Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/426275
52 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } DECEMBER/JANUARY 2014/2015 Ready to be uplifted, Mike and Victor were joined by Alex LaPratt MS (Atrium DUMBO), Marie Vayron (Aldo Sohm Wine Bar), Thomas Pastuszak (The NoMad) and Mike Martin (Vintry Fine Wines). While most of our panel got their kick from Champagne (five out of the eight top-scoring wines were Champagne), two French crémants impressed the panel for very different reasons. The Côté Mas St. Hilaire NV Crémant de Limoux Rosé from Languedoc was precise and youthful with ripe berries, sour cranberry and plenty of minerals. "It had a good graham-cracker texture with iron, metallic and blood. I'd want this on a hot day with prosciutto and melon." Alex said the biodynamic Dirler-Cadé Crémant d'Alsace Brut was lemony with well-integrated mousse in the style of a blanc de blancs Champagne, while others called out its savory and choco - late characters (a third crémant from Burgundy did not hold up). The top-rated non-Champagne surprise was a 100% Chardonnay Ferrari Perlé from Trentino, praised for its mix of citrus and exotic fruits (pineapple, tangerine) and mineral-driven com- plexity. Vincent noted, "If this is an introduction to Champagne, it's a tremendous bottle." Thomas liked its "dark, almost under the ocean brininess balanced with smokiness," and Mike Martin liked its "masculine expression," noting, "It has everything you kind of want, but in a kind of weighty, heavier style." With the exception of Pol Roger's 2004 Blanc de Blancs—lauded for its advanced minerality and refinement ("A dance back and forth between high dosage and acid" said Thomas)—overwhelm - ingly, and not surprisingly, small was beautiful with this panel. Mike Madrigale called the top-rated Christophe Mignon NV Blanc de Noirs Pur Meunier Brut Nature "liquid swords," say - ing, "Sea salt—boom! It's intense! I love it! It's like swashbuckling!" His enthusiasm was matched all around, with Victor calling it "electric," and Alex adding "It's super focused, a super laser with lemon zest—very much a starter wine with oysters or crudo." The sommeliers found smaller producers such as J-P Lamiable, Pascal Doquet and Pierre Paillard making more classic wines than heritage houses like Laurent Perrier and Louis Roederer. All three showed rich styles and generous fruit, but each fell a point short with at least one taster. The Doquet seduced everyone with its aromas, then disappointed with a palate that couldn't follow though its promising nose. Five of the six somms would sell the Lamiable, citing its expression of terroir and food-friendliness (Alex suggested fried chicken). "It has generosity of fruit without it losing its intensity and nerve," Thomas said. Vincent dissented, noting a vegetal and undeveloped character. And Paillard appealed to Mike Madrigale for its food-like quality. "There's something very gourmand about this. It's like sustenance—I want to eat it . . it makes me satisfy a hunger . . . it makes me contemplate and it makes me feel," he enthused. Alex, noted that while it "wasn't the Fifth Symphony for me, I'm kind of turned on—I'll have what he's having!" evoking the famous delicatessen scene in When Harry Met Sally. Wines that did not make the "menu," were deemed too syn - thetic—for Thomas, that was a candied Cava that "lacked energy and focus," or for Marie, who comes from a winemaking family in Pomerol, those that a lack of expression of place. Though consumer affection or the willingness to pull out their wallets for Champagne may be fickle, for the somms, it continues to be a wine that defines place and heritage—even if it's only for the few times a year consumers pop the cork. "I would love to see them considered as real wine rather than as an alternative," Marie said. Citing the trend for natural wines, she said, "The main innovation could be actually for the produc - ers to focus on indigenous grapes and find their identity again." Perhaps, as Mike Martin suggests, it took the rising tide of Champagne to float all sparkling boats—and maybe that tide will turn back to Champagne: "In all of my years at the merchant level we have never had it so good with regard to sparkling wines. The farming, the purity, the new growers sprouting up everywhere with the intentions of creating magic, terroir-specific wines with an address —I can only see this being taken to new heights. Exciting times to say the least." Marie Vayron, Aldo Sohm Wine Bar. Victor Pinkston, db Bistro Moderne. Mike Martin, Vintry Fine Wines. Alex LaPratt, MS, Atrium DUMBO. Thomas Pastuszak, The NoMad.