Great wines on a night of defeat...

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

I admit I am having some difficulty tasting given the way the match seems to be going. We decide nonetheless not to wait too long for the Champagne.

Here is a summary of this colorful evening (of defeat)!

Larmandier Bernier Champagne terre de vertus non dosé (Chardonnay), 17/20.
Presumed base 2004/2005... Disgorged in 2007, the bottle aging has allowed it to tame the force of its bubbles. The attack is lively, the mid-palate round and creamy, the finish chiseled, 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 framework of candied lemon) with a very clean finish. A lovely chardonnay at peak maturity!

Assyrtiko from Santorini, Hatzidakis, vv de Mylos 2009, 15/20. Old vines harvested in overripeness 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 lovely bitterness on the finish.

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

Anjou les Nourrissons Bernaudeau 2010 (sold as appellation Vin de France), 18/20. Very rich nose, slightly oxidative with candied fruit and quince, the palate is very powerful, very rich with enormous acidity, very beautiful length, a very great fine 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 next day). Peppery and garrigue nose, the palate is still closed but the wine is very airy, the alcohol barely perceptible and the tannins present but silky. After 24 hours of decanting, the aromas have developed, it is more open and more harmonious and stands up beautifully to 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. Blind, we all suggest a Gevrey Chambertin 1^er cru at minimum… it's a village wine... a superb village!

Vertus Rouge 2002 Larmandier Bernier Matte and pale color, 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 pronounced in red Champagne wines did not tip us off... A lovely surprise — there is very little pinot noir of this level in Champagne.