Champagne Perseval Farge Village: Chamery 1er Cru (Montagne de Reims) Appellation: 4ha Champagne Growers: Benoist Perseval Isabelle Perseval Henri Perseval Website: https://www.perseval-farge.fr Perseval-Farge is a 4-hectare estate in the 1er Cru village of Chamery which is in the northern part of the Montagne de Reims, known as the Petite Montagne. The Perseval family traces its roots in the village back to the early 18th century and today it is Benoist and Isabelle Perseval who carry on the tradition. Benoist farmed in a manner he called “viticulture integrée” a commitment to taking care of the land for future generations and when Benoist and Isabelle’s son, Henri, joined the family full time in 2020, they officially entered into conversion for organic certification. The four hectares are planted with 40% Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay, 15% Pinot Meunier and with 10% Arbanne, Petit Meslier and Fromentot (Pinot Gris) combined in a small parcel planted in 2004. The Perseval’s four hectares are divided among six parcels, all in the village of Chamery, with the greater portion being on the mid to upper slope with calcerous-clay soils and the smaller part on the lower slopes with sandy-clay soils. Besides his commitment to sustainability in the vineyard, Benoist has worked to decrease the use of SO2 in his winemaking and at 26 to 35mg per liter, he uses one fifth of the norm. Nothing with Perseval-Farge is entirely systematic and so the notes below are general rather than detailed. Benoist and Isabelle have a cellar (two actually) filled with vats of different sizes, made of different materials along with barrels and foudres of different ages. All are used in the patient maturing of their wines and may contain a single variety, a blend of varieties from a single parcel, a single vintage, a blend of vintages or any combination of the above. They provide a palette from which Benoist paints his Champagnes. "C. de Reserve" 1er Cru Brut NV The “C. de Reserve” blends a majority of Chardonnay with small amounts of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. The Chardonnay comes primarily from the “Les Spectres” vineyard, a parcel planted with a variety of clones “en massale” and an average age of 30 years. A gentle pressing is done with a vertical press and the juice is vinified both in stainless steel vats and in barrels (not new). About two-thirds of the wine goes through a malo-lactic fermentation. This cuvée blends several vintages with at least 50% being reserve wine. The Champagne rests 48 months “sur lattes” before being disgorged. The dosage is 3.5g/L. "C. de Pinots" 1er Cru Brut NV The “C. de Pinots” is a blend of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. A gentle pressing is done with a vertical press and the juice is vinified in stainless steel vats and in barrels (not new). A part of the wine goes through a malolactic fermentation. This cuvée is typically a blend of several vintages with at least 40% being reserve wine. The Champagne rests 48 months “sur lattes” before being disgorged. The dosage is 5.5g/L. "Terre de Sables" 1er Cru Brut NV The Terre de Sables is a blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. As referenced in its name, the cuvée is made from grapes grown on the domain’s sandiest soils and is sharply marked by it, with notes of marine minerals being supported by bright acidity. This cuvee is a blend of vintages, with 50% of reserve wine. It is held “sur lattes” for four years before disgorgement and finished with a dosage of 4g/L. "La Pucelle" 1er Cru Brut NV La Pucelle is the name of one of Perseval-Farge’s best plots and is planted entirely to Pinot Noir.Because of the dynamic nature of the wine from this parcel, Benoist and Isabelle decided to produce a single vineyard Champagne. The cuvée is a blend of vintages. The wine is vinified in stainless steel vats and then matured in both stainless steel vats and in barrel. The majority of the wine goes through a malo-lactic fermentation. After more than two years “sur lattes” the Champagne is finished with a 0 dosage. "Les Goulats" 1er Cru brut NV Along with the cuvée « La Pucelle », « Les Goulats » is a single vineyard bottling. The Persevals farm slightly more than a hectare in the “lieu dit” Les Goulats with two-thirds planted in 1997 to Chardonnay and the other third planted in 2008 to a mix of Petit Meslier, Pinot Gris and Arbanne. The cuvee blends two thirds of the “cepages anciens” with one-third Chardonnay. The wine is vinified in stainless steel vats and then matured in both stainless steel vats and in barrel. The majority of the wine goes through a malo-lactic fermentation. After more than two years “sur lattes” the Champagne is finished with a 0 dosage. News December 2, 2021 5th Annual Valentine’s Day Wine Traditions Champagne Event @ Cork RESERVE NOW - A FEW SPACES LEFT!! Join Us For Cork's 5th Annual Champagne Tasting Six Grower Champagnes from Wine Traditions with Small Bites from Cork Market's Chef Jason Schreuder Valentine's Day Menu & Grower Champagne Pairings Black Truffle and Gruyere Gougeres Champagne Bourdaire-Gallois, Brut NV (Based on 2009 Vintage) Sauteed Scallop, shellfish custard, caviar, salade de chou Champagne Bourdaire-Gallois, Blanc de Blanc Duck Rillette, house-made potato chips, champagne grape jam Champagne Perseval-Farge, C. De pinot Brut Lobster Mushroom Risotto, quail egg, Parmesan crisp R. Dumont & Fils, Grand Millesime 1998 Whole Herb Roasted Sea Bass, Peekytoe crab, citrus hollandaise Thierry Triolet, Grande Reserve NV Genoise with passion fruit and raspberry, wild berry sorbet, crispy coconut meringue R. Dumont & Fils, Douce Cuvee WHERE & WHEN Cork Market & Tasting Room 1805 14th Street, NW 202-265-2674 Saturday, February 14th, 2015 7:00PM - 9:00PM $90 (exclusive of tax & gratuity) Space is limited to 26 people so please RSVP by February 12th to Events@CorkDC.com Guests must be 21 or over to attend, Please bring Picture ID These Champagne's are small production and are not widely available. A selection of