Ledomduvin: Champagne anyone? Jacques Selosse and Dom Perignon

Champagne anyone? 

Jacques Selosse and Dom Perignon 

Now, it is not every day one gets to taste Jacques Selosse. Especially the cuvee "V.O.", and for good reasons, the price reflects the high quality and tiny production. 

Jacques Selosse only produces 3600 bottles of Version Originale ("V.O.") for the whole world. It is very sought-after and hard to find as the allocations per buyer are small, just a few bottles only if you can get them. 

Official suppliers and distributors usually sell out almost immediately; hence, finding some bottles on the grey market at unreasonable prices is unsurprising. 

Jacques Selosse V.O. 'Version Originale' Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Extra Brut NV (Disgorged 2019)

Disgorged in 2019, this "Version Originale" displayed rich and enticing golden apples and pears perfumes mingling with floral and mineral notes. The palate resembled more of a wine than a champagne as the bubbles faded rather quickly, diminishing the usual effervescence. Soft, silky, complex, dense, sophisticated, graceful and luxurious, expanding gently until the long, lingering finish. What a treat! Definitely living up to the hype! Loved it!

Jacques Selosse "Initial" Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Brut NV (disgorged 2021)

"Initial" is the more "accessible" Cuvee of Jacques Selosse. Yet, although less complicated to find, he only produces 33000 bottles of it, which is also scarce. I would have loved to taste it side by side with its sibling to compare them, especially because the "Initial" was disgorged in 2021, so the comparison would have been interesting. But, the host decided not to open it, unfortunately.  Too bad! Oh well, there will be a next time. 

Dom Perignon Brut Vintage 2013

Dom Perignon 2013 has been one of our House Champagnes for the past few months, so I have served it several times lately. It tasted the same as a few days ago. Fresh, crisp, elegant, and racy, it is lighter, less rich and less textured than the 2012 (IMO), yet lovely density and structure with refreshing acidity, boasting floral and mineral aromas and flavours with yellow fruits and yeasty nuances. Perfect as an aperitif and with light appetizers. 

I loooooove Champagne!

Cheers! Santé!

Dom

@ledomduvin #ledomduvin @domainejacquesselosse #jacqueselosse @domperignonofficial #domperignon #champagne #bubbly #bubbles #versionoriginale #initial #rarechampagne #tastingnotes  #sommelier #sommlife #sommelierlife #tastingnotes

Unless stated otherwise, all rights reserved ©LeDomduVin 2023, on all the contents above including, but not limited to, photos, pictures, drawings, illustrations, collages, visuals, maps, memes, posts, texts, writings, quotes, notes, tasting notes, descriptions, wine descriptions, definitions, recipes, graphs, tables, and even music and video (when and where applicable).

LeDomduVin: Bollinger RD 2008 - HK Launch Lunch

Bollinger RD 2008

Hong Kong Launch

Hosted by @jebsenwinesandspirits 

Great lunch today, organised by Jensen Wines and Spirits, in a magnificent house on top of a hill overlooking the bay, for the launch of @champagne_bollinger  RD 2008. 

A beautiful champagne, light, mineral, and fresh, with razor-sharp acidity, outstanding balance and complexity, rich, refined, elegant, sophisticated, with a long finish. Loved it. Highly recommended. 

We tasted it in 3 different bottle formats: bottle, magnum and jeroboam, which I thought very interesting. And, to my end of the table, we all agreed the best expression of it came from the magnum format, which sublimed and enhanced this beautiful RD 2008, in ways both the bottle and the jeroboam didn’t. 

Although it was the same champagne, and the 3 of them tasted delicious, the bottle format was really good, but the magnum seemed more open, more expressive, complex and richer. In contrast, the Jeroboam seemed slightly tight and shy, as if he needed more time to fully express himself. 

We finished with the Special Cuvée NV in magnum, also a great treat. 

It was an excellent opportunity to meet @cyrildelarue from the Bollinger family, who gave many explanations and details and answered our questions. I was glad to spend some time with him discussing at the end of the lunch. Thank you, Cyril, to your family and you, for your Champagnes. 

