54 epicureasia.com
CELLAR CHOICE2008 VINTAGE IN CHAMPAGNE:» Says Alastair Woolmer of Farr Vintners, “The 2008s have a very similar energy and intensity to the great 1996s, but with arguably better balance and more consistency.
It could well prove to be the best Champagne vintage since 1988.”
» While 2008 was a difficult and damp year, a warm fine ripening period in September brought grapes to full maturity.
» It’s been a long wait, but expect to see 2008 vintages released from most major labels, which can be laid down for cellaring for a lengthy period to come.
Despite a difficult and damp year,
2008 is proving to be one of Champagne’s
most collectible vintages.
Champagne Bollinger La Grande
Année 2008One of the last remaining Champagne houses
to ferment all their premium expressions in oak,
Bollinger even has the only in-house cooper
in Champagne to tend to their 3,500 barrels.
Their 2008 La Grand Année is composed of
71% Pinot Noir and 29% Chardonnay, as befits
their strong holdings in Pinot Noir crus, namely
Aÿ and Verzenay. The wine is fruity, spicy and
complex with wild peach, plum and orange peel,
complemented with a dense, mineral aspect.
Enjoyable now with scallops or lobster, or
further cellar for panache.Champagne J.L. Vergnon Confidence
Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature 2008Located in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, it’s no surprise
that this fifth-generation grower Champagne is
well-known for its finely wrought Chardonnay,
much from old vines. Its current philosophy
sees grapes that are harvested ripe, so as to
avoid chaptalisation. The Confidence cuvee
was the first to be made using parcels vinified
separately, befitting its name and zero dosage.
Enjoy the fine, animated bubbles as a subtle
wave of white flowers and lemon meringue
reach your nose. On palate, it’s pronounced
and precise, with biscuit, saline and green
apple notes bringing to a charming finish.Dom Pérignon 2008 Legacy
Edition
This limited edition bottling marks the end of
one era and the beginning of a new. Longtime
chef de cave Richard Geoffrey handed over
the baton to Vincent Chaperon in 2019, having
achieved remarkable successes with new
concepts like the Plenitude – the plateaux
of Champagne as it ages. The 2008 release
is notably slender and youthful, with hints
of oyster shell salinity and slight smokiness
leading to the elegant, long finish. Its acidity
lends well to playful pairings, for instance,
beef tartare to amplify its texture. The Legacy
Edition comes with names of both Geoffrey and
Chaperon etched on the label.
$561 from millésima.sg $265 from enoteca.com.sg $124 from Berry Bros. & Rudd Singapore