Henkell Blanc De Blancs

French cuvee craft meets German artisanal production: experience four first-class wines in one excellent cuvee. Pure joie de vivre and the special feeling of elegance and freshness – with this fruity, tingling premium cuvee of four distinguished white grapes from renowned, traditional wine-growing regions.The grapes are gently pressed and carefully fermented at a low temperature to preserve their full-bodied taste. Following careful maturation, an exquisite premium cuvee is created from carefully chosen wines. This is the journey that results in a great sparkling wine with the typical delicately sweet aromas and a noble, finely beaded mousse.

COLOUR: Delicate yellow

MOUSSE: Finely beaded, lingering

BOUQUET: Delicate aroma of ripe apples, Williams pears and mirabelles

FLAVOUR: Fresh start, elegant floral fizz, complex and balanced with a silky feeling and lingering finish

GRAPE VARIETIES: Cuvée made of four selected, exclusively white wines, including Chardonnay, from traditional viniculture regions.

PRODUCTION METHOD: Méthode charmat in accordance with German sparkling-wine regulations

SERVING SUGGESTION: Perfect accompaniment to a pleasant picnic, with light snacks such as savoury canapés

ANALYSIS RESULTS: Alcohol: 11.5 %

abv Dosage: 28 g/l (dry)Contains sulphites

Freshness, finesse and elegance, the new version of  Champagne Brut Laurent-Perrier  asserts itself as the most representative signature of the House's style. 

The Cuvée  is   a low-dose, pure and airy Champagne , marked by the delicacy of Chardonnay , and which reveals all the complexity and fruitiness of its aromas, in a supple, fresh and balanced palate. Perfect Champagne Brut  for an aperitif, the pleasant vinosity of  La Cuvée also allows it to accommodate your dishes, shellfish, fish or poultry.

TASTING ADVICE Laurent-Perrier La Cuvée Brut  is a magnificent  Champagne  for an aperitif, but will also accompany fish and seafood, white meat or poultry.

To be served  between 8° and 10°

Aging potential:  3 years

REWARDS 14.5/20 at RVF16.5/20 at Bettane and Desseauve16/20 in Gault and MillauThe  Laurent Perrier Champagne  House is rated 4* in the Bettane and Desseauve Guide, indicating a High Quality producer, glory of the French vineyard Laurent Perrier  is also rated 1* in the RVF, which emphasizes the quality and regularity of production.

TECHNICAL SHEET

Colour : pale gold, fine and persistent bubbles

Nose : fresh and delicate, floral, citrus and white fruit notes

Palate : suppleness, freshness and balance, good persistence on the finish

Varietal : 50% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir, 15% Pinot Meunier

This non-vintage Rose is the end result of a desire to create a Rose champagne with a delightfully luscious, fruit-based charm. Jacques Peters, the cellarmaster, and his team wanted a champagne that would be accessible and naturally engaging while conserving Veuve Clicquot's essential values in terms of style. The wine has a luminous color with attractive pink glints.

The nose is generous and elegant, with initial aromas of fresh red fruit (raspberry, wild strawberry, cherry, blackberry), leading to biscuity notes of dried fruits and Viennese pastries (almonds, apricots and brioche). The fresh attack is followed by a fruity harmonious sensation on the palate. The wine is perfectly balanced in the best Veuve Clicquot style of pink champagnes, combining elegance and flair. The wine works its magic—this delectably full champagne can be enjoyed as a true delicacy. A deliciously fruity wine in earlybloom, this is a wonderful aperitif to be shared as a twosome or simply with friends. Made using 50 to 60 different crus, the cuvee is based on Brut Yellow Label's traditional blend: 50 to 55% Pinot Noir, 15 to 20% Pinot Meunier, and 28 to 33% Chardonnay.

The base wine is put into pressurized tanks for the prise de mousse; it ferments in these for 18 - 20 days, with the aid of selected yeasts, at controlled temperatures of between 14 and 16. Once the desired pressure has been obtained (around 6 bar) the wine is chilled to -4 in order to block the fermentation and encourage stabilization. It is then kept at a controlled temperature for at least one month, so as to favor its natural maturation in contact with the lees. At the end of this process, it is filtered and undergoes isobaric bottling.

Relaunched under a new name, Asbach's popular 3 year old German grape brandy, formerly known as 'Uralt', is matured in Limousin oak casks and has a fruity, tangy character. 

Tasting Notes: Mild, smooth and sweet, displaying a harmonious bouquet, with a taste of grapes and notes of plum and nuts. 

An unusual gin from the Black Forest in Germany, Monkey 47 contains a unique ingredient. No, not that! Cranberries! The 47 comes from the number of botanicals that go into this unique gin, and the fact it’s bottled at a healthy 47%. It seems that the botanicals speak for themselves, as the gin has received bucketfuls of critical acclaim. Some say less is more, not for Monkey 47!

Tasting Note

Nose: Oh there is a lot going on here… woody, vegetable smells under pin fresh grassy citrus notes and botanical sweetness, like a pine forest after the rain.

Palate: Predictably complex, this is a robust and powerful gin with plenty of spice, fruit and herb flavours. It’s very well structured, and difficult to unpick but a citrus fresh start segues into pine and wood notes for a drying finish.

Finish: Wooded and reassuringly heavy.

Overall: A unique gin, that is crying out to be made into a Martini. It’ll need an equally robust vermouth though.