these wines will be reserved for tasting guests only to purchase at a discount at Cork Market. We look forward to seeing you soon at Cork! Diane & Khalid Cork Wine Bar December 2, 2021 Celebrate Valentine’s Day this Tuesday at Cork Market & Tasting Room, 1805 14th Street, NW 7:00PM – 9:00PM. Make your Reservation Below! Join Us For Valentine's Day at Cork Wine Bar Select Reservations Available February 14 Enjoy Special Menu Items PLUS Cork's Regular Meant!! by Cork Executive Chef Jason Schreuder Enjoy The Largest Collection of Grower Champagne in DC Hamachi Crudo, pickled chili, endive, scallion oil Lobster Saffron Risotto Asian Scented Beef Pot de Feu, winter vegetables for two Whole Herb & Citrus Roasted Durade for two Make Your Reservations Now at CORKDC.com or Call Cork Wine Bar 202-265-2675 RESERVE NOW - 6 SPACES LEFT Cork Market's 7th Annual Champagne Dinner Six Champagnes from Wine Traditions paired with Cork Market's New Chef Ian Morrison's 6 Course Tasting Menu We have selected a wonderful group of Champagnes produced by small growers throughout Champagne. Ed and Barbara from Wine Traditions will be on hand to talk about the producers. These unique sparklers are wonderful accompaniments to food and represent some of the best wines of Champagne. This year the dinner will include all single varietal wines Truffled Gougeres R. Dumont et Fils, Brut Nature Non Dosé Crispy Duck Fat Fried Potatoes, quail egg salad, mache Perseval-Farge, "La Pucelle", 1 er Cru Brut Non Dos Almond Crusted Grouper, melted leeks, lemon creme fraiche Thierry Triolet, "Vieille Vigne" 2011 Asian Scented Pot Au Feu, winter vegetables Jose Michel, Brut NV "Pinot Meunier" Lobster Risotto, saffron, parmesan crisp, lemon beurre blanc R. Dumont et Fils, Brut Blanc de Noir 2006 Hazelnut Cake with Hazelnut Citrus Mousse, wine macerated red grapes, red wine reduction R. Dumont et Fils, Brut Rosé NV This tasting is $100 (exclusive of tax & gratuity) & attendance will be limited to 26 people to ensure the comfort and enjoyment of our guests. WHERE & WHEN Cork Market & Tasting Room 1805 14th Street, NW 202-265-2674 Tuesday, February 14th, 2017 7:00PM - 9:00PM Space is limited so please RSVP by February 13th to Events@CorkDC.com Guests must be 21 or over to attend, Please bring Picture ID These Champagne's are small production and are not widely available. A selection of these wines will be reserved for tasting guests only to purchase at a discount at Cork Market. December 2, 2021 Just Published Champagne reviews by Josh Raynolds in Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar R. Dumont & Fils By Josh Raynolds 2005 R. Dumont et Fils Millesime Brut ($53) (60% chardonnay and 40% pinot noir): Vivid yellow. Smoky orchard fruits and chamomile on the musky, perfumed nose. Fleshy pear and Meyer lemon flavors tighten up in the mid-palate, picking up bitter quinine and dried fig qualities. Shows very good energy and lift on the finish, which leaves smoky mineral and brown butter notes behind. The smooth interplay of richness and vivacity will make this a very flexible Champagne at the table. 90 Points 1998 R. Dumont et Fils Blanc de Noirs Grand Millesime Brut ($85) Bright gold. Smoky aromas of poached pear, yellow plum, cherry pit and orange pith, with a subtle floral overtone. Fleshy and broad on the palate, offering nutty dried orchard fruit flavors and suggestions of buttered toast and musky rhubarb. Closes spicy and long, with a touch of candied fig and lingering spiciness. 91 Points Jose Michel et Fils By Josh Raynolds 2005 Jose Michel et Fils Brut Special Club 6 pack ($75) (a 50/50 blend of chardonnay and pinot meunier, all from the estate's oldest vines): Bright yellow. Smoky, penetrating orchard fruit and cherry pit scents are complicated by notes of truffle, chalky minerals and fresh flowers. Powerful yet lithe on the palate, offering refreshingly bitter pear skin and fresh fig flavors and a brighter suggestion of orange that gains in strength with air. Finishes on a toasty note, with lingering florality and excellent persistence. 92 points Perseval-Farge By Josh Raynolds 2000 Perseval-Farge Millesime Premier Cru Brut ($79) (made from 60% chardonnay, 30% pinot noir and 10% pinot meunier): Vivid yellow. Spicy apple and peach aromas are complemented by deeper notes of buttered toast and anise. Chewy orchard fruit flavors are braced by a touch of bitter orange pith, showing very good focus. Picks up a nutty quality on the lingering, toasty finish. 91 Points Wine Traditions imports these and The Vine Collective, www.thevinecollective.com distributes them in NY and NJ. December 2, 2021 Don’t miss the Champagne Tasting! This Saturday, December 10th at Restaurant Ris, 2275 L St NW, Washington, DC Champagne Tasting this Saturday at Restaurant Ris Walk around Champagne tasting at Restaurant RisDecember 10 20161:00pm – 3:00pm$15 tasting Fee due at the time of registration We would like to invite you to a tasting of champagnes from the Wine Traditions portfolio. This is an outstanding opportunity to taste some of our favorite champagnes from small producers, and stock up your cellars for the holidays. There will be 20 fabulous Champagnes open to taste between 1:00pm – 3:00pm. Ed Addiss and Barbara Selig, the owners of Wine Traditions, will be with us to present his collection of small artisan champagne producers.This tasting is $15 per person due at the time of registration. With the purchase of 6 or more bottles the tasting fee will be applied to the purchase. To RSVP please call Arrowine DC at (202) 785-0785 or email dc@arrowine.com.Wine Traditions Ltd. was created in 1996, the collaborative project of Edward Addiss and Barbara Selig. The philosophy of Wine Traditions is to discover independent winemakers whose passion for their vineyard and mastery of their winemaking craft combine to create a product that is a beautiful expression of the land from which it comes. They believe their portfolio demonstrates that wonderful wines can be found beyond well-known appellations and need not be overpriced. For them, wine is meant to be enjoyed with dinner, every day and at prices that make it an appropriate component of the meal. Their wines feature indigenous varieties and are traditionally made, all farmed following sustainable if not organic and biodynamic principles.What we will be pouring:Bourdaire-GalloisBrut NVBrut Prestige NVBlanc de Blanc NVBrut Rose NV Perseval-FargeC. de Pinots 1er Cru brut NVTerre de Sables, 1er Cru Brut NVLa Pucelle, 1er Cru Brut Non Dosage1er Cru Brut Vintage 2003 Thierry TrioletBrut NVGrand Reserve NV Vieille Vigne Vintage 2011Brut Rose NV Dumont Pére et FilsBrut NV (750)Brut Rose NVBrut Vintage 2006Douce Cuvee José Michel et Fils Brut NV (750)Brut NV Pinot MeunierBlanc de Blanc 2007Cuvee du Pere Houdart Vieux Millesimes RSVP to Champagne Tasting Thank you for supporting the work we do.