Unforgettable 

Perrier Jouet Belle Epoque Brut Champagne 1996

Bought in Shanghai in end 2007

Tasted on Nov 15 morning,2008 @ 杭州金溪山庄

The famous flower bottle

My first (and long-awaited) champagne breakfast.

I picked this flower bottle as I believe she is most suitable as apperitif among all the prestige cuvees. And I once had thrilling experience with Belle Epoque 1996 back in early summer 2004 - the floral nose, the tight citrus flavors, the utter freshness, the crisp and almost explosive acidity, the passionate mousse and breath-taking vivacity. That's the most thrilling champagne experience I've ever had. So I can't wait to see how she has evolved over the past 4 years. And of course I'm longing for some complexity this time...

The color is deeper this time, turning golden but still with some greenish hue. But the scarce effervescence worried me - 96 bubbly should be stronger than this - it's almost certain that the storage condition prior to purchase is no good.

A flash of floral nose. But when aired, the nose quickly evolved - grapefruit, orange peel, vanilla, walnut and oxidative notes. The nose is good but seems too evolved and over mature for a 1996 bubbly.

It is the palate where the true disappointment lies. The palate is much lighter and simpler than what the nose would suggest. There are grapefruit and lemon flavors, but overshadowed by rather stony coldness thus the mid palate is hollow. All the vivacity, all the passion, all the thrill is gone...the still fine acidity struggles to show me that she deserves much better storage treatment...

She just showed me how risky it is to buy older vintages from wine shop...Better buy upon recent release and cellar yourself.

Unforgettable but Fragile