A Mind-Blowing Vertical at Aspasie
We have been importing the great Champagne of Aspasie for over 20 years now, and I love the long-lees-aged style of Paul Vincent Ariston. His family’s 50-acre estate is nestled in the tiny, picturesque village of Brouillet—I think it is the most beautiful place in Champagne. The rolling hills, the mix of wheat, vineyards, beets and forest make for a gorgeous country France environment. Brouillet is in the far northwest corner of the Champagne region, about a half hour northwest of Reims, and is subject to even more extreme weather than the rest of Champagne. Unfortunately, the disastrous 2021 harvest hit Aspsasie harder than anyone else, and they produced nothing—not a single press load during this forgettable harvest.
Amazingly, they turned this horrible turn of events into a reason for an exceptional tasting… Usually, when I arrive in Brouillet, we do an extensive vin clair tasting of the last year’s harvest together. Since there was no 2021 to taste, Paul announced that instead we would do a retrospective of better years… And what a lineup he poured! This tasting was a true career highlight for me—each wine was great, and fabulous proof of the longevity that the great terroir of Brouillet is capable of producing in its wines.
All these wines were fermented in stainless steel or enameled, lined iron and contained roughly one-third each of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Meunier. The vintage selection is done from vines that are about 25 years old, as Paul thinks that old vines are too consistent from year to year to express the peculiarities of a single harvest. I had to pinch myself—these are some of the best Champagnes I have ever drunk.
2006 Still white gold in color at 16 years old. Tarte tatin aromatics with some fig and grilled bread, broad and airy in the mouth with a soft, round finish.
2004 Barely white gold at 18 years old—in fact, this is lighter than the 2006. Clean, baguette toast aromatics with apricot and nougat. Amazing, creamy tête de cuvée-quality texture with an ultra-fine mousse. A kaleidoscope of nuts—so much complexity… And the finish! Great focused acidity. This is going to last forever and get better for decades.
2000 Golden color at 22 years old. Rich brioche and buttery mushroom notes on the very toasty and open nose. Airy, broad, and rich in the mouth, with a great lively mousse and a polished, poised, soft finish.
1999 Light gold color, younger looking and smelling than the 2000. Great patisserie notes on the nose, as well as some green apple. In the mouth, toasty and broad but with a tight bead that gives it that “expensive” texture. Very long, round, nutty finish.
1997 Clear gold color at 25 years old. Fig and brioche nose, generous and beautiful. Fabulous richness and breadth in the mouth, with honey on the mid-palate. This focusses to a beautifully fresh and dry finish that is expansive like a peacock’s tail and goes on forever. The contrast between the richness of the mid-palate and the chalky focus of the finish is amazing.
1992 Clear gold color at 30 years old. Huge aromatics of toasty brioche. Still young in the mouth with dried fruit notes and fabulous back-end snap. What a great finish with fresh acidity to carry it for many years to come.
1988 The deepest gold of the flight at 34 years old. Huge nose of buttery morels framed by ripe pear. Still quite light in the mouth, especially given the dark color and evolved aromatics. So much brighter in the mouth than some of the 2015s and 2018s… This was from another era for acid in Champagne for sure. Great small-bead texture, fantastic length and minerality.
1983 Bright gold color at 39 years old. Chantarelle and fresh tarte tatin nose. Super on the palate, with fresh brioche and lovely apple notes and a creamy texture. Ultra-bright finish, with more freshness than I thought possible, and an expansive, swelling back end of minerality and nuts. The wine of the night!
A toast to you!
- Gary Westby, Champagne Buyer