Ranked #17 of 20 2002 Chardonnay Pinot Noir from Champagne
95/100
5 Stars
Huon Hooke
Full yellow colour with a bronze tinge. Very developed bouquet with a suggestion of over-maturity. Roasted nuts and lots of nougat to sniff. The palate is very dry and savoury, deep and concentrated, with definite aged characters, plus a slight suspicion of barrel - although it may just be the cork-aged characters playing tricks. A mellow, complex wine which is more developed than expected. It doesn't have the searing acid of some Lanson vintages nor the austerity. I wonder whether it is going to be all that long-lived. Or has this bottle been stored in warm conditions? Certainly it has stacks of character right now.
Tasted: 16/11/2013
Drink: 2013 to 2017
95 Points Tyson Stelzer
A rare dry wind at the end of the season concentrated the grapes, infusing 2002 with a formidable tension between intensity and acid cut. Lanson captures this contrast with impeccable precision in its finest vintage since 1996. Considerable poise of delightfully fresh and pure lemon zest, lemon juice and white peach is charged with all the energy and cracking malic acidity of 2002, only slowly beginning to build complexity of brioche, roast nuts and honey. Seamless persistence, powerful drive and crystalline mineral texture unite with finetuned balance, guaranteeing an exceptional life and confirming one of the best bargain vintage champagnes on the shelves. I recently bought a case, sealed it up tight and buried it deep in my cellar. Come back in 10 years.
Source: Tyson Stelzer, The Champagne Guide 2014-2015.