The 1998 vintage of Comtes de Champagne has not closed down quite as much in the last year as some of the other Têtes de Cuvées that I have tasted from this vintage, and it remains quite open and showing lovely generosity...
The 1998 vintage of Comtes de Champagne has not closed down quite as much in the last year as some of the other Têtes de Cuvées that I have tasted from this vintage, and it remains quite open and showing lovely generosity on the palate. The classic nose is complex and à point, wafting from the glass in a mélange of pear, tangerine, almonds, a beautiful base of white soil tones, warm bread, gentle floral tones and a topnote of fresh nutmeg. On the palate the wine is pure, fullish and very refined, with fine intensity of flavor at the core, elegant mousse, crisp acids and excellent length and grip on the pure and vibrant finish. The raw materials in 1998 were probably not quite as fine as those in either 1999 or 2000, but the 1998 Comtes de Champagne shows no signs of not being able to keep pace with those two other excellent vintages.