Alexander Koblinger MS
Bruno Paillard - Blanc de Blancs 2013
Monday the 26th of June
Alex Koblinger, Master Sommelier & Sake Samurai
Alex first discovered the hospitality industry working in different hotels in Austria at the end of the 90's, including at the family business owned by his parents. After a few years, he quickly took seminars at the Austrian wine academy of Rust. Soon, in 2002, Alex started his first job as head sommelier in NY - USA. After different experiences in outstanding hotels in the USA, the UK, the UAE, Alex came back to his home country to be head sommelier in a "Grandes tables du monde" classified venue : The restaurant of the "Hotel Obauer", in Werfen, Austria.
In 2011, Alex obtained his Master Sommelier Diploma and is today an international board member of the organisation. Being a natural curious and passionate, Alex obtained in 2012 the tittle of Sake Sommelier and, in 2018, was honoured by the Japan Sake Brewers Association Junior Concil with the tittle of "Sake Samurai".
Today, we have the chance to have Alex tasting the Vintage 2013 of the Blanc de Blancs from Maison Bruno Paillard.
Bruno Paillard, world class Champagne house (one of my favorite i have to confess) is still today a family business. Created by Mister Bruno Paillard at the beginning of the 80's, it is today managed by his daughter Alice who joined the team back in 2007. The values of the house are to create wines of an extreme purity, great minerality, elegance and fascinating complecity.
Bruno Paillard
Blanc de Blancs 2013
Alex Koblinger MS's tasting notes
The 2013 Blanc de Blancs from Bruno Paillard is a Champagne for me which you can enjoy for the next decades. Made only from the first pressing of the Chardonnay grapes coming from Les Mesnil-sur-Oger from which a quarter was vinified in old oak barrels.
The 2013 was allowed to age on the lees for seven years, with an additional rest after disgorgement for another 12 months.
The wine shows a fantastic light golden colour and has a very persistent and elegant effervescence.
In the nose, you can find a whole potpourri of aromas. On the fruit site there are some ripe apricots, yellow peaches, some yellow plums and pineapple as well. But furthermore, there is some candied lemon peel and some scenes of kumquat, mango. The white flowers like hawthorn, jasmine and linden combines just perfect with the white almonds, roasted hazelnuts, nougat and brioche flavours.
On the palate, the wine is very smooth and elegant and has a very charming fresh but mild acidity and a long salty aftertaste. The Blanc de Blancs is perfectly balanced and shows everything you are expecting from this kind of Champagne and this world-class house Paillard.
This Champagne definitely needs a large glass to show all his characters and nuances. In the restaurant I would pair this with an Austrian Char, root vegetables, horseradish and chives, or you can go even to an Austrian dessert classic – Kaiserschmarrn with apricots.
Technical sheet
To understand the 2013 vintage, it is essential to study its origins. The Autumn of 2012 was relatively wet, which resulted in plenty of foliage and replenished water reserve. The rain ensured good levels of water accumulated in the soil before winter. Winter itself was relatively short and cold, typically 2.3 degrees lower than the 10-year average.
Spring remained cool, but there was no frost damage, and the vines budded late at the end of April. The cold weather and the permanently humid conditions sustained this delay to the vegetative cycle. Fortunately, summer got off to a wonderful start and full flowering was in early July! The summer was then hot and dry, although stormy at times.
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Harvests (according to the parcels):
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Started from 24th of September
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Ended 20th of October
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Varietals : 100% Chardonnay
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Origine of the grapes :
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100% from Cotes des blancs
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Le mesnil sur Oger
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Winemaking:
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Wine exclusively coming from the first press
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25% vinified in oak barrels
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7 years on lees
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12 to 18 months of rest after disgorgement
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Dosage : 4,5 g/L (Extra brut)
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Production : Only 12 000 bottles and 700 magnums
