Working through the backlog of notes, I have two from our New Year's Eve
celebration with my mother and some friends. With a selection of
charcuterie, crudité, olives, cornichons and caviar with créme fraiche
on blini, we opened:

NV Diebolt-Vallois Blanc de Blancs "à la Cramant"
nose: apples and citrus
palate: firmly acidic, fine mousse, good balance of fruit and acid

NV Larmandier-Bernier Blanc de Blancs Vertus
nose: toasty, with some citrus fruit underneath
palate: creamier, with good acidity and a leesy, toasty finish

Both were fine wines, but the Diebolt-Vallois I found closer to my taste
than the more leesy Larmandier-Bernier. Jean preferred the latter,
though. Both were excellent with the selection of food at the party.

Mark Lipton
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