--Michelle, Ed and Aidan December 2, 2021 Preview: Vintage Reports 2019 Every year about this time we ask our winemakers to send us reports on the current vintage : events over the growing season, harvest conditions, what's happening in the winery during these early stages. It takes a while for all reports to roll in, which we will eventually compile and publish on our Vintage Reports page. Meanwhile we've received enough responses from all over France, from Champagne, Loire, Southwest, Rhone, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Beaujolais...to post a preview of Vintage 2019. Having heard from wine makers in different regions of France, weather conditions in 2019 were almost uniform, north to south, east to west, having to do with similar climatic irregularities during the growing season. All inconsistant with historic norms. Warm winter and early spring, leading to early bud set, only to be beset by frosts in April and delayed flowering, then heatwaves and drought in summer, somehow miraculous comebacks with needed rains at the end of the growing season, and clement harvesting weather. In general there was a loss of yields but high quality fruit. Climate changes are tangible and posing serious challenges to wine growers who are now needing to anticipate how to adapt their wine growing methods to deal with an erratic and quickly changing growing environment. Notes from our winemakers : L'Yonne Domaine d’Elise, Chablis, Frédérique Prain The year 2019 = a hot and dry year Alas, we had a bit of hail at the beginning of April and again in late April. The hail beginning of May at which time buds were between 1 and 12 cm. With this persistant cold budding was slow, taking through the end of May. The vines were in full flower around June 17th Which put the predicted harvest date at September 25th;Then the heatwave came! Very hot at the end of June: 38°C, beautiful all of the beginning of July and at the end of July, record hot temperatures in Chablis : 42.6°C on the 25th of July. End of August it was still very hot, and above all dry. So the harvests began in the region the beginning of September, around the 10th in Chablis, on the 17th at Domaine d’ELISE! The quality is excellent but its necessary to take note that there a lot of underdeveloped berries that were slightly dried out, and some even burned by the sun. The yields are only 40HL/HA instead of the usual 60. The degrees vary between 12.5 and 13.5, which is very high for Chablis and Petit Chablis. However the acidities are correct, allowing for making characteristic Chablis. They will be for medium term keeping. The juice is already tasting very well : its round and fruited, very agreeable on the palate. Since the year 2000 we've experienced many good years, despite climactic warming. Often with excessive ripeness comes a decline in acidity, which is not suitable for Chablis. Happily, le Domaine d’Elise always has good acidity because of its rocky, very calcareous soil. Savoie Domaine des 13 Lunes, Savoie, Sylvain Liotard The 2019 vintage was the vintage of confirmation for me (my third year), in spite of being a growing season of all possible climactic hazards. We had frost, hail, violent winds and 3 months of drought. I was anxious about protecting the grapes. In the end, the losses were not too bad, (15 to 20%). The acidities are for the monent high, a real mountain wine. The maturities were very good but heterogeneous, resulting in quite a bit of millérandage (mixed sized berries and partial crop failure). The fermentations are quite variable, according to different parcels. Those that got hail are taking more time. I really like these wines to come, I think that they will have great personality. I just finished (end October) putting the wines in tank or in barrel to finish fermentations and for maturing. Autumn work begins, earthing-up the vines, treating of the soils, replacing certain vines and a bit of commerce. Beaujolais Domaine du Crêt de Bine, Sarcey, Florence Subrin 2019, a crop of excellent quality but a small crop as a result of climactic hazards. The 2019 vintange for us will have been remembered by the successive late frosts in the month of April, as well as the hailstorm on the 18th of August. With the very warm start of the growing season, vegetation started early, then suffered the climactic "rewind" of a sudden drop in temperatures in April. Follwed then by a lovely spring and a hot summer, which was favorable to good ripeness of fruit. Unfortunately, the quantity was affected by a violent hail storm in August. Nevertheless, this small yielding season, makes up for itself in quality. Indeed, with such beautiful fruit, very balanced with delicate aromas, we are able to vinify wines that reflect that beauty the of fruit. Entirely hand harvested over 9 days, our 2019 cuvées are showing a rare finesse with beatiful bright "cherry" color, all with no added sulfur other than a minimal dose at bottling to protect them during transport. Beautiful "Natural" cuvées, are equally "Beaujolais" ; they will be released in the Spring 2020. Sud-Ouest Chateau La Caminade, Cahors, Dominique Ressès Here is my first impression of the 2019 millésime. We’ll say that the vintage, started a bit poorly