The Tasting Panel magazine

Dec 09

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I love champagne. I drink it whenever I can, not just for celebrations or holidays. Nevertheless, I do admit to drinking more cham- pagne than usual this time of year. That's mainly because people expect it now, more than, say, they do on an October Tuesday. I have often docu- mented my love affair with champagne in my writings, and for this holiday issue I want to highlight some of my favorite houses, three that might be called "sleeper" brands: Gosset, Pol Roger and Delamotte/Salon. What We're Drinking A Champagne Anthony Dias Blue reveals three favorite champagne houses that fly under the radar T his venerable house is the oldest wine producer in Champagne, founded by Pierre Gosset in Aÿ in 1584. It has always been family oper- ated, and since 1994 it has been owned and run by the Cointreau family, which also owns the fine cognac producer Frapin. The winemaker is Jean-Pierre Mare- ignier, who maintains Gosset's tradi- tion of fermenting in oak and avoiding malolactic fermentation. As a result, the wines show toasty complexity and high-toned acidity. They also age par- ticularly well. Gosset NV Brut Excellence ($45) Smooth and rich with bright acidity and notes of honey and sweet fruit; long, rounded and charming. 90 points Gosset NV Brut Grande Réserve ($67) Round and luscious with density and rich texture; elegant and long with generous flavors and lovely balance. 92 Gosset NV Grand Rosé ($85) Lovely salmon pink color; fresh, juicy and pure with subtle flavors of apple and raspberry; elegant, opulent and long with great refinement. 94 Gosset 2000 Rosé Grand Millésime ($95) Dark and lush with intensity and notes of tropical fruit, toasted oak and racy citrus—a complete package, bursting with flavor and elegance. 95 Gosset NV Célébris Blanc de Blancs ($207) Elegant and rich with lovely fine mousse and perfect purity; a remarkably complex rendering of one grape in all its depth and gran- deur. 96 Gosset is imported by Palm Bay International. Gosset Trifecta 80 / the tasting panel / december 2009

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