1996 Baron Fuente "Grand Millésimé" Brut Champagne

We just tasted this all estate grown bottling from the legendary '96 vintage and were floored by the quality. This is rich, powerful, deep and brimming with toasty butterschotch and caramel tones framed by cutting acidity. The streangth of the vintage really shows here so enjoy tonight or cellar for a decade or so.

At the Grand Champagne Tent event at the Hollywood store, the 1996 Baron Fuente Grand Millesime was the star stand-out amongst the crowd of other delectable treats. So many of the other champagnes were delicious and showed beautifully but this cuvee of 45% Chardonnay, 40% Meunier and 15% Pinot Noir stole the show! Of course you expect great things from the 1996 vintage, but this champagne took those expectations to a whole new height. First of all, its becoming almost impossible to find champagnes from the 1996 vintage still out there. But to find a '96 for less than $50 that's tastes this amazing is a miracle of its own! So incredibly complex, the nose can only be described as transcendental. Gone are the distinct aromas of green apple, lemon curd and fresh toast and in their place is a harmonius symphony of ripened pomaceous fruit, minerality, toast and leesiness blended together in a beautiful bouquet that can only be achieved through vintage and bottle age.

Clear, Star Bright, beautiful light gold in color...big extremely pleasant nose of biscuits, breadfruit, and a touch of butter; the best way to describe this aroma is "aged champagne"...

The palate is extremely complex, slightly liquory; some citrus, cocoa, minerals, caramel...tiny fine bubbles, but somewhat sparse, acidity is slightly high...

The finish is sharp and shares the palate's complexity; dusy, chalky minerals supported bypeaches, lemon, a sort of apple candy tang, and a bit of cocoa...