“A crackingly good champagne” Top 10 Champagnes By Jonathan Ray for The Field
Included in "1001 Wines you must try before you Die", Neil Beckett
Today we’re offering you a real deal Champagne at a rock bottom price. Forget the Champagne price wars between Dan Murphies and First Choice. Forget about the exchange rates and forget about $1 here and there. Forget about prices like $59.99, $49.99 and even $44.99 for Champagne. This is the real deal, with loads of critical acclaim and inclusion in Neil Beckett’s “1001 Wines you must try before you Die”, it’s one of the bargains of the year at just $39.95.
But the funny thing is, this little Champagne house wasn’t suppose to become famous, it was suppose to be a retirement job grape grower, Serge Mathieu. But it’s just so damn good that it took off like a rocket. The vineyard is located alongside the famous Drappier and is surrounded by other growers where brilliant, household names such as Billecart-Salmon source their grapes. Like many small houses, Serge Mathieu once sold all his grapes to bigger names, and indeed some of the fruit is still sold in this way today. Since the 1970s, however, this family concern has been bottling and selling Champagnes under its own name. Serge has long since retired, and son-in-law Michel Jacob now leads the team.
Tom Stephenson wrote about this Champagne in May 2007 in the Decanter Magazine and gave it 5 stars out of 5. "In a blind tasting this Champagne has all the hallmarks of a Grand Cru. The Champagne is straw in colour, has a nose of honey with slight tropical fruit overtones. The palate is exceptionally well balanced with biscuity, cream notes and the finish lasts for over 30 seconds."
It’s an RM or récoltant-manipulant Champagne which more or less means harvester-handler, which means it’s a Champagne from a specific plot of land, rather than a great big blend from all over the place. Rich and spicy with honey biscuits, a mild earthiness and a mix of berries and citrus. It’s full flavoured but light on its feet with a fine texture and gentle bubbliness – no harshness or foaming surf-like qualities – it glides. Long aftertaste. Terrific wine. Tasted Jan 2011. Drink : 2011 - 2014 93 Points Gary Walsh, The Winefront
The Blanc de Noirs is a striking burnished gold, almost bronze, in colour; the aromas of ripe cherrylike Pinot melding with meat, spices, and leather lead on to a grand palate-filing mouthfeel uncannily like a mini Bollinger (Grande Annee, not Special Cuvee!). Yet the most lasting impression is of finesse, balance and the lightest of touches in the winemaking . Drink upon release 5+ years. 1001 Wines you must try before you Die, Neil Beckett
[Wine of the month] Aged for four years, that time on its lees has imbued this fizz with beautiful, autolytic complexity. There’s a hint of dried red berries on the nose, lying alongside perky citrus fruits and cream aromas. The palate is vibrant, full of flavor and wonderfully balanced (17.5/20)’ Decanter Magazine
KEY POINTS
- Included in 1001 Wines you must try before you Die, Neil Beckett
- One of the cheapest Champagnes in Australia
- Produced from excellent vineyards
- Small, family winery
- 5 stars, Winestate
- 93 Points, Gary Walsh.