with a spring frost (May 6th), but finished well, though with a reduced quantity, but superior quality than we estimated. In addition, a beautiful, hot and dry summer provided conditions for the vines to catch up on the delay caused by the Spring frosts. Finally, some rains at the end of August and beginning September, followed by nice weather, hot during the day, cool at night, during the whole rest of September, made for a lovely and homogeneous ripening of the fruit. We started harvesting the 3rd of October and finished the 9th, days were cloudy and cool. Today we can say that this vintage will be easy to drink, gourmand, with low acidities and high pH (already 3.6/3.7 before malolactic!!!) Loire Domaine Christophe Thorigny, Vouvray The harvests went very well. The crop is correct with a good quality in spite of the difficult climactic conditions of the year : 20% of vines affected by frost in the spring, heatwaves and drought this summer. Domaine Verdier-Logel, Côtes de Forez, Julie Logel The year 2019, once again, translates as an exceptional year, in the sense that the climate has upset the usual growth patterns of the vine and challenged the wine grower. Frosts during Spring and little rain caused a delayed development of the vines, which only started coming into a phase of fruit maturity at the end of August, which meant the winegrowers had to roll up their sleeves after traditional summer vacations. In the end, the harvest was quite satisfactory concerning quality. Vinification is just now finished, the wines are starting the maturing process and are already displaying a 2019 vintage that is less powerful than 2018, but more typical of the wines of the Forez and express the granite and basalt terroirs of the region. Champagne Champagne Perseval-Farge, Montagne de Reims, Isabelle Perseval Each new vintage is an occasion to write a new page in history and above all to understand new winegrowing conditions in the changing climate. The 2019 winegrowing season was once again quite singular : the erratic climactic cycles meant we had to organize ourselves around spring frosts, sudden unusual cold temperatures at budding and then heat waves during the summer. These changes in weather are recent and their consequences are unknown ; with little hindsight, an evolution is in progress. Each year we have to review the new imprint and rethink our production strategy. The musts are very aromatic, and stimulate the palate. They have fruit, balance, concentration with a touch of liveliness, everything is there. The fragrances emanating in the winery are so pleasant, we can’t wait to taste the first wines. Nature has given us the best, now it is up to us to magnify the fruit of our labor. The Chardonnay has quite particular aromas : complexity, fruitiness, while the Pinot Noir and Meunier are powerful and elegant. The 3 forgotten varieties (Arbanne, Petit Meslier and Fromentot) are very expressive. Their specific aromatic profiles are complementary : they combine freshness, balance, generosity and finesse. The production of the Cuvée Les Goulats remains very limited [1,000 bottles approximately / year] In the end, the cuvées will be a reflection of the winemaker, his passion and his emotion. To that add patience to discover an acomplished wine….. Now it is time that everyone takes ownership of their own Terroir and takes responsibilty and makes decisions to maintain productive vineyards, and bring the quality of production to the highest level. It is our credo and we consistantly pursue this objective. On this note, we have the pleasure to announce that Henry, our second son, has taken his place at the winery and that he has come to observe and assimilate Benoist’s savoir-faire after his wine-growing/making studies in Alsace and 2 years of profesional experience outside of our domaine. Bordeaux Chateaux Barraillots, Margaux, Yannick Martin The 2019 harvests took place in very good weather with grapes in very sanitary condition. It was sunny the entire harvest from September 26 through October 10th. The grapes were healthy and well ripened. Vinifications are almost complete, this week (end October) we finish the juice runs and pressings. The malolactics are also almost finished. In brief, a lovely crop, very good quality and good yields. Rhone Domaine de Berane, Côtes de Ventoux, Bertrand Ferary We had quite a few suprises in 2019. We grow Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre. And for 19 years we have been harvesting them in that chronological order. For the first time Grenache matured before the Syrah. Incredible! In addition, maturities were blocked. One of the causes is that we had the hottest summer in Provence since 2003. The grape skins were very thick, natures reaction to protect the pulp from dehydration, preserving its own production. We did reach normal quantites, with wonderful deep color, with higher degrees than usual. We are performing many "déléstages" (multiple rackings of juice during fermentation and maceration, a process that aerates the juice and softens it by lessening time spent in contact with skins). And, hard to believe, for the first time, our Syrah and Mourvedre tanks have still not finished fermenting in early November. We expect they will have finished in a week. With this careful vinification, 2019 should be an excellent vintage. December 2, 2021 Read Our Champagne Producers’ Current Cuvée Statistics : : : Grape Varieties Vintages Disgorgement Date Triolet Brut 70% Chardonnay / 30% Pinot Noir 60% 2011 / 40% 2010 2-3 months before sale Triolet Grande Reserve 100% Chardonnay 50% 2010 / 50% 2009 2-3 months before sale Triolet Vieilles Vignes 100% Chardonnay 2008 2-3 months before sale Triolet Rose 60% Chardonnay / 25% Pinot Noir Chardonnay 60% 2010/ 25% Pinot Noir 2010 2-3 months before sale 15% Red Blend (60% Pinot Noir + 40% Pinot Meunier) Red Blend 2010 Jose Michel Brut 70% Pinot Meunier / 30% Chardonnay Base wine 2010+ Reserve wine 2009 2-3 months before sale Jose Michel Brut Pinot Meunier 100% Pinot Meunier 2010 2-3 months