Even in the exclusive world of champagnes, there are tiers. While the birthplace of any champagne makes it special, all champagnes are not created equal. Charles Clavem, inspired by the story of a leather craftsman from a Champagne town called Les Riceys, offers bespoke bottles decorated with precious gems and noble metals. And, oh, the taste!
Critics are not supposed to have favorites, though we get asked exactly that question all the time. It ranks with asking parents which is their favorite child, and chances are you’ll get an equally noncommitted response. For champagne, Ken Gargett has many favorites – too many – but the house of Pol Roger will always hold a special place for him.
The king is dead. Long live the king. It has been with us seemingly forever, but finally the esteemed house of Charles Heidsieck will move on from the 1995 vintage of its stunning prestige cuvée Blanc des Millenaires to the 2004 vintage. What about all those vintages in between, you ask? Well, these missing vintages are part of what makes this wine so special.
The real excitement for wine lovers comes when they find something that sings; that drinks well above its pay grade. And so it is with the latest rosé champagne from Louis Roederer, the 2012 vintage. Ken Gargett has a glass (or two) to see if this champagne from the house that makes Cristal lives up to the hype.
What a wonderful champagne the Bollinger RD 2004 is. It has a glorious level of richness. It is complex with dark fruits, mushrooms, nuts and florals, and notably lemon blossoms. Its impressive length and wonderfully seductive texture make it a wine to search out.
Perrier-Jouët’s famous flower-trimmed bottle, the exquisite Belle Epoque champagne, is one of the most recognizable and well-known wines on the planet. Far less encountered are others in the range, including Ros and Blanc de Blancs. Ken Gargett thinks that the 2002 Belle Epoque Blanc de Blancs is one of the finest champagnes on the planet.