| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Champagne |
| Colour | White |
| Type | Sparkling |
The 2014 Blanc de Blancs is seriously impressive. Ample in feel, Delamotte is especially rich in 2014, and yet there is plenty of freshness to balance things out. This is an especially savory style for Delamotte, and one that works so well. Dried lemon peel, pastry, almond, dried herbs and chamomile open in a beautifully translucent Blanc des Blancs that marries power and finesse. I can’t wait to see how it ages. Drink 2024-2039.
Delamotte's just-released 2014 Blanc de Blancs has turned out very well indeed, opening in the glass with scents of citrus zest, crisp orchard fruit, fresh bread and wet stones. Medium to full-bodied, chiseled and incisive, with excellent depth at the core, racy acids and a chalky finish, this isn't as muscular as the 2008 or 2012, but it has real cut and persistence and should age very gracefully indeed. Drink 2023-2040.
Linear and focused, the bright straw-colored 2014 Champagne Blanc De Blancs is lifted with mineral aromas of chalky earth and flinty notes followed by green apple, powdery floral aromas, and lime candy. Bright and electric on the palate, its long, fresh spine of acidity propels the wine forward, with mouthwatering saline and a mineral-tinged backbone. A wine that commands attention, it has a fine mousse and is focused and long on the palate, with vibrant citrus. It’s going to have significant longevity over the coming 20 years. It saw 6.5 gram per liter dosage.
While Salon is made from 100% Le Mesnil fruit without malolactic fermentation, sister house Delamotte’s vintage blanc de blancs is made from Chardonnay from each of the six grand cru villages of the Côte des Blancs, with malolactic fermentation completed. The result is a more approachable (and more affordable) wine of considerable class, especially in the restrained 2014 vintage. Clementine, yellow apple and a riper suggestion of apricot pastries meet crusty white bread and fresh almond, all held in a sleek and creamy frame, bright and narrow with a pin-point close. A fine, classically styled blanc de blancs that is just opening up towards its 10th year.
A blend of the six Grand Cru villages of the Cote de Blancs, with 6.5 grams per liter dosage, the 2014 Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut is fresh and precise, with aromas of vibrant green apple, pleasant reduction with flint, and delicate smoke, citrus blossoms, and wet stone. The transition to the palate is seamless and linear, with crisp and crunchy green fruit, and is electric with lime candy, a refined mousse, and a chalky texture. It warrants more time before opening, but it is delicious and refreshing now. Drink over 2023-2043.
