Mumm Cuvee Lalou Blingworthy

Mumm Cuvée R.Lalou 1999 (Champagne, France)
Cork, $360
Source: Had a glass from someone else’s bottle
www.ghmumm.com

Some sexy packaging on this – very classy. The fruit sourcing is high class too, with grapes from eight grand cru villages in the blend. Serious pricing though, especially when wines like Krug MV, Dom, Grand Anee etc are at least $100 a bottle cheaper..

What’s most appealing is the obviously complexity, largely bottle age derived, with a really toasty, almost caramel/butterscotch oxidative richness to it. It’s an autolysis heavy nose that is so rich, honeyed and that it’s hard to miss as anything but bottle aged Champagne. Considering the vintage it’s actually quite forward though, with just a hint of decay in there too. Palate is expansive and full, a big layered mouthful of richness. If anything it’s a little broad for
big satisfaction, that late fatness matching up with some bottle age ester and the slight bite of rising acid through the finish.

An thoroughly intense and bombastic Champagne, all this needs is a little more freshness to push the quality into the stratosphere (and justify that price). 18.2/93