A.J. De Margerie, Grand Cru Champagne Millésime 2011, Champagne, France

Tasting Note: The 2011 Champagne vintage had its challenges, but this bottle doesn’t show it.

This Champagne reveals an autolytic, yeasty character with some punctuations of ripe and almost-ripened fruit.

Pale-intensity lemon in color, this wine has medium-plus-intensity aromas of green apple, biscuit, bread dough, lemon citrus and blossom.

On the palate the dry, medium-bodied Champagne delivers medium-plus-intensity flavors suggested on the nose including toast, melon, almost-ripened apricot and butter.

The wine is medium in alcohol, high in acidity, creamy in texture and completes with a medium-plus finish.

The Champagne is very good in quality because of its flavor concentration and balance between the fruit and acidity.

If you like vintage Champagne, don’t knock this vintage.