CELLAR CHOICE
Another tranche of 2008 vintage Champagne that you can’t resist. Cristal 2008 The long-awaited Cristal vintage 2008 is here, having been held back two years longer than previous vintages due to its slower evolution. This bottle’s blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay has a dosage of 8g/l, the lowest for Cristal since it was first introduced in 1876 (originally for the Tsar of Russia). The cuvée comes from grapes that enjoy longer hangtime for more fruit maturity, imbuing layers of pear, brioche, toasted almond and kumquat, with loads of acidity that will balance out as it ages. It’s a stellar vintage, similar to the 1988 and 1996, which will hold for a couple decades. $380 from Grand Vin
HIGHLIGHTS • Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon, Louis Roederer’s chef de cave, has spent 30 years with the firm, and calls the 2008 the “Cristal of Cristals”. • The vintage has received three 100-pointer scores from Alberto Lupetti (Champagne critic), Wine Enthusiast and James Suckling. • The next Cristal will be 2012 and is the first which will be 100% fully biodynamic (the 2008 was about 40% from biodynamic vineyards).
BILLECART-SALMON VINTAGE 2008 “Intense and seductive” is Billecart-Salmon’s chief winemaker Florent Nys’ verdict on the 2008 vintage, which he dosed at just 4g/l. The assemblage of mainly Grand Cru 65% Pinot Noir and 35% Chardonnay was vinified in steel tanks and aged on lees for nine to 10 years, befitting its vintage power and finesse. It’s ready to leap out with aromas of citrus, brioche and Mirabelle plums, while the palate registers the firm structure and notes of elegant white fruit and Breton biscuits. Scallop carpaccio and fine fish are a classic match for this bottle, which can easily keep at least 10 years. $140.10 from Angra Wine & Spirit DEVAUX & M. CHAPOUTIER STÉNOPÉ 2008 This is the first vintage of M. Chapoutier’s first Champagne, made in collaboration with Côte des Bar-based Champagne Devaux. Named for the pinhole camera in French, the wine is produced in every year to capture the “image of the vintage” as opposed to the norm in declaring vintages. No blend or technical information is offered, though ample toasted notes attest to its ageing in oak barrels from the Champagne region. Its palate comprises citrus, bergamot and praline notes, with a creamy texture and lingering complex finish. The small 3,400 bottle release for the 2008 debut makes this a collectible. $240 from Galiena
The Champagne Dame Kyla Kirkpatrick marks her foray into Asia with the Singapore chapter of Emperor Champagne, a members-only subscription service and events club limited to 250 insiders. Similar to the model of Emperor Champagne in Australia that she founded in 2017, there are tiers of annual membership, ranging from one bottle of wine a month ($128), two bottles ($238) and by-invite only Champagne Collector ($888), with three bottles that include one rare prestige cuvée. Exclusive events are scheduled every six weeks, and bottles are delivered in luxurious Emperor-branded packaging. For those who aren’t sure how to source their own bubbly, this is an attractive avenue for indulgence. emperorchampagne.asia
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