Fine Wines on a night of defeat...

A little evening watching France vs Germany, hosted masterfully by our hosts with many great wines of character.

I must admit I am finding it somewhat difficult to focus on tasting given the direction the match seems to be taking. We decide nonetheless not to wait too long before opening the Champagne.

Here is a summary of this colourful (defeat-filled) evening!

Larmandier Bernier Champagne terre de vertus non dosé (Chardonnay), 17/20.
Presumed base 2004/2005... Disgorged in 2007, bottle ageing has allowed it to tame the force of its bubbles. The attack is lively, the mid-palate round and creamy, the finish precise, with notes of toast and dried fruits.

Pierre Moncuit 1996 Champagne blanc de blancs, 17/20 A delicate wine (beautiful acidity, richness, pastry aromas on a base of candied lemon) with a very clean finish. A lovely chardonnay at full maturity!

Assyrtiko de Santorin, Hatzidakis, vv de Mylos 2009, 15/20. Old vines harvested at over-ripeness and vinified dry, 2,700 bottles produced, a very aromatic wine (notes of exotic fruits, dried fruits, minerals and smoke). On the palate, the wine is powerful (14.5% alc) and acidic with a pleasant bitterness on the finish.

Vouvray Domaine Huet Clos du Bourg 2000 Demi-sec 15/20 Characteristic nose of quince and candied fruits, the palate is complex and beautifully balanced, with barely perceptible sugar and a very refreshing citrus/pineapple finish.

Anjou les Nourrissons Bernaudeau 2010 (sold as Vin de France appellation), 18/20. Very rich nose, slightly oxidative with candied fruits and quince, the palate is very powerful, very rich with enormous acidity, a very beautiful length — a truly great wine in the making, typical of this great winemaker.

Languedoc Domaine de Montcalmes 2011 le Geai (pure grenache sold as vin de France) 15/20 (16/20 the following day). Peppery nose with garrigue notes, the palate is still closed but the wine is very airy, with barely perceptible alcohol and tannins that are present but silky. After 24 hours of decanting, the aromas have developed, it is more open and more harmonious, and holds its own alongside a lomo roast with Espelette pepper.

Gevrey Chambertin Armand Rousseau 2006 17.5/20 This is a lovely Côte de Nuits, very refined and very ripe, relatively complex and long on the palate. Tasting blind, we all suggested at least a Gevrey Chambertin 1^er Cru… yet it is a village wine... a superb village wine!

Vertus Rouge 2002 Larmandier Bernier Matte and pale colour, the nose is floral and ripe — this is clearly a lovely, well-ripened pinot noir that we place in the Côte de Beaune. The acidity, generally marked in red wines from Champagne, did not tip us off... A beautiful surprise: there is very little pinot noir of this level in Champagne.