What We Know
- Aged at least 4 years in humid cellars
- Grande Champagne, blend
- 40% ABV
- San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2016 Gold Metal
Nose
Caramel, vanilla, nutmeg, white pepper, flowers, honeysuckle, toffee, spearmint, Matcha tea, marzipan, gravel, pear, lemon, orange zest, apricot, dark cherries, dried mango, unripe banana
Palate
Vanilla, clove, black pepper, ginger, coconut, flowers, dark chocolate, tobacco, cream, almond, chalk/limestone, apple, orange, grapefruit peel, tropical fruit, dried cranberry, raisin
Finish
Candied fruits and dried coconut flakes followed by cocoa with good length
Overall Thoughts
Amber/burnt orange in color. This is a youthful, bright VSOP. I was first hit with big aromas of vanilla, toffee, and orange zest. It smells really juicy in terms of all the different fruits like apricot and pear. There was a constant floral note that was always present, but not too aggressive. That was balanced nicely by some of the more robust smells of caramel and nutmeg.
A prominent green, vegetal type character was popping up from time to time. It was very much in the realm of Matcha tea. When the tasting began, it was all baking spices and barrel up front, but then settled down into dried fruits and citrus peel. There’s a flavor I get every so often that’s like gravel after a fresh rain. Definitely mineral driven, chalky even. Since Grande Champagne has so much limestone, that really comes through in this VSOP and showcases the terroir very well.
In that same realm, the traditional floral flavors are here, too, just as they were on the nose. Tying it all together was an underlying creaminess and bitter dark chocolate. For the finish it was all about candied fruits and those sweet coconut flakes you use for baking, but ends with a nice cocoa element. The A. de Fussigny VSOP Grande Champagne is a great representation of the terroir it comes from. And with their humid cellars it offers a soft roundness. It’s definitely an affordable bottle for the quality.
