Our hone-in on Taittinger last week kicked our two-month bubble-filled fixation off wonderfully; many thanks to those who came by and brought such great enthusiasm! We certainly won't be slowing down for the coming week either, as we move the spotlight onto not just one, but two great names whom we haven't managed to pour publicly for several years now; Perrier-Jouët and G.H. Mumm!
This pairing just so happens to match perfectly, with PJ a house famously based around and shaped by their commitment to Chardonnay, bringing champagnes that drift towards the intricate, floral and detailed side of matters, while Mumm go for the bolder distinction of Pinot Noir dominance, proficient and prolific in wines of rich power and mineral drive. Our Saturday tasting this weekend (8th November, running 12-2pm) will be strengthened all the more by this interesting juxtaposition, but of course all following bottles will be on special until next week if you can't make it along!
As is always the case with these two names, the value on show is striking - Mumm's Cordon Rouge is just about the benchmark Pinot-heavy NV available on the market, and has admirably maintained this status for many years now; a vibrant and moreish option, with heightened tropicals and subtle pastry/brioche notes. Additionally, you have Mumm's latest RSRVrelease, the Cuvée 4.5 - an elegant blend of five of the house's Grand Cru terroirs. Since its disgorgement in early 2018, its profile has expanded tenfold, and sits in a great symmetry between saline crunch and sweet honeyed dessert notes upon recent sampling.
Perrier-Jouët's Grand Brut and Blason Rosé are as well-priced and crisply fruit-driven as ever, and another top summer option presents itself in the form of their Blanc de Blancs NV, bundled in with a fancy limited-edition art giftbox that contains two painted champagne glasses! To finish everything off in true style, the Belle Epoque 2013 release will be pouring and on special, for all those fans of the famous label's balance between poise and full-bodied panache.
Let us all raise a glass to these two Champagne legends!
The Lineup -
G.H. Mumm Cordon Rouge NV -
$67 on special this week ($75 RRP)
// A blend of Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims and Aube, Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs, Sézannais, Vitryat and Aube, and Meunier from the Marne and Ardre valleys and the Montagne de Reims
Aged for a minimum of 20 months in Maison Mumm’s cellars
"Since 1876, the iconic cuvee with its bold red sash signals the start of a memorable moment: good times with good friends. Blended from a minimum of 100 crus, Mumm Cordon Rouge expresses the rich diversity of Champagne’s terroirs, always in the fresh, vibrant style that is the signature of Pinot Noir, the House’s emblematic grape. First impression - a sensation of freshness, with rounded, delectable notes. Juicy scents of succulent white and yellow fruits entice, with hints of lychee, pineapple, praline. Appetizing aromas of pastry – yeast, brioche – heighten the anticipation. Vibrant freshness and exuberant energy excite the palate. Complex and perfectly balanced, the wine reveals rounded, elegant flavors of fruit and caramel. The powerful finish is at once creamy and effervescent." - House Notes
G.H. Mumm RSRV Cuvée 4.5 -
$115 on special this week ($130 RRP)
// 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay
Bottled mid-2013 and disgorged in March 2018
6g/L dosage
"RSRV Cuvée 4.5 is a unique blend of five of Maison Mumm’s Grand Cru terroirs. Pinot Noir – from Verzenay, Aÿ and Bouzy – confers power and structure, as well as fresh, generous aromas. Chardonnay – from Cramant and Avize – lends elegance and liveliness, as well as tangy citrus notes. The grapes are pressed and vinified separately before being blended with reserve wines. For the finishing touch, the dosage liqueur is sourced from these same Grand Cru terroirs. Produced in limited quantities, this champagne ages for a minimum of four years in the cellars before it is ready to be enjoyed." - House Notes
"The NV Brut RSRV Cuvée 4.5 from Maison Mumm possesses a charming, elegant bouquet of vanilla pod, honey, tonka bean, spring flowers and yellow fruits. Medium to full-bodied, harmonious and seamless, it’s precise and elegantly vinous and concludes with a sapid, saline finish." - 92 Points, Yohan Castaing, Robert Parker Wine Advocate
Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut NV -
$89 on special this week ($99 RRP)
// 40% Pinot Noir, 40% Pinot Meunier, and 20% Chardonnay
Aged for at least 3 years on lees before disgorgement
11g/L dosage
