Wine with Leslie: A legendary blanc de blancs Champagne only released in the very best years
Leslie Williams: "It was poised, elegant and complex with lemon peel, apple and a touch of smoke, a taut palate with preserved lemon, brioche accents and saline zing. Still young but very tasty." Picture: iStock
I sometimes forget how lucky I am. Purely because I write a few words on this page every week I get invited to taste a lot of rare wines.
Recently Pembroke Wines in Dublin (pembrokewines.ie) invited me to taste the new vintage of Salon, the legendary blanc de blancs Champagne that is only released in the very best years.
First appearing commercially in 1921, there have only been 45 vintages and we tasted the just-released 2015. Sadly this is not a wine for everyone as it costs over four figures but you could see it as an investment, possibly.
It was poised, elegant and complex with lemon peel, apple and a touch of smoke, a taut palate with preserved lemon, brioche accents and saline zing. Still young but very tasty.
Salon is in the Laurent-Perrier group along with Delamotte, another underrated house. Delamotte is also delicious and far more accessible in price, the rounded brioche-lemon scented Brut NV costs around €64.
Pembroke wine director, Andrew Keaveney, was in good form and also opened two half bottles of Château Haut-Brion 1959, a legendary year and a legendary Château first mentioned by Samuel Pepys in 1660.
It had a lovely sweet-savoury centre, if a tad faded as you might expect (half-bottles don’t age well). Pembroke also held a tasting of Opus One last December, they really do have access to remarkable wines. Opus One is a joint project between the Mondavi and Mouton-Rothschild families; Andrew has a few left if you are feeling flush.
But back to the real world now and some bargain French wines we can all afford.
Dunnes have a French wine sale on at the moment, with most of their wines from France reduced. Whispering Angel is just €20, Bollinger is €58.40 (usually €70) with lots of wines under €10.
One of many French wines on special in Dunnes Stores this month, reduced from €11.50. Castillon is near Saint-Émilion so expect similar plummy Merlot fruits. For such a low price this delivers very nicely, ripe dark plums, blackberry and a touch of chocolate with a pleasing crunch on the finish. Also watch for Miquel Cazal-Viel (€11) and Ch. Béchereau Bordeaux at €12.
Dunnes Stores
This wine has two importers and is currently on offer in Curious Wines for under €16, excellent value for a hugely reliable Sauvignon Blanc. The house wine in Rick Stein’s restaurants and the Savoy and made by Gavin & Angela Quinney (UK ex-pats). Grapefruit, lime and apple aromas, more apple freshness on the palate but with a background of apricots giving depth. I also like the crunchy bright Merlot.
JJ O’Driscolls; Vintry; Curious Wines, curiouswines.ie
Château Lynch-Moussas is on a roll at the moment (for my palate anyway). This is their second wine from an excellent vintage and reduced from €33. A lovely early drinking Claret with big dark blackberry fruits and touches of cedar and spice on the nose and a weighty textured palate with tannins, acidity and dark fruits all in harmony. Perfect match for (Easter) lamb or a fat steak.
O’Briens
A new member of the Redbreast family, part of the ‘Iberian Collection’ which includes the Tawny Port and PX finish. Aged in Bourbon and Oloroso casks and finished in Moscatel wine casks for 16 months.
Lighter in style with floral and candied orange aromas, honeycomb, vanilla and pleasing grapey notes. I really liked its lightness of touch, definitely not for mixing.
O’Briens; Celtic Whiskey; Independents; Midleton Distillery Shop; midletondistillerycollection.com
