Michel Turgy Reserve Selection Grand Cru Le Mesnil-sur-Oger Blanc de Blancs

Brut Champagne NV, disgorged in June 2005.

Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Cote des Blancs, Champagne, France

Bought in Shanghai @ RMB 553 on Aug 6, 2008 and tasted on same night from 2030 till 2230 @ XinTianDi

- First served upon opening:

Pale lemon. Vibrant effervescene forming beautiful white cordon in the glass. And when you get your ear close to the glass, you can hear the many bubbles singing a song of youth, vigor and eagerness.

Intense green apple and lemon on the nose. Hardly any yeasty notes detectable.

Intense, mouthwatering green apple and lemon zest on the palate in good balance with refreshing acidity. Medium-plus body filled with daring youth and vigor. Firm fruity finish.

- 30 minutes after opening:

Effervescene is still vibrant and still can form charming white cordon.

Interestingly, the nose is now yeast dominated! (So the young chardonnay fruit had been so intense that the actually strong yeasty notes had simply been suppressed for about half an hour!)

On the palate, she is gaining more weight with tight flavours of citrus. The finish become a bit bitter.

- 90 minutes after opening:

Wom! Amazing changes have taken place. The previous daring youth now turns into surprising tenderness, elegance and charm.

Small and lazy bubbles. 

Subtle honey and orange peel on the nose. Just charming.

The palate now becomes amazingly soft and elegantly light, with gentle flavours of sour-sweet citrus fruit and subtle honey. The finish is lifted with light fruit and light mineral. This is gorgeous!

- 120 minutes after opening:

Intense orange peel and sea smell on the nose.

Orange peel on the palate wrapped in super soft texture. Very fine.

Conclusion: Very honest Le Mesnil terroir bubbly in her fabulous youth. Excellent value for money. Perfect aperitif style now, but she has plenty of life ahead towards graceful smoky minerality.

* This is my second encounter with Le Mesnil GROWER champagnes. The first was 'Alain Robert Tete de Cuvee Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs Brut 1986' in Fukoka in late Sept 2004. I can't wait, and drunk up that fabulously young and fresh 18-year-old bottle in hotel that night.

This time, Aug 6, 2008 again became a special day for me in that I received my long waited champagne bible '4000 champagnes' by 'Champagne King' Richard Juhlin of Sweden, and encountered 'Michel Turgy' in a small wine shop nearby XinTianDi...

I felt the spell by 'Le Mesnil-sur-Oger'. And her terroir has never let me down...

** Michel Turgy owns 6 hectares in Le Mesnil, which is treasure on its own. I didn't find more details on the house winemaking technique yet, but from the tasting, I bet the wine does not see any oak and does not undergo malolactic fermentation - my favorite style. I only found Michel Turgy's modest website in French only: www.champagne-turgy.com

With the house total annual production of merely 60,000 bottles. It's a fortune to encounter her in Shanghai.