnum thrown in for good measure, it was a truly special occasion.
Read Jancis Robinson’s report of our outstanding Krug vintage vertical tasting last November. “This would have been a dream tasting anyway, but I particularly love tasting a group of wines blind.”
We were recently offered the opportunity to taste some older vintages of Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle: 1) A blend of 1999, 1997 and 1996, and 2) A blend of 1997, 1996 and 1995. Sampled alongside the current release, the results were very interesting.
Champagne Lanson recently launched their Noble Cuvée Brut 2002. We tasted it with head winemaker Hervé Dantan alongside the new organic champagne ‘Green Label’ and the next Clos Lanson 2007 – due next year.
Did you miss our latest Champagne tasting? Fear not! Full coverage of our spectacular Prestige Cuvée vs Vintage tasting with Jancis Robinson MW is now live. Watch a video footage comparison of each unique pair from the comfort of your home.
We were invited to a weekend at The Savoy for a vertical tasting of Dom Ruinart Rosé champagnes with head winemaker Frédéric Panaïotis. With 2002, 1998 and 1988 on show, it was a stunning showcase of pink champagne.
Last week, Moët & Chandon launched Grand Vintage 2009. As is customary with a new release, they also launched two Grand Vintage Collections, 2002 and 1990. Read the review of our tasting with head winemaker, Benoît Gouez.
Our trip to Reims in August included a smorgasbord of Taittinger: over twenty champagne tasted with head winemaker Loïc Dupont, including an interesting look into the future with Comtes de Champagne 2008 and 2012.
A comparison of eight vintages of Moët & Chandon and Dom Pérignon, from newly released 2009 to very old 1995 with their respective winemakers, Benoît Gouez and Richard Geoffroy.
During August bank holiday weekend we stopped in Épernay with Jancis Robinson MW for a comprehensive comparison of Pol Roger Brut Vintage and Sir Winston Churchill, dating back to 1993. All in the name of research!
We visited Krug over August bank holiday weekend with Jancis Robinson MW. With an unexpected visit to Clos du Mesnil, a tour of the new Maison, a mini-vertical tasting and dinner at the house, it was well-worth the long drive!
Moët & Chandon MCIII is a champagne like no other. A blend of six different vintages, utilising three different ageing vessels and an assemblage of finished champagne and still wines; this is the ultimate in luxury.
Photographs from our Champagne tasting at Fredericks. Champagne from Bollinger, Charles Heidsieck, Krug, Dom Pérignon, Louis Roederer, Pol Roger and more
Following on from our ‘Definitive Champagne Data’ report last month, here we extend the list and highlight the critics’ Top 25 champagnes from the incredible 1996, 1998, 2002 and 2004 vintages.
We compared fifteen 2008s (+ new Krug Grande Cuvée based on 2008) to assess the quality of this emerging vintage in champagne. For reference, we tasted five 2002s alongside – and threw in a couple of curveballs to keep everyone alert!
We’ve analysed data from over 1,000 ratings of the best champagnes from the top wine journalists, authors and critics to find out which vintage (1996, 1998, 2002 or 2004) and which cuvées are rated the highest.
In Dec 2016, we compared five Editions of Krug Grande Cuvée in their first ever blind tasting. Alongside Krug 2002 & 2003, their quality was undeniable, as was the interesting variation between them.
In 2009, Champagne Henri Giraud invested in 10 terracotta egg-shaped tanks to assess their effect on the maturation of wine. The house now has more than 50 clay containers and are producing more. Have they gone crazy or are they one step ahead of the field?
Enlightening, educational and at times jaw-dropping, our visit to Moët was one of a kind. Amine Ghanem showed us the 2016 Vins Clairs, new Grand Vintage 2008, a 1988 magnum and the ultra-prestige MCIII.
The 2016 Vins Clairs; reserve wines as old as 1998; winemaking with an iPad; Grande Cuvée 163rd Edition; Clos du Mesnil 2002; and revolutionising Champagne terminology. It’s all happening at Krug!
Read Tim Hall’s review of the first ever complete vertical tasting of Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill. Every vintage made from 1975 to 2004, all in magnum (but for the 1988 jeroboam)… where was our invite…
To celebrate the release of Pol Roger Brut Vintage 2008, we put it to the test in a blind vertical tasting of the last four vintages of Pol: 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008. We also threw in the non-vintage for good measure.
Full coverage of our Prestige Cuvées from 2002 Champagne Tasting hosted by Jancis Robinson MW on 6th Oct 2016, including short clips of Jancis’ thoughts on each pair.
Lanson Noble Cuvée Blanc de Blancs 2002 is probably the last prestige cuvée release from the already fabled vintage. Now the 2002’s are all available, read why we think this is one of the best.
A blind tasting of thirteen Rosé Champagnes and one English Sparkling with FT’s Alice Lascelles, Richard Bampfield MW, Simon Stockton and Frederick’s restaurant manager Matt. Just another Wednesday.
Victoria Moore writes in The Telegraph explains how The Finest Bubble is continuing to organise Champagne Tastings with extra special vintages
Krug Clos Du Mesnil 2002 – a stunning new release. Champagne from the most famous single vineyards in Champagne
With the popularity of Rosé Champagne on the rise, we turn the spotlight on how it’s made and which one’s taste best…
Some 12 years on the lees this champagne recently disgorged 2002 is simply stunning; from the outstanding 2002 vintage you get ripe fruit and layers of complexities from its extended lees aging, one of Bollinger’s most promising releases.
An in-depth look at POP scores, a measurement of investment value. Should we trust them and can they be more representative?
The Finest Bubble team headed northwest to the beautiful Cotswolds…and tasted something very special.
Okay, two things.
Fine, three.
Legendary British jeweller, Stephen Webster, explains the motivation behind the limited edition Dom Pérignon Rosé Jewel Edition 2002.
Our boxes are 100% recyclable cardboard and "paper bubble wrap" is efficient to both transport and dispose of. Additionally we seal the boxes with paper tape.
All same day deliveries are made in TFB "Jute Bags" a 100% recyclable material highly durable, made with tightly woven and sewn jute material that give their free-standing ability, and as a result, many customers use it for shopping bags. They are 100% bio-degradable.
