The Deep: Bold, Rich, Opulent, Complex and Profound.Candied Citrus, Ripe Pear, Black Fruits, Hazelnuts, Fresh Grilled Bread, Crystalline, Nougat, Burnt Notes like Creme Brullee, Cooked Fruit, Layers of spice, Praline, Honey, Gingerbread and Wet Earth....and That's Just the Nose
I believe in the category of Fass Selections super premium Champagnes we have all the angles covered. We have four, that come and go as availability on these wines can be limited.
1) The Laser: The big vintage Brice (2008/2010 we have offered), which is always lean and minerally. A linear wine.
2) The Eternal: Bollinger RD styled Jean-Baptiste from Perseval-Farge that is old and young at the same time.
3) The Geek: The Perseval-Farge "La Pucelle" covers the 100% geek side of things with it being a Clos and 100% Pinot Noir and Brut Nature.
4) The Deep: And the fourth Champagne on the Mt. Rushmore of super premium Champagnes at Fass Selections is today's wine (Caillez-Lemaire's Cuvee Jadis 2007), which is in the deep, bold, rich, opulent, complex and profound style (think Vilmart/Laval) .
It is the new vintage of Caillez-Lemaire's Cuvee Jadis, which is the exceptional 2007. If you have the 2006, open one tonight, as the wine is in a great place now. The 2007, is much better. Leaner, more precise, but with the opulence that makes this such an outrageous wine. It has deep flavor impact that is hard to find at $57.99 (on 3), much less $80-$90 which is should be.
The nose, right off the bat let's you know this is an elite bottle of grower champagne. The nose is very aromatic. Wafting. Very deep with so many different nuances developing as it interacts with air . There is candied citrus, ripe pear, black fruits, hazelnuts, and fresh grilled bread. It is so pure aromatically in that the aromas are vivid and crystalline. As it develops with air, it begins to exhibit nougat and burnt notes like the top of a creme brullee, cooked fruit and layers of spice. Praline and honey complicate things even more. Oh and gingerbread and wet earth. It is truly all there. They held it back and released it at the perfect time as the nose is just to die for. Aromatic champagne is the best.
But wait, it tastes just as good. Truly a wine where the palate delivers just as much as the nose. The mousse is elegant, refined and super lively. The acidity is terrific and cuts the terrific opulence and richness. The texture is almost silken and the balance between all the components, particularly the sugar/acid balance (5.4 g per liter dosage) is extraordinary. I love the juxtaposition between freshness and vinoussness in this wine. A long, meandering finish that dissipates beautifully. Dried fruits echo on the finish. Total masterpiece. It can be aged for 2-4 more years and then really go into overdrive.
It is 60% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir and 10% Pinot Meunièr. 100% fermentation in barrel gives it the richness. It is aged on its fine lees, which also contributes to the opulence. The grapes come from Cumieres and Hautvillers with no malolactic fermentation no filtration (on the lees) and alcoholic fermentation is in bottles with cork closures and not sealed with crown caps. This is a trend in Champagne as they believe it is qualitatively better.
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