It was also an excellent opportunity to catch up with the Jebsen team again. Thank you to Melody, who invited me and insisted on me coming while I was hesitant. Yet, it would have been a shame to miss such a lovely lunch. Thank you to the Jebsen team: Melody, Ivy, Kay, David and Louis, and to Mr Jebsen himself, of course. 

Cheers! Santé! 

Dom

@ledomduvin #ledomduvin @jebsenwinesandspirits #jebsen @champagne_bollinger #bollinger #champagne #bubbles #bollingerrd2008 #hklaunch #lunch

Unless stated otherwise, all right reserved ©LeDomduVin 2023, on all the contents above including, but not limited to, photos, pictures, drawings, illustrations, visuals, maps, memes, posts, texts, writings, quotes, notes, tasting notes, descriptions, wine descriptions, definitions, recipes, graphs, tables, and even music and video (when and where applicable).

Farewell Bubbles by © LeDomduVin 2021

Farewell bubbles 

In Hong Kong, (and elsewhere too), the tradition encourages the person leaving the company to bring something to eat (and drink if you want) to share with his or her colleagues: "Un pot de départ" (as we say in French).

Bruno and Christiane Olivier Champagne "Signature" Brut
by ©LeDomduVin 2021

Cupcakes are often an easy and obvious option for "job-leaving" party and "last day" gathering, and "Twelve Cupcakes" (@twelvecupcakeshk) makes some really good ones. 

So, I bought quite a few to share with those I worked with, some since the very beginning, 9 years ago, some more recently and others just because they worked in the office next door. 😁👍

Bruno and Christiane Olivier Champagne "Signature" Brut
by ©LeDomduVin 2021

Recommended by my friend (and Wine Director/Sommelier),  Simpson To (@simpsonto), Bruno and Christiane Olivier Champagne "Signature" Brut was an excellent choice as a farewell Champagne to sip with colleagues and to accompany the cupcakes

Bruno and Christiane Olivier Champagne "Signature" Brut

Clean, crisp,  light, mineral, floral, very well balanced and harmonious, nicely combining fruit, acidity, structure and texture. Probably one of my favorite Champagne in this kind of price range. Loooooooooooved it, and everyone else too. 😁👍🍾🥂

Thanks @simpsonto for the recommendation, and to thanks to those I shared the cupcakes and the Champagne with. 

Kowloon Bay and Hong Kong in the far background view from my office window
by ©LeDomduVin 2021

Once the round of  "goodbye to everyone" (maybe not "everyone" actually, as I know there are a few people I have missed, as I didn't see them that day) was finished, I went back to my office to have one last look at this breathtaking view of Kowloon Bay, (and Hong Kong in the far background), while sipping on the rest of the Champagne left at the bottom of the bottle and eating the last cake. 

I'm going to miss that view... 

…and this office too. (*)

Santé! Cheers! And Goodbye Kowloon Bay... 

Dom

(*) I had already a vague idea that my new office would be a cubicle in a shared opened office with no windows... (sigh) 

#cupcakes #champagne #bubbles #leavingmyjob #gathering #colleagues #view #hongkongview #hongkong #viewfrommyoffice #viewfrommyofficewindow #lesphotosadom #ledomduvin @ledomduvin

LeDomduVin: Font I Jordana NV Brut Reserva Cava

Font I Jordana NV Brut Reserva Cava Spain

« Cava » is the champagne of Spain. Generally produced in the Penedes region of Catalonia, northwestern Barcelona, Cava, as its name indicates, is made and aged in limestone underground caves, similar to those of Champagne, hence its name. A blend of three indigenous grapes, Xarel-lo, Macabeau, and Parellada, this 100% organic Cava possesses lovely, tight bubbles, enticing mineral and lightly toasted brioche notes on the nose, and beautiful balanced palate with lot nuances and minerals leading toward the dry finish.

Enjoy,

Cheers! Santé!

Dom (aka LeDomduVin, aka Dominique Noel)

@ledomduvin #ledomduvin #cava @fontijordana #fontijordana #spain #bubbles #bubbly #wine #vin #vino #wine #tastingnotes #sommelier #winebuyer