"This is a rich and inviting Champagne displaying lots of style and beauty. It has a full mouth feel with lots of baked brioche, French patisserie, almond, lemon and apple blossom greeting the nose. It is followed by a palate of dark cherries, strawberries and blackberries. Then appears rockmelon, ripe apricot, mandarin, hazelnuts, mango and yellow peach drizzled with honey and toasted almonds. There is a layer of apple strudel and little flicks of mineral and nougat entwined throughout the palate" - Bernadette O'Shea
"Aromas of apple, lemon biscuit, flowers, vanilla, fresh bread and touch of mineral. On the palate flavours of lemon pudding, apple, citrus and white peach with some spice and mineral. It has a gentle foaminess and feels light and lively. Good sweet fruit but also tastes dry and spicy with clean mouth freshening acidity. Finishes with apple, lemon and spice flavours. A vivacious and entertaining wine." - 93 Points, Gary Walsh, The Wine Front
$89 on special this week ($99 RRP)
// 50% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay and 25% Pinot Meunier
Aged for at least 3 years on lees before disgorgement
10g/L dosage
"Perrier-Jouët Blason Rosé was inspired by Maison Perrier-Jouët’s Blason de France prestige cuvées, which were introduced in 1955 and served in some of the world’s finest restaurants. Crafted with gastronomy in mind, its generous, complex flavours can accompany an entire meal. A subtle and sophisticated cuvée marrying the floral freshness of Chardonnay with the fruity fullness of Pinot Noir. Its delicate salmon pink hue is an inviting prelude to intense aromas of pomegranate, blood orange and red fruit, mingled with honeysuckle, butter and brioche. Lively and generous, with a lingering finish, it is the ideal accompaniment to a romantic “dîner à deux” or with friends, from the aperitif to the dessert. It lends itself to the most adventurous food pairings. 'Try it with a rib of beef on the barbecue – it has the character and the charisma to rise to the occasion,' says cellar master Séverine Frerson. Other delicious pairings include duck breast with a blackcurrant sauce." - House Notes
"An overflowing fruit basket of ripe cherry, raspberry and exotic spice amplified by a crunchy, complex texture and a lifted mousse; beautifully elegant and enthralling." - 96 Points (Gold Winner), Decanter World Wine Awards
Perrier-Jouët Blanc de Blancs NV
(w/ Limited Edition 2-Glass Pack) -
$148 on special this week ($165 RRP)
// 100% Chardonnay
8g/L dosage
"Perrier-Jouët Blanc de Blancs is the triumphant result of 20 years of dedication by Cellar Master Herve Deschamps to source the finest quality Chardonnay grapes in the region. The cuvée embodies the Floral & Intricate style of Perrier-Jouët. Graphite and spice accents lace this tightly meshed, mouthwatering Champagne, with vibrant acidity swathed in a fine and silky mousse, carrying ripe melon, lemon sorbet, toasted brioche and smoky mineral. Known for its Chardonnay-based Champagnes, this house's Blanc de Blancs—pure Chardonnay—is tautly mineral. It keeps some of the higher dosage of the house, while also having a fine texture, bright acidity and a concentrated aftertaste." - House Notes
"This is a wine of terrific freshness, vitality and impact. Very light straw-yellow colour; superbly fresh, refined green apple and savoury dried herb aromas; very lightly bready. The palate is tightly-structured and lively, with terrific acidity and line. You don't feel the sweetness at all thanks to the wonderful acidity. A wine of pinpoint-like finesse." - 97 Points, Huon Hooke, The Real Review
Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque 2013 -
$335 on special this week ($379 RRP)
// Chardonnay 50%, Pinot Noir 45% and Pinot Meunier 5%
Aged for over six years before disgorgement in March 2020
Dosage 8g/L
"Not that much on the nose yet but very tight and tense. This is obviously going to age well and is only at the very start of its drinking window. There's a certain citrus note and a vague wash of salinity on the finish. Masses of acidity and it seems drier and more energetic than many earlier Belle Epoque bottlings. Good, deep finish with conviction." - 17+/20 Points, Jancis Robinson MW
"A giving, demonstrative wine that bursts from the glass with scents of mirabelle plum, confit citrus, buttery pastry and white flowers. Medium to full-bodied, pillowy and charming, it's seamless and elegant, with a pinpoint mousse and a fleshy core of fruit that's amplified by enough dosage to be noticeable. A touch finer-boned than the similarly successful 2012, it constitutes another fine effort from this house." - 93 Points, William Kelley, Wine Advocate
If you wish to purchase any of these champagnes, please use the links above
Otherwise, if you have any questions, please contact us on (07)32521117 or email sales@thewineemporium.com.au
// Price valid until Monday the 10th of November