before sale Jose Michel Blanc de Blanc 100% Chardonnay 2005 4-6 months before sale Jose Michel Special Club 50% Pinot Meunier / 50% Chardonnay 2006 4-6 months before sale vines are 70 years + R. Dumont & Fils Brut Tradition 90% Pinot Noir/ 10% Chardonnay Base wine 2010 + Reserve Wine 2009,2008 3-4 months before the sale 2007 and 5% Pinot Noir Solera R. Dumont & Fils Solera Reserve 100% Chardonnay 120 hectoliter cuve begun in 1991 Spring 2013 wine drawn from tank May 2011 R. Dumont & Fils Vintage 2005 60% Pinot Noir / 40% Chardonnay 2005 5-6 years sur lattes / January 2013 R. Dumont & Fils Vintage 1998 100% Pinot Noir 1998 12 years sur lattes / October 2012 R. Dumont & Fils Brut Nature 80% Pinot Noir / 20% Chardonnay Base wine 2006 + 40% Reserve wines 6 years sur lattes / January 2013 R. Dumont & Fils Douce Cuvee 90% Pinot Noir/ 10% Chardonnay Base wine 2006 + 30% Reserve wines 6 years sur lattes / january 2013 R. Dumont & Fils Brut Rose 100% Pinot Noir 2010 4 months before sale Bourdaire-Gallois Brut NV 100% Pinot Meunier Base wine 2010 + 20% 2009 3+ yrs sur lattes / 6 to 12 mos before sale Bourdaire-Gallois Prestige 40% Pinot Meunier / 20% Pinot Noir/ 40% Chardonnay PM and PN 2008 / CH 50-08 + 50-07 4+ yrs sur lattes / 6 to 12 mos before sale Perseval-Farge C. de Pinots 55% Pinot Noir / 45% Pinot Meunier 35% 2008, 25% 2007, 33% 2006, 7% 2004 4+ yrs sur lattes / 6 to 12 mos before sale Perseval-Farge Terre de Sables A third each Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay 50% 2006, 50% Blend 2007, 2004 2001 4+ yrs sur lattes / 6 to 12 mos before sale Perseval-Farge Vintage 2000 60% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir, 10% Pinot Meunier 2000 10+ yrs sur lattes December 2, 2021 Wine Traditions Ltd. and The Vine Collective are excited to welcome Peter Liem and our Champagne Grower-Producers to NYC for a tasting and panel discussion! There will be in-store tastings that same evening with producer Bernard Dumont from Dumont Pere et Fils @ Flatiron Wines & Spirits https://flatiron-wines.com , 929 Broadway between 21st and 22nd Streets, 5'oclock to 8 o'clock. AND @ The Princeton Corkscrew www.princetoncorkscrew.com , in Palmer Square, Princeton, New Jersey from 5:30 to 8:30 with Frédérique and Thierry Triolet, Isabel Perseval and David Bourdaire.
December 2, 2021 5th Annual Valentine’s Day Wine Traditions Champagne Event @ Cork RESERVE NOW - A FEW SPACES LEFT!! Join Us For Cork's 5th Annual Champagne Tasting Six Grower Champagnes from Wine Traditions with Small Bites from Cork Market's Chef Jason Schreuder Valentine's Day Menu & Grower Champagne Pairings Black Truffle and Gruyere Gougeres Champagne Bourdaire-Gallois, Brut NV (Based on 2009 Vintage) Sauteed Scallop, shellfish custard, caviar, salade de chou Champagne Bourdaire-Gallois, Blanc de Blanc Duck Rillette, house-made potato chips, champagne grape jam Champagne Perseval-Farge, C. De pinot Brut Lobster Mushroom Risotto, quail egg, Parmesan crisp R. Dumont & Fils, Grand Millesime 1998 Whole Herb Roasted Sea Bass, Peekytoe crab, citrus hollandaise Thierry Triolet, Grande Reserve NV Genoise with passion fruit and raspberry, wild berry sorbet, crispy coconut meringue R. Dumont & Fils, Douce Cuvee WHERE & WHEN Cork Market & Tasting Room 1805 14th Street, NW 202-265-2674 Saturday, February 14th, 2015 7:00PM - 9:00PM $90 (exclusive of tax & gratuity) Space is limited to 26 people so please RSVP by February 12th to Events@CorkDC.com Guests must be 21 or over to attend, Please bring Picture ID These Champagne's are small production and are not widely available. A selection of these wines will be reserved for tasting guests only to purchase at a discount at Cork Market. We look forward to seeing you soon at Cork! Diane & Khalid Cork Wine Bar
December 2, 2021 Celebrate Valentine’s Day this Tuesday at Cork Market & Tasting Room, 1805 14th Street, NW 7:00PM – 9:00PM. Make your Reservation Below! Join Us For Valentine's Day at Cork Wine Bar Select Reservations Available February 14 Enjoy Special Menu Items PLUS Cork's Regular Meant!! by Cork Executive Chef Jason Schreuder Enjoy The Largest Collection of Grower Champagne in DC Hamachi Crudo, pickled chili, endive, scallion oil Lobster Saffron Risotto Asian Scented Beef Pot de Feu, winter vegetables for two Whole Herb & Citrus Roasted Durade for two Make Your Reservations Now at CORKDC.com or Call Cork Wine Bar 202-265-2675 RESERVE NOW - 6 SPACES LEFT Cork Market's 7th Annual Champagne Dinner Six Champagnes from Wine Traditions paired with Cork Market's New Chef Ian Morrison's 6 Course Tasting Menu We have selected a wonderful group of Champagnes produced by small growers throughout Champagne. Ed and Barbara from Wine Traditions will be on hand to talk about the producers. These unique sparklers are wonderful accompaniments to food and represent some of the best wines of Champagne. This year the dinner will include all single varietal wines Truffled Gougeres R. Dumont et Fils, Brut Nature Non Dosé Crispy Duck Fat Fried Potatoes, quail egg salad, mache Perseval-Farge, "La Pucelle", 1 er Cru Brut Non Dos Almond Crusted Grouper, melted leeks, lemon creme fraiche Thierry Triolet, "Vieille Vigne" 2011 Asian Scented Pot Au Feu, winter vegetables Jose Michel, Brut NV "Pinot Meunier" Lobster Risotto, saffron, parmesan crisp, lemon beurre blanc R. Dumont et Fils, Brut Blanc de Noir 2006 Hazelnut Cake with Hazelnut Citrus Mousse, wine macerated red grapes, red wine reduction R. Dumont et Fils, Brut Rosé NV This tasting is $100 (exclusive of tax & gratuity) & attendance will be limited to 26 people to ensure the comfort and enjoyment of our guests. WHERE & WHEN Cork Market & Tasting Room 1805 14th Street, NW 202-265-2674 Tuesday, February 14th, 2017 7:00PM - 9:00PM Space is limited so please RSVP by February 13th to Events@CorkDC.com Guests must be 21 or over to attend, Please bring Picture ID These Champagne's are small production and are not widely available. A selection of these wines will be reserved for tasting guests only to purchase at a discount at Cork Market.
