(Glass, Spiegelau "Adina White wine")
There are at least 15 wines queuing up before 2004 "L'Apôtre", but I simply have to publish this tasting note now. I almost didn't open it, as I felt a bit tired and really wanted to be fully ready. But as we had bought the sushi and"L'Apôtre was standing there all alone in the fridge I almost felt sorry for it.
Glass one is a disappointment, when you take into account that I had extremely high expectations. It holds back a lot, and never really unfolds what I had expected to see. The apples are certainly there, but not as fresh as I had hoped for. But I also knew, by having tasted Vintage 2002 and 2003, that it's a seriously a slow starter. Glass 2 is slightly better, butter and flowers are starting to emerge, to this still rather tight and almost slate infected fruit core. Glass 2 was drunk very slowly - as I expected something was about to happen soon. Glass 3 - BANG!!!!! - What happened? It's like someone just put nitroglycerin in the bottle. First I though it was the mousse in itself, which still was settling down (and can be totally different in aroma) - but no. The wine seems almost cooler in temperature, which of course was not the case. A mind-blowing note of mint leafs, crystallized lime juice, are now being drizzled all over the Champagne, making an out of this world freshness, purity and energy. The apples are transformed into insanely fresh and new notes appear all the time, creating not only magic, but also making the Champagne very vinous. I even detected the most refined smell of liquorices. I have never seen purity, energy and complexity combined like this and it's seriously giving me Goosebumps. The taste is still youthful and these minerals/slate notes are warming up the back palate, providing a really long precise finish. As with the nose, by glass 3 and forward, more purity, citrus, minerality and firm acidity are taking control, making the overall tasting experience seem even purer. Mama Mia, it's not everyday you taste a Champagne like this.
For those of you lucky enough to hold 2004 L'Apôtre, you simply have to taste it now, to get this fresh purity kick, even if more complex layers will come with time. And - drink it slowly, alone or with someone special - plus, chose a white wine glass, not a flute.
This is one of the best Champagnes and wines I have ever tasted.
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5 comments:
Den kan også sagtens drikkes hurtigt, åbnede en flaske ved 02-03 tiden til en pokeraften i torsdags.. "great booze" sagde mine sidemand!
Må få smagt en under mere "seriøse" forhold.
Hej Henrik,
Altså hvis tesen holder om, at stor vin altid er stort, ligegyldigt om den skulle være lukket ned eller er et indslag til en poker aften, ja så hvorfor ikke
;-).
Hej Thomas,
Jeg skal drikke 2004 L'Apotre på fredag sammen med 2 gode venner. Vi skal også drikke Billecart-Salmon 1996 Grande Cuvee, Dom P 2000 og Selosse Initial. Der er ingen af os, som er erfarne champagnedrikkere, så vi har besluttet os for at prøve nogle forskellige typer. Efter at have læst din note på L'Apotre er jeg meget spændt på at smage den. Du skriver at du drikker den af et hvidvinsglas - vil det være en dødssynd at drikke den af et Zalto Champagneglas?
//Nicolai
Hej Nicolai,
Ville det være synd at få Penélope Cruz med hjem i soveværelset for kun, at kunne spille ludo med hende?
;-)
Vin skal jo helst ikke handler om regler og hvad man skal og ikke skal. Jeg er jo selv meget glad for Zalto glasset, men som du selv ved er der mange vine som handler mere om ”næse”. Apôtre er en sådan Champagne – især 2004 på sit nuværende stadie og så er den sindssyg vinøs – helt uden ”hjælpemidler”, så vaniljen og ”sødetabletterne” er der ikke – heller ikke autolysen og den toasted stil, som du vil finde i Dom Perignon. Men der er så meget andet - men det er du nødt til at lufte vovsen lidt, hvis den skal logre med halen.
God fornøjelse
Hej Thomas,
Nu kan ludo jo spilles på mange måder.... ;-)
Men jeg forstår hvad du siger. Jeg vil forsøge med et hvidvinsglas.
God weekend :-)
//Nicolai
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