Friendly Face

 

Every year we get a friendly visit from The Chairman, friendly because of his personality, nrather than because he bears gifts.  This time, a bottle of 2004 Moet & Chandon ‘Grand Vintage’ Champagne Rosé was tucked under his arm.  Things didn’t quite go to plan, as we intended to open it immediately on his arrival whit white fluffy snow beckoned him away.  The Chairman has gone back to his homeland now, but not before leaving instructions to open it with SWMBO over a special occasion.  This occasion conveniently turned up with a birthday which resultee in The Young One and Jo-Lo joining us for dinner. 

The first wine on the agenda was… 2004 Moet & Chandon ‘Grand Vintage’ Champagne Rosé.  With all this fascination for delicate and pale, pretty and possibly characterless, it was refreshing to see a decent pink colour, salmon-pink-red.  And the nose, quite voluminous and up-front with a well-packed amalgam of soft red berry fruits, yeasty-bready autolysis, and fresh apples thrown in.  You were left without any doubt what this was.  No searching required.  And the palate echoing the nose, fulsome, fruity and lush, with sweet fruit countered by the yeast and bread.  The fruit just to let you know there were strawberries and raspberries, but in a way, only just.  Sweet and friendly, but teasingly so.  Smooth and rounded, but with just fine enough a line.  By the time we opened the presents, the wine’s last drop was gone too.