Friday Night Bubbles

Here is a Champagne I've seen on the shelves for months now, but at about $45 a bottle, not tasted. I mean, I can't taste evey Champagne that interests me, can I?

Over time, maybe I can (assuming I continue to do well in my poker game). The real limiting factor, actually, is whether or not the wines are imported to New York. Vazart-Coquart, for example, is available here and there, but I've only seen the entry level wine, the Brut Réserve Blanc de Blancs. What happens if you taste the entry level wine and love it, as I did, and might want to taste the vintage wines, or their Tête de Cuvée (top wine)?

Good luck. Grower Champagne is still making headway in the US market and when it comes to the Têtes de Cuvée, they can be difficult if not impossible to find in stores. At least the At least the Vazart-Coquart Brut Réserve is available. It's delicious.

NV Vazart-Coquart Brut Réserve Blanc de Blancs, $43, Becky Wasserman Champagne et Villages. Vazart-Coquart is in Chouilly in the Côte de Blancs, and their vines, as such, are almost all Chardonnay. This wine has a very focused nose of chalk, lemon cream, fresh bread, and some sort of spice, maybe caraway seed. The nose is narrow but very deep and expressive. The palate is delicate and well balanced. It starts with almost sappy lemon oil, then fresh baked biscuits on the mid-palate, and then comes a very mineral chalky finish. This is very satisfying to drink, with great depth of aroma and flavor. It is elegant and powerful, and just delicious.

If you know where to buy Vazart-Coquart's vintage and Tête de Cuvée, lemme know. Happy Friday night.