An open-knit nose of wild plum, almond and orange with underlying notes of salted bread. On the palate, the wine shows considerable body and a complex array of flavors including lemongrass, peppermint and quince. As the wine breathes scents of orange blossom and honeysuckle come to the fore and mingle with the soft, spicy accents of cumin and nutmeg.
Piper-Heidsieck's luxury cuvée with its beautifully decorated bottle is a well-matured blend of mainly Chardonnay with some Pinot Noir. Great drive and energy comes from the ripe fruit with its hints of almonds and toast. Drink this wine now. 95 points (Wine Enthusiast)
Disgorged in April 2018 with 2.5 grams per liter dosage, Jacquesson's 2008 Extra Brut Grand Cru Avize - Champ Caïn is showing brilliantly, soaring from the glass with a lively bouquet of waxy lemon rind, green apple, walnuts, marzipan and subtle hints of drawn butter and honey. On the palate, it's full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, with terrific concentration, mid-palate volume and structural tension, with a deeper, broader profile than the 2008 Core Bautray tasted alongside. The finish is long, saline and chalky. While Hervé Chiquet observes that Jacquesson has made considerable progress—especially in the vineyards—in the last decade that the 2008 necessarily doesn't reflect, this is nonetheless a brilliant Champagne.
There's a sense of poise to this rich, spiced Champagne. Finely detailed texture and acidity mix with ripe flavors of quince paste, candied orange peel, brioche and cream, while notes of ground ginger, cardamom, clove and white pepper ride through and linger on the finish. Disgorged June 2010. Drink now through 2020
1996 was a very special year in Champagne, said to be one of the best vintages of the century and often compared to the legendary 1928.At the House of Krug, even Paul Krug II, known for his strictly objective observations, noted that Krug 1996 may well have been “the next 1928”.
Krug 1996 is also the last Vintage created by three generations of the Krug family working together; Paul II, Henri and Rémi, and Olivier.
