2002 Bruno Michel "Cuvee Millésime" Brut Champagne

As with all Bruno Michel's wines this is very interesting. He works Biodynamically and the wines are generally slightly on the esoteric side. The nose of this wine has an intriguing Pecorino cheese note, a touch of saline character that also shows through on the palate. It has bright green apple and citrus notes wrapped with some more toasty rich hazelnut character showing on the finish. Complex and intriguing, more of a food orientated wine than a simple sipper. Enjoy!

One of the top wines tasted on my April trip was the 2002 Bruno Michel "Cuvee Millésime" Brut Champagne which is a new disgorgement. This current batch has four more years on the lees than the first bottles that we sold, and the dosage has been dropped to 5.6 grams per liter. This wine is so creamy and perfect texturally that it is easy to get carried away with. The honeyed pastry nose has a little hint of vanilla from the barrel vinification, but the chalky drive balances it perfectly. The pineapple like, subtle fruit of this great Champagne remind me so much of Meursault but the mineral finish could only be Champagne. Don’t miss this one.

2002 may very well be the finest all around vintage in Champagne since the trio of great vintages in the late 1980’s – 1988,1989,1990. Combining lively acidity with dense, powerfully concentrated fruit, the 2002 vintage invites comparisons with the fabled 1990 vintage. The 2002 Bruno Michel "Cuvee Millésime" Brut Champagne is a great example of the best of what the vintage has to offer. Tightly wound and complex yet richly textured, this wine is the epitome of restrained opulence. Lightly floral notes of acacia and wet stone give way to sweet, baked apple and cinnamon spice. A hint of brioche graces the very dry finish. While this wine can be enjoyed on its own (if you are in a particularly pensive mood), it will be at its best when paired with food. Try it with roast chicken or sole meunière, or, for a real treat, a bowl of lightly salted, freshly popped popcorn.

A luxery Champagne at an affordable price. Bruno Michel 2002 is full bodied with layers of wonderful bright flavors. While it has nice fruit, it ends with a nice dry crisp finish. The 2002 Cuvee Millesime drinks very good now but could also be aged for a few more years.

WOW. Big wow. This 2002 vintage champagne is earthy, mushroom-y, woodsy and complex. Great acidity: like a mouth-watering tart green apple! Think risotto with mushrooms and asparagus, a hearty chicken pot pie with fat chunks of potato & veggies, or crab stuffed mushrooms as an appetizer- this wine will shine and make you look GOOD as the host! Snap it up for elegant entertaining this winter!

What a killer champagne at a fair price! It's super dry and minerally- the perfect aperitif champagne. My notes when I tasted it read: "A fantastic nose of yeast and herbs married toa focused and minerally palate impression." At $50, this might be one of the best deals in the store.

Bruno Michel is one of my favorite producers in our DI program. Every time I read my tasting notes for one of these wines, it says something like - Pouilly Fuisse with bubble or in the case of the rose, Gevrey Chambertin with bubbles. The 2002 is broad shoulders on a sinewy frame - Chablis Les Clos with bubbles. Terrific stuff and built for the long haul.

When tasting this enchanting Champagne at our last staff tasting, the conclusions were, "definitely a 'geek' wine." In wine-land, this is a high compliment. It means that the wine possesses qualities that are uniquely and fascinatingly its own, and that you will be hard-pressed to find something similar. I love the tangy nose of yeast and fennel, the crisp, focused palate, and the finish full of surprises - mandarin orange? lemon zest? Encountering wines like this - that enhance one's taste experience, are the reason why I love this business (and this Champagne).