Wine By Nine

Non-Vintage by Armand de Brignac from Champagne, France - regions. Armand de Brignac is marvelously complex and full-bodied, with a bouquet that is both fresh and lively. Its sumptuous, racy fruit character is perfectly integrated with the wine's subtle brioche accents. Its texture is deliciously creamy and the palate has great depth and impact with a long and silky finish. A superb and singular example of a Prestige Champagne. THE BLEND Armand contains a multi-vintage blend of the following grapes at these proportions: 33% Pinot Noir, 33% Chardonnay, 33% Pinot Menuier. THE BOTTLE 2006 marks the unveiling of Armand de Brignac in the stunning gold bottle originally developed by Cattier for the Andre Courreges fashion house. Cattier's gold bottle also made an appearance at Queen Elizabeth II of England's Golden Jubilee celebration. All labels for each bottle of Armand de Brignac are made of real pewter, polished and applied by hand. Each bottle is packaged in a black embroidered velvet bag, which completes a package that speaks to the quality of the Armand de Brignac Champagne and the care taken with each step of its realization.

Non-Vintage by Krug from Champagne, France - regions. Krug Grande Cuvee is as a symphony, a composition where the instruments all play together, complementing each other in total harmony. -Henri Krug. The flagship of the house, Grande Cuvee is imposing in character from the first moment in the glass. The birth of Krug Grande Cuvee, through its first fermentation exclusively in small oak casks, ensures the unique personality and dimension that is the Krug Style. The composition of the cuvee is a stunning mosaic of flavors where the three champagne grapes, 20-25 growths and 6-10 different years, combine to give Krug Grande Cuvee its complexity, elegance and consistency year after year, blend after blend. To maintain this consistency, Krug reserves a large selection of unblended still wines from previous vintages blending them with the youngest crop to create a fully balanced taste. These reserve wines may represent between a third and a half of the cuvee. The bouquet is wonderfully creamy, leading to magical combination of weight and balance on the palate. The long, lingering finish is both nutty and toasty, ending with a final flourish of freshness, leaving one longing for more.

Non-Vintage by Laurent-Perrier from Champagne, France - regions. In the 17th Century, during the reign of Louis XIV, France enjoyed its most illustrious era. Louis XIV became known as the Sun King for his benevolence and his patronage of the Arts, which became the foundation of France's rich artistic heritage. At the Palace of Versailles Louis XIV was the first French King to drink Champagne. Louis XIV's era became known as the Grand Siecle - the Great Century. Bottled in a replica of a 17th Century bottle evoking the radiance of that period, Laurent-Perrier's prestige cuvees embody luxury, magnificence and elegance fit for a king. When it came to his prestige cuvee, Bernard de Nonancourt decided to highlight two of Champagne's traditional realms of proficiency: the blending of different crus and different vintages. Grand Siecle is the epitome of Champagne cuvees, as it blends complementary wines from Laurent-Perrier's very best growths and most successful vintage years. Grand Siecle is made with a pinot noir and chardonnay blend, with the latter being slightly dominant. Twelve of the most prestigious villages supply these grapes; all of them classified at 100% Grands Crus such as Ambonnay, Verzenay, Mailly, Avize, Cramant, Chouilly and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. Within the vineyards of these villages, only the very best plots are selected, as are the finest musts from the pressings. The blended wine is then aged during the second fermentation on the yeast for approximately five years. It has a bright color, with a brilliant yellow hue. Its subtle aromas of honey, hazelnuts, grilled almonds and brioche, make this the perfect companion for refined dishes. It pairs just as well with poultry and truffles as it does with veal and morel mushrooms.

Non-Vintage by Ruinart from Champagne, France - regions. The wine is a brilliant orange-yellow rose petal colour with a very fine, profuse and sustained mousse. The nose is characterized by small red berries, mainly currant. On the palate the wine is vigorous and well balanced. A fine, fresh, fruity wine with well-integrated tannins and a hint of spice on the lengthy finish. Ruinart Rose is produced from a blend of 55% Pinot Noir and 45% Chardonnay from the best of recent vintages. All of the fruit is from premiers crus vineyards. Grapes from the estate vineyards in Sillery and Brimont (ancestral home of the Ruinart family) are joined by carefully selected grapes from other premiers crus vineyards in the Cote de Blancs and the Montagne de Reims. The grapes for Ruinart are selected basket by basket at the source, and only the finest premiers crus are used.

Non-Vintage by Mumm from Champagne, France - regions. Mumm de Cramant is a precious cuvee made in the purest Champagne tradition since 1882. A single cru cuvee of incomparable purity, blended in the time-honored tradition with a strict selection of 100% Chardonnay Cramant wines. Truly a great Champagne to grace any occasion.