December 2, 2021 Just Published Champagne reviews by Josh Raynolds in Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar R. Dumont & Fils By Josh Raynolds 2005 R. Dumont et Fils Millesime Brut ($53) (60% chardonnay and 40% pinot noir): Vivid yellow. Smoky orchard fruits and chamomile on the musky, perfumed nose. Fleshy pear and Meyer lemon flavors tighten up in the mid-palate, picking up bitter quinine and dried fig qualities. Shows very good energy and lift on the finish, which leaves smoky mineral and brown butter notes behind. The smooth interplay of richness and vivacity will make this a very flexible Champagne at the table. 90 Points 1998 R. Dumont et Fils Blanc de Noirs Grand Millesime Brut ($85) Bright gold. Smoky aromas of poached pear, yellow plum, cherry pit and orange pith, with a subtle floral overtone. Fleshy and broad on the palate, offering nutty dried orchard fruit flavors and suggestions of buttered toast and musky rhubarb. Closes spicy and long, with a touch of candied fig and lingering spiciness. 91 Points Jose Michel et Fils By Josh Raynolds 2005 Jose Michel et Fils Brut Special Club 6 pack ($75) (a 50/50 blend of chardonnay and pinot meunier, all from the estate's oldest vines): Bright yellow. Smoky, penetrating orchard fruit and cherry pit scents are complicated by notes of truffle, chalky minerals and fresh flowers. Powerful yet lithe on the palate, offering refreshingly bitter pear skin and fresh fig flavors and a brighter suggestion of orange that gains in strength with air. Finishes on a toasty note, with lingering florality and excellent persistence. 92 points Perseval-Farge By Josh Raynolds 2000 Perseval-Farge Millesime Premier Cru Brut ($79) (made from 60% chardonnay, 30% pinot noir and 10% pinot meunier): Vivid yellow. Spicy apple and peach aromas are complemented by deeper notes of buttered toast and anise. Chewy orchard fruit flavors are braced by a touch of bitter orange pith, showing very good focus. Picks up a nutty quality on the lingering, toasty finish. 91 Points Wine Traditions imports these and The Vine Collective, www.thevinecollective.com distributes them in NY and NJ.
December 2, 2021 Don’t miss the Champagne Tasting! This Saturday, December 10th at Restaurant Ris, 2275 L St NW, Washington, DC Champagne Tasting this Saturday at Restaurant Ris Walk around Champagne tasting at Restaurant RisDecember 10 20161:00pm – 3:00pm$15 tasting Fee due at the time of registration We would like to invite you to a tasting of champagnes from the Wine Traditions portfolio. This is an outstanding opportunity to taste some of our favorite champagnes from small producers, and stock up your cellars for the holidays. There will be 20 fabulous Champagnes open to taste between 1:00pm – 3:00pm. Ed Addiss and Barbara Selig, the owners of Wine Traditions, will be with us to present his collection of small artisan champagne producers.This tasting is $15 per person due at the time of registration. With the purchase of 6 or more bottles the tasting fee will be applied to the purchase. To RSVP please call Arrowine DC at (202) 785-0785 or email dc@arrowine.com.Wine Traditions Ltd. was created in 1996, the collaborative project of Edward Addiss and Barbara Selig. The philosophy of Wine Traditions is to discover independent winemakers whose passion for their vineyard and mastery of their winemaking craft combine to create a product that is a beautiful expression of the land from which it comes. They believe their portfolio demonstrates that wonderful wines can be found beyond well-known appellations and need not be overpriced. For them, wine is meant to be enjoyed with dinner, every day and at prices that make it an appropriate component of the meal. Their wines feature indigenous varieties and are traditionally made, all farmed following sustainable if not organic and biodynamic principles.What we will be pouring:Bourdaire-GalloisBrut NVBrut Prestige NVBlanc de Blanc NVBrut Rose NV Perseval-FargeC. de Pinots 1er Cru brut NVTerre de Sables, 1er Cru Brut NVLa Pucelle, 1er Cru Brut Non Dosage1er Cru Brut Vintage 2003 Thierry TrioletBrut NVGrand Reserve NV Vieille Vigne Vintage 2011Brut Rose NV Dumont Pére et FilsBrut NV (750)Brut Rose NVBrut Vintage 2006Douce Cuvee José Michel et Fils Brut NV (750)Brut NV Pinot MeunierBlanc de Blanc 2007Cuvee du Pere Houdart Vieux Millesimes RSVP to Champagne Tasting Thank you for supporting the work we do.--Michelle, Ed and Aidan
December 2, 2021 Preview: Vintage Reports 2019 Every year about this time we ask our winemakers to send us reports on the current vintage : events over the growing season, harvest conditions, what's happening in the winery during these early stages. It takes a while for all reports to roll in, which we will eventually compile and publish on our Vintage Reports page. Meanwhile we've received enough responses from all over France, from Champagne, Loire, Southwest, Rhone, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Beaujolais...to post a preview of Vintage 2019. Having heard from wine makers in different regions of France, weather conditions in 2019 were almost uniform, north to south, east to west, having to do with similar climatic irregularities during the growing season. All inconsistant with historic norms. Warm winter and early spring, leading to early bud set, only to be beset by frosts in April and delayed flowering, then heatwaves and drought in summer, somehow miraculous comebacks with needed rains at the end of the growing season, and clement harvesting weather. In general there was a loss of yields but high quality fruit. Climate changes are tangible and posing serious challenges to wine growers who are now needing to anticipate how to adapt their wine growing methods to deal with an erratic and quickly changing growing environment. Notes from our winemakers : L'Yonne Domaine d’Elise, Chablis, Frédérique Prain The year 2019 = a hot and dry year Alas, we had a bit of hail at the beginning of April and again in late April. The