In the same way there are some things you just don’t like that are really hard to review, sometimes it’s just as hard to try and be objective about things you really, really like! That was my problem this week. I’m sure most of you out there that had a taste or two of any Blanc De Blancs felt the same.
The wife and I had a quiet night in on Friday, following a pretty busy old week for both of us. From my list of picks earlier in the week, we had the Sainsbury’s, Waitrose’s, and 20h33’s. 3 wines that all say Blanc De Blancs on the label, two of which are from Champagne, but three very different sets of tastes!
We started with the Château De Bonhoste, Crémant De Bordeaux, priced at £12.90 from 20h33. This one’s a mix of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. It had a very pale lemon look, and was full of tart fruit on the nose, with gooseberries, lime, and apple. On the mouth there was pronounced acidity (in a good way), a decent length to the finish, and apple pie crust yeast flavours, which was just lovely! A very impressive 15/20.
Next up in the alphabet was the Sainsbury’s Blanc De Blancs Champagne, priced at £20. I’ve had this before, during Champagne week, and loved it then. Would I score it the same as the previous 13/20? Next to the others the integrated biscuit smells were even more relaxed, lovely to smell, and the buttery finish goes on a lot longer than I remembered. A very nicely put together wine. Adding another mark to give it a worthy 14/20!
Finally came the Waitrose Blanc De Blancs Champagne, priced at £19.99 (on offer from £24.99). Loved it, absolutely loved it. Clean, crisp, and full of punchy flavours. This one is a lot more toasty than the others, with fruits of apple and melon coming through as almost an after thought. Another good length of finish, where the toast and butter combine beautifully. A superb 16/20.
All very impressive wines this week. All went great with the smoked salmon crackers, although the smell of the food sent the dog nuts!
Cheers
Mike
Other Posts in NWTW #53
NWTW #53 – B is for Blanc De Blancs!!!
NWTW #53 – So what is Blanc De Blancs when it’s at home?