Non-Vintage by Taittinger from Champagne, France - regions. This Champagne is a blend of some 30 Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vineyards, respectively 40% and 60% of the total, from several harvests of perfectly ripened grapes. Crisp aromas of green apple, wheat and minerals. Fresh, creamy flavors of apple and toasted bread with hints of red fruit. Classy finish. -Wine News

Non-Vintage by Pol Roger from Champagne, France - regions. Pol Roger, one of a few luxury Champagne firms still family-owned, was established in Epernay in 1849. Pol Roger owns 200 acres of vineyards, which provide about 45% of their needs. Pol Roger's cellars extend over four miles of winding chalk passageways on two levels. The second or deeper cellar maintains a constant 9.5? C (50? F), one degree lower than the first level and most others in the region. This lower temperature slows the second fermentation, encouraging a finer mousse or bubbles. Pol Roger Champagne also spends two to three times the allowable minimum in the cellar before disgorgement, or about three years for the non-vintage and up to seven for the luxury cuvees. The long, slow maturation contributes greatly to the complex aromas, which distinguish these superb Champagnes. The Brut Non Vintage blend is traditionally composed from about 30 to 35 still base wines, drawn from different vineyard sites, grape varieties and vintage years. It usually contains wines of at least two vintages, often three or four. Reserve wines compose between 20-30% of the traditional blend. The Brut NV is never sold until the youngest component is at least three years old, which gives it more character and body. Pale gold with a very fine bead; flowery, delicately toasty aroma with fruit and complexity; creamy, beautifully balanced with a dry, harmonious finish.

Non-Vintage by Veuve Clicquot from Champagne, France - regions. Demi-Sec is blended largely from Pinot Noir with Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier as well as reserve wines. The liqueur d'expedition (carefully prepared and dosed with 45 g per litre by our oenologists) gives it a sweeter yet still very fresh harmony. Demi-Sec is at its best when served with desserts. You could even serve it in a carafe, not to decant it but to admire the colour and the delicate bubbles of this elegant wine.

Non-Vintage by Gosset from Champagne, France - regions. Gosset Grande Reserve is a truly faithful expression of the Gosset style. To achieve a cuvee of this quality, the cellar-master has blended the best of the various champagne crus at the grape- harvest with wines specially chosen from our reserve stocks for their richness and maturity. Powerful and aromatic, this champagne is ideal for serving as an aperitif or to accompany a very special meal.

Non-Vintage by Mumm from Champagne, France - regions. The full character and personality of the Mumm vineyard are expressed in the Grand Cru. Located in the heart of the prestigious Champagne wine growing area, Mumm has used its ancestral expertise to select and blend the rarest and most famous crus. Of the 302 crus in this outstanding wine-growing area, 43 are Premier Crus, but only 17 are classified Grand Crus, indicating the very finest cuvees. Of these 17, Mumm has selected the best five, which have always been the basis of its blends. Robe: a clear, lively yellow, with rich, fine bubbles, evenly-spread effervescence and a generous, light foam. Bouquet: the first note is rich and harmonious, followed by a delicate hint of white flowers, vanilla, honey and white fruit. The subtle presence of toasted nuts testifies to its slow maturation. Flavor: when first tasted, the power and character of Mumm Grand Cru delight the palate. Then it develops freshness, roundness and suppleness, with lingering sweet, fine flavours. Mumm Grand Cru is a delicate blend of five major Grands Crus (100%), comprised of 58% Pinot Noir from Bouzy, Verzenay and Ay and 42% Chardonnay from Avize and Cramant.

Non-Vintage by Henriot from Champagne, France - regions. A beautiful gold colour. The bubbles are persistent, fine and regular. The nose is pleasant, made very elegant by the large amount of Chardonnay. The Brut Souverain is sharp, well balanced and harmonious on the palate. There is just a suggestion of color.... It's very sensuous, and the wine bursts immediately into a complex play of scents. Dusty pollen, fresh-cut flowers and sweet fruits mingle invitingly, leading you into flavors of pomegranate, cranberry and spice. Big and polished, this sensual feast of a wine delivers an extra dimension of flavor, power and length. ~ The Wine Enthusiast

Non-Vintage by Henriot from Champagne, France - regions. 100% Chardonnay, mostly from the vineyards of Mesnil sur Oger, Vertus, Chouilly and Trepail. 38% of the cuvee is from reserve wines. The blanc de blancs from Henriot has some fine, toasty, aged character. This is a rich, but still vibrantly fruity wine that shows some baked apple and pink grapefruit but also some maturity. A finely made wine, illustrating the benefits of some bottle age. Wine Enthusiast 92 Points Light gold. Smoky pear and peach on the nose, with subtle anise and grain qualities adding complexity. More plump than usual for this cuvee, offering ripe but focused orchard fruit and tangerine flavors of excellent depth. Finishes sappy and impressively long. Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar 90 Points