hail beginning of May at which time buds were between 1 and 12 cm. With this persistant cold budding was slow, taking through the end of May. The vines were in full flower around June 17th Which put the predicted harvest date at September 25th;Then the heatwave came! Very hot at the end of June: 38°C, beautiful all of the beginning of July and at the end of July, record hot temperatures in Chablis : 42.6°C on the 25th of July. End of August it was still very hot, and above all dry. So the harvests began in the region the beginning of September, around the 10th in Chablis, on the 17th at Domaine d’ELISE! The quality is excellent but its necessary to take note that there a lot of underdeveloped berries that were slightly dried out, and some even burned by the sun. The yields are only 40HL/HA instead of the usual 60. The degrees vary between 12.5 and 13.5, which is very high for Chablis and Petit Chablis. However the acidities are correct, allowing for making characteristic Chablis. They will be for medium term keeping. The juice is already tasting very well : its round and fruited, very agreeable on the palate. Since the year 2000 we've experienced many good years, despite climactic warming. Often with excessive ripeness comes a decline in acidity, which is not suitable for Chablis. Happily, le Domaine d’Elise always has good acidity because of its rocky, very calcareous soil. Savoie Domaine des 13 Lunes, Savoie, Sylvain Liotard The 2019 vintage was the vintage of confirmation for me (my third year), in spite of being a growing season of all possible climactic hazards. We had frost, hail, violent winds and 3 months of drought. I was anxious about protecting the grapes. In the end, the losses were not too bad, (15 to 20%). The acidities are for the monent high, a real mountain wine. The maturities were very good but heterogeneous, resulting in quite a bit of millérandage (mixed sized berries and partial crop failure). The fermentations are quite variable, according to different parcels. Those that got hail are taking more time. I really like these wines to come, I think that they will have great personality. I just finished (end October) putting the wines in tank or in barrel to finish fermentations and for maturing. Autumn work begins, earthing-up the vines, treating of the soils, replacing certain vines and a bit of commerce. Beaujolais Domaine du Crêt de Bine, Sarcey, Florence Subrin 2019, a crop of excellent quality but a small crop as a result of climactic hazards. The 2019 vintange for us will have been remembered by the successive late frosts in the month of April, as well as the hailstorm on the 18th of August. With the very warm start of the growing season, vegetation started early, then suffered the climactic "rewind" of a sudden drop in temperatures in April. Follwed then by a lovely spring and a hot summer, which was favorable to good ripeness of fruit. Unfortunately, the quantity was affected by a violent hail storm in August. Nevertheless, this small yielding season, makes up for itself in quality. Indeed, with such beautiful fruit, very balanced with delicate aromas, we are able to vinify wines that reflect that beauty the of fruit. Entirely hand harvested over 9 days, our 2019 cuvées are showing a rare finesse with beatiful bright "cherry" color, all with no added sulfur other than a minimal dose at bottling to protect them during transport. Beautiful "Natural" cuvées, are equally "Beaujolais" ; they will be released in the Spring 2020. Sud-Ouest Chateau La Caminade, Cahors, Dominique Ressès Here is my first impression of the 2019 millésime. We’ll say that the vintage, started a bit poorly with a spring frost (May 6th), but finished well, though with a reduced quantity, but superior quality than we estimated. In addition, a beautiful, hot and dry summer provided conditions for the vines to catch up on the delay caused by the Spring frosts. Finally, some rains at the end of August and beginning September, followed by nice weather, hot during the day, cool at night, during the whole rest of September, made for a lovely and homogeneous ripening of the fruit. We started harvesting the 3rd of October and finished the 9th, days were cloudy and cool. Today we can say that this vintage will be easy to drink, gourmand, with low acidities and high pH (already 3.6/3.7 before malolactic!!!) Loire Domaine Christophe Thorigny, Vouvray The harvests went very well. The crop is correct with a good quality in spite of the difficult climactic conditions of the year : 20% of vines affected by frost in the spring, heatwaves and drought this summer. Domaine Verdier-Logel, Côtes de Forez, Julie Logel The year 2019, once again, translates as an exceptional year, in the sense that the climate has upset the usual growth patterns of the vine and challenged the wine grower. Frosts during Spring and little rain caused a delayed development of the vines, which only started coming into a phase of fruit maturity at the end of August, which meant the winegrowers had to roll up their sleeves after traditional summer vacations. In the end, the harvest was quite satisfactory concerning quality. Vinification is just now finished, the wines are starting the maturing process and are already displaying a 2019 vintage that is less powerful than 2018, but more typical of the wines of the Forez and express the granite and basalt terroirs of the region. Champagne Champagne Perseval-Farge, Montagne de Reims, Isabelle Perseval Each new vintage is an occasion to write a new page in history and above all to understand new winegrowing conditions in the changing climate. The 2019 winegrowing season was once again quite singular : the erratic climactic cycles meant we had to organize ourselves around spring frosts, sudden unusual cold temperatures at budding and then heat waves during the summer. These changes in weather are recent and their consequences are unknown ; with little hindsight, an evolution is in progress. Each year we have to review the new