2007 Delamotte Champagne Blanc de Blancs

A sister property to Salon, Delamotte is the fifth oldest estate in Champagne. Their new release wine, the Vintage 2007 Delamotte Brut 'Blanc de Blancs' Champagne, is the best bottling that I have tasted from this estate. 2007 was an exceedingly early harvest for this estate, as picking began in late August following a heat wave. This intensely colored wine begins with aromas of brioche, starfruit, kumquat, sourdough bread and Gravenstein apple as this a shows lovely aromatic range. This excellent Champagne has rich flavors of Meyer lemon rind, tangerine zest, brioche, and Pink Lady apple with hints of cremini mushroom. The saline streak and tension is simply wonderful as this wine shows some very nice aging potential.

A high-toned and ultra-pure nose reflects notes of green apple, citrus peel, petrol and background notes of baked bread and yeast. The moderately intense middle weight flavors are shaped by an impressively fine mousse while delivering very good if not truly superb complexity on the notably saline and dry finish. Salon is virtually always quite refined but the 2007 version is especially so; indeed the word finesse is perfectly apt. I would observe that this could use a bit more overall depth and as such, I would be inclined to allow this to continue to slumber for a few more years first. In sum, this is really lovely and still on the way up. 93/2022+

Such an impressive wine for the detail in every respect. The nose delivers fresh lemon and grapefruit peel, together with white, stony minerals and very, very fresh and light pastry notes. Some grilled hazelnuts, too. The palate is super fine, supple and crisp with attractive, dry, salty minerals on the finish that holds super long, fine and focused. Elegant citrus and light brioche to close. Drink or hold.

The standout in the lineup was the 2007 Brut Blanc De Blancs Le Mesnil-Sur-Oger which is 100% Chardonnay all from grand cru vineyards. It offers a ripe, sexy, full-bodied style as well as classic notes of baked apples, brioche, buttered citrus, and hazelnut. With roughly 70-80% of the blend going through full malolactic fermentation, this powerful, concentrated beauty is drinking terrific today, yet will certainly keep for another 10-15 years.

Disgorged in May 2015, Delamotte's white-golden colored 2007 Blanc de Blancs (dosage Brut) opens with a pure, fresh, intense and smoky/chalky bouquet with white fruit aromas, orange/lemon, brioche, nut and toffee flavors. Pure, fresh and elegant on the palate, this is a concentrated, complex and juicy yet finessed and tensioned Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs. It is tight but creamy and harmonious and reveals concentrated lemon juice flavors in the long, mineral finish. Tasted in November 2017. 2018 - 2032.

Delamotte's 2007 Blanc de Blancs is an excellent choice for drinking now and over a handful of years because of its immediacy and welcoming, open-knit personality. Yellow orchard fruit, brioche, vanilla and spices flesh out, along with pretty tropical-inflected notes that appear later. The rich, creamy finish only adds to the wine's considerable allure today. The Delamotte vintage Champagne is a blend of fruit from four villages: Le Mesnil, Oger, Avize and Cramant, as is rendered with full malolactic fermentation, which gives the wine its soft contours and overall resonance.

Delamotte, the sister house of the legendary Salon, is based in the Côte des Blancs so it has plenty of experience with Chardonnay. This crisp, fruity and lightly toasty wine shows well-balanced freshness and poise. Drink now.

Værd at nævne er også Delamottes blanc de blanc champagne, som altid er en fornøjelse at smage. Delamotte er en non vintage - altså champagne uden årgang - men det skal man nu ikke lade sig skræmme af. Delamotte er nemlig søsterslot til ingen ringere end det berømte Salon - og selv om vi naturligvis ikke er på Salon-niveau (og cirka ti gange op i pris), så er der tale om en fremragende vin med dejlig renhed og frisk syrebid.

Pærer og citrusnoter i duften. Let krydret i smagen med ferskennoter. Pæn balance og let blomstret afslutning. Drik: 2017-2025

Pærer og citrusnoter i duften. Let krydret i smagen med ferskennoter. Pæn balance og let blomstret afslutning. 92

Fin frugt, æble, citrus, blomst. Let cremet og samtidig frisk smag, god fylde og længde med fin frugt og syre. En meget balanceret vin med alder på den gode måde.

Lys stågul farve. Intens duft af citrus, pære, lidt honning. Mellemfyldig vin med dejlig mousse og en smag, der er elegant, frisk og meget præcis i det. Den slutter ret langt med fint bid. God madvin.