Gaston Chiquet Vintage Brut, 2000

Gaston Chiquet Vintage Brut, 2000

Recently I addressed a wine from Jacques Lassaigne. Lassaigne hails from Montgueux in the Aube (Cote des Bar), the least well known of Champagne’s four main districts. Today we shall address one of the grower producers that I recommended in the course of that article, Gaston Chiquet. Our passport is the 2000 Vintage Brut. This is a Premier Cru wine, 1er Cru. A percentage of the Pinot Noir is Grand Cru (Ay). Chiquet comes to us by way of the Marne Valley (Vallee de la Marne) one of Champagne’s more famous sub-districts. I encountered the bottle recently, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to acquire it. I paid 53.99.

You’re correct in thinking that I can not afford this bottle and others like it and that there is indeed something wrong with me. Seriously what about my IRA, my savings, my checking? This is a difficult economic moment and yes I have been struggling; money is not as fluid as it once was. What on earth am I doing?

I’ve felt for some time that a great wine has the potential to transport. Whether it be a four dollar bottle of California “Chablis” or a vintage Bordeaux. The goal of my drinking is to remember not to forget and tonight we remember what a great opportunity we have to study and consume grower producer Champagne’s at fair prices before the rest of the world catches on.

Facts: Registered RM (Recoltant Manipulant). 22 hectares planted to 40% Chardonnay, 40% Meunier, and 20% Pinot Noir. Yes to ml. Winemaking tradition in the family dates back to 1746. Gaston Chiquet became a brand in 1935. Roughly 17,000 cases per annum. (Veuve Clicquot produces 1.4 million cases of their ‘yellow label’ per annum.) Chiquet is a Special Club member.

Disgorged: 10/21/08

Composition: 60% Pinot Noir (Mareuil-sur Ay and Ay) 40% Chardonnay (Dizy)

Dosage: 6 gl

Note: I’m going to drink the bottle over two days. The closure that I’m using is the Metrokane “Velvet Champagne and Wine Sealer”.

Nose: toffee, caramel, sandal-wood, bees-wax, mushroom, little burnt, the charred surface of a lemon, citrus roasting over an open fire, marshmallow, celery, the ocean, grass, sweet tea, pig fat, menthol, forest-floor.

Palate: blood orange and salt water taffy, beginning to feel like an older wine but still youthful, a great deal of room for development, very soft, luxurious, gentle, composed, red apple skin, deep ocean, hazelnuts, soy.

This is a wine for Romantics. Fearlessly beautiful. Articulate and noble.

Second day: Color of gold raisins. Malt, yeast, and bread in the mouth. Chile pepper on the nose, mint and spruce. Guessing this would be great with a glazed ham. A great wine for Christmas Day! Give a bottle to yourself for Christmas. Send me one as well. The coffers are getting empty. Did I mention that I like Riesling?

If you can’t find this “Gold Label” Vintage 2000, the NV Brut “Tradition” should be readily available. When I visit my parents I try to get to Julio’s Liquors in Westboro at least four times and I know they’re carrying wines from this importer and others like it. If you can’t find this label specifically but would be interested in others in the same category go to a wine shop and engage the staff or wine buyer. Most people who work in the wine business taste a lot of wine, are knowledgeable, and want to help you. There are at least three retailers carrying Chiquet in Santa Fe but only one carrying the “Gold Label” Vintage Brut, 2000.