imprint and rethink our production strategy. The musts are very aromatic, and stimulate the palate. They have fruit, balance, concentration with a touch of liveliness, everything is there. The fragrances emanating in the winery are so pleasant, we can’t wait to taste the first wines. Nature has given us the best, now it is up to us to magnify the fruit of our labor. The Chardonnay has quite particular aromas : complexity, fruitiness, while the Pinot Noir and Meunier are powerful and elegant. The 3 forgotten varieties (Arbanne, Petit Meslier and Fromentot) are very expressive. Their specific aromatic profiles are complementary : they combine freshness, balance, generosity and finesse. The production of the Cuvée Les Goulats remains very limited [1,000 bottles approximately / year] In the end, the cuvées will be a reflection of the winemaker, his passion and his emotion. To that add patience to discover an acomplished wine….. Now it is time that everyone takes ownership of their own Terroir and takes responsibilty and makes decisions to maintain productive vineyards, and bring the quality of production to the highest level. It is our credo and we consistantly pursue this objective. On this note, we have the pleasure to announce that Henry, our second son, has taken his place at the winery and that he has come to observe and assimilate Benoist’s savoir-faire after his wine-growing/making studies in Alsace and 2 years of profesional experience outside of our domaine. Bordeaux Chateaux Barraillots, Margaux, Yannick Martin The 2019 harvests took place in very good weather with grapes in very sanitary condition. It was sunny the entire harvest from September 26 through October 10th. The grapes were healthy and well ripened. Vinifications are almost complete, this week (end October) we finish the juice runs and pressings. The malolactics are also almost finished. In brief, a lovely crop, very good quality and good yields. Rhone Domaine de Berane, Côtes de Ventoux, Bertrand Ferary We had quite a few suprises in 2019. We grow Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre. And for 19 years we have been harvesting them in that chronological order. For the first time Grenache matured before the Syrah. Incredible! In addition, maturities were blocked. One of the causes is that we had the hottest summer in Provence since 2003. The grape skins were very thick, natures reaction to protect the pulp from dehydration, preserving its own production. We did reach normal quantites, with wonderful deep color, with higher degrees than usual. We are performing many "déléstages" (multiple rackings of juice during fermentation and maceration, a process that aerates the juice and softens it by lessening time spent in contact with skins). And, hard to believe, for the first time, our Syrah and Mourvedre tanks have still not finished fermenting in early November. We expect they will have finished in a week. With this careful vinification, 2019 should be an excellent vintage.
December 2, 2021 Read Our Champagne Producers’ Current Cuvée Statistics : : : Grape Varieties Vintages Disgorgement Date Triolet Brut 70% Chardonnay / 30% Pinot Noir 60% 2011 / 40% 2010 2-3 months before sale Triolet Grande Reserve 100% Chardonnay 50% 2010 / 50% 2009 2-3 months before sale Triolet Vieilles Vignes 100% Chardonnay 2008 2-3 months before sale Triolet Rose 60% Chardonnay / 25% Pinot Noir Chardonnay 60% 2010/ 25% Pinot Noir 2010 2-3 months before sale 15% Red Blend (60% Pinot Noir + 40% Pinot Meunier) Red Blend 2010 Jose Michel Brut 70% Pinot Meunier / 30% Chardonnay Base wine 2010+ Reserve wine 2009 2-3 months before sale Jose Michel Brut Pinot Meunier 100% Pinot Meunier 2010 2-3 months before sale Jose Michel Blanc de Blanc 100% Chardonnay 2005 4-6 months before sale Jose Michel Special Club 50% Pinot Meunier / 50% Chardonnay 2006 4-6 months before sale vines are 70 years + R. Dumont & Fils Brut Tradition 90% Pinot Noir/ 10% Chardonnay Base wine 2010 + Reserve Wine 2009,2008 3-4 months before the sale 2007 and 5% Pinot Noir Solera R. Dumont & Fils Solera Reserve 100% Chardonnay 120 hectoliter cuve begun in 1991 Spring 2013 wine drawn from tank May 2011 R. Dumont & Fils Vintage 2005 60% Pinot Noir / 40% Chardonnay 2005 5-6 years sur lattes / January 2013 R. Dumont & Fils Vintage 1998 100% Pinot Noir 1998 12 years sur lattes / October 2012 R. Dumont & Fils Brut Nature 80% Pinot Noir / 20% Chardonnay Base wine 2006 + 40% Reserve wines 6 years sur lattes / January 2013 R. Dumont & Fils Douce Cuvee 90% Pinot Noir/ 10% Chardonnay Base wine 2006 + 30% Reserve wines 6 years sur lattes / january 2013 R. Dumont & Fils Brut Rose 100% Pinot Noir 2010 4 months before sale Bourdaire-Gallois Brut NV 100% Pinot Meunier Base wine 2010 + 20% 2009 3+ yrs sur lattes / 6 to 12 mos before sale Bourdaire-Gallois Prestige 40% Pinot Meunier / 20% Pinot Noir/ 40% Chardonnay PM and PN 2008 / CH 50-08 + 50-07 4+ yrs sur lattes / 6 to 12 mos before sale Perseval-Farge C. de Pinots 55% Pinot Noir / 45% Pinot Meunier 35% 2008, 25% 2007, 33% 2006, 7% 2004 4+ yrs sur lattes / 6 to 12 mos before sale Perseval-Farge Terre de Sables A third each Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay 50% 2006, 50% Blend 2007, 2004 2001 4+ yrs sur lattes / 6 to 12 mos before sale Perseval-Farge Vintage 2000 60% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir, 10% Pinot Meunier 2000 10+ yrs sur lattes
December 2, 2021 Wine Traditions Ltd. and The Vine Collective are excited to welcome Peter Liem and our Champagne Grower-Producers to NYC for a tasting and panel discussion! There will be in-store tastings that same evening with producer Bernard Dumont from Dumont Pere et Fils @ Flatiron Wines & Spirits https://flatiron-wines.com , 929 Broadway between 21st and 22nd Streets, 5'oclock to 8 o'clock. AND @ The Princeton Corkscrew www.princetoncorkscrew.com , in Palmer Square, Princeton, New Jersey from 5:30 to 8:30 with Frédérique and Thierry Triolet, Isabel Perseval and David Bourdaire.