Tuesday, November 17, 2009

CHANDON ZD VINTAGE BLANC DE BLANCS 2005

 - Southern Victoria/Tasmania
 - $29-$43
 - Crown Seal
 - 12.5%alc

One of Chandon's most interesting wines is the ZD Blanc de Blancs. FYI, blanc de blancs refers to a wine made entirely from chardonnay grapes, while ZD refers to zero dosage. Zero dosage means the wine was made without the addition of a sweetener or liqueur (dosage), which results in a very dry style of sparkling wine.

Typical of Chandon, the 2005 ZD Blanc de Blancs is a visual delight; revealing plentiful, extremely fine and racy bead topped off by a foamy head. Lively notes of lemon, nectarine, grapefruit and soft bread with underlying quirky (oyster-shell?) complexities announce the aroma, leading into a very crisp, astoundingly dry and shapely palate with an austere, steely finish. There's wonderful purity and tightness to its white fruit/lemon flavour, which is accentuated by slightly sour citric acids and a dry, defining effervescence which wipes out everything in sight, leaving a lasting impression of adults-only refreshment.

üRounding out a great year for Chandon's vintage sparkling whites, the 2005 ZD Blanc de Blancs is a seriously dry sparkling wine of splendid balance and focus. Drink to 2012.
94 points


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