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“We front row girls only go for the  best!” said a woman sitting next to me at the very exclusive National Arts Club in Manhattan. Members of this club, and a few selected and lucky journalists, were able to try the newly released magnums of GH Mumm’s Cuvee R. Lalou Vintage 1998, along with comparing it to Mumm’s Cremant, signature Cordon Rouge NV, and Brut Rose. Giving the talk and guiding the tasting was Didier Mariotti, Chef de Caves at G.H. Mumm, who joined the house in 2003 at the age of 35.

What’s interesting about Mr. Mariotti is his lively personality and easy way of describing the flavors in the glass, especially to a crowd interested in wine and champagne but not technically trained in the field. I didn’t realize until reading the literature that G.H. Mumm has a tradition of winemakers with zest, charisma, and personality, going back to the previous celler master, Dominique Demarville, and Rene Lalou before him (for whom these newly released cuvee is named).

And yes, I do have to admit that of the wines served, Lalou was my favorite … something about its rich, toasty flavors was just so seductive! 

The next day, journalists had the opportunity to speak to Mr. Mariotti and his colleague Fabian Gay, Regional Director of Global Sales - GH Mumm & Perrier-Jouet, at a more relaxed lunch. Cuvee R. Lalou Vintage 1998 is a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir (50/50) with the Chardonnay coming from the vineyard parcels of les Briquettes, les Bionnes, and la Croix de Cramant. The other half comprised Pinot Noirs from les Hannepes, les Houles, and les Rochelles.

In the tradition of ‘legendary’ vintages 1982, 1990, and 1996, 1998 was marked by strong climatic contrasts. Drama, it appears, makes for excellent winemaking conditions. In the glass, the wine has an elegant bouquet with fresh citrus and mineral notes, along with (to me) the complex nutty flavors of aged wine – especially hazelnut and praline. On the palate, the wine had elegance yet weight that makes it a great food wine. In fact, this wine was chosen to pair with the cuisine of Mark Best, a top Michelin rated chef in Australia. During the lunch, we tasted it at various temperatures simultaneously to see how temperature affected its pairing with food.

During lunch, much of the conversation surrounded how the G.H. Mumm house will position its champagne for the Chinese market, as well as the conditions of the vintage. Among the journalists was Ed McCarthy, author of “Champagne for Dummies” who is wearing the blue blazer in the photo below.

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