The Complete Jane Austen

... this season on PBS.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/?campaign=pbshomefeatures_1_masterpiecetheatrebrthecompletejaneausten_2008-01-27

Champagne Showdown!

A couple of weeks ago I was lucky enough to try the following wines in a tasting. Here is a list of what was poured at Hi-Time, along with my sparing notes.

Taitinger, "Comtes de Champagne" 1998 ($129) - Lovely!!!

Dom Ruinart Brut, 1996 ($150) - Watery, light

Veuve Clicquot, "La Grand Dame" 1998 ($119) - Nice upfront fruit, some bitterness on the back end.

Philipponnat "Clos des Goisses" Brut 1999 ($149) - Pretty! Lemony.

Salon "Mesnil" Brut 1996 ($239) - Pretty, different, some minerality, complex.

Pol Roger "Winston Churchill" Brut 1996 ($189) - Pretty, Elegant, Fruity, Beautiful.

Cristal Brut 2000 ($219) - Very nice! Viscious.

Vilmart "Coeur de Cuvee" Brut 1999 ($94) AWESOME!!!!!!! Fresh, fruity, some sandalwood in there somehow.

Ployez-Jacquemart "L.d'Harbonville" Brut 1996 ($125) - Alright. Citrusy.

Krug Brut 1995 ($219) - Incredible.

Alain Robert "Blanc de Blancs" Brut 1990 ($139) - Yeasty.


And the winner is...
Vilmart "Coeur de Cuvee" Brut 1999, with Krug coming in at a close second. The REAL winner was me getting the chance to try all of those wines! Lovely, lovely.