Champagne Paul Louis Martin Grand Cru 2007 Wine Tasting Review

The French sure know how to make wine.

Their labels, however, can be a minefield of confusion.

I will try to de-mystify some of the terms I found recently on a bottle of real champagne, as well as sharing my thoughts on the wine itself.

In the Vale, we party in style. So, for our friend at Cragg Cru Wine‘s birthday we had a beach cricket match followed by make-your-own-sliders, polenta chips, and some very, very fine wines. 

Including this French beauty.

Champagne Paul Louis Martin Grand Cru. Photo: Willunga Wino

But hang on – which is the name?

Why is there so much text?

I’m confused.

Let’s break it down together.

Deciphering a French Bubbly Label

Firstly, the producer (usually here it’s the winery) name: Paul Louis Martin. Confusingly here, it’s halfway down the label.

Next, the name of the wine (such as something like The Boxer here): Cuvee Vincent

Grape Variety: Chardonnay. That one was pretty easy, thankfully.

Region: In France, to be called a true Champagne on the label, the wine has to be made using the traditional “Methode Champenoise” plus the grapes must come from, and the wine be made in the champagne region. Being more specific again, Bouzy refers to the town in Champagne where the grapes for this wine are from.

Style of Champagne: Champagnes have a variety of styles. The scale, from driest to sweetest, is: Extra Brut, Brut, Extra-Dry, Sec, Demi-Sec, and Doux. This one is a Brut, so it is a dry style.

Classification: There are different levels of superiority for champagnes. This one is a “Grand Cru” – which basically means the best of the best producers. Premier Cru is the next step down which still means a distinguished producer. 

After all that I need a drink

With a fine, yellow colour and tiny, persistent bubbles, this is a pretty drop in the glass.

It has a rich, broad nose of nougat, and brioche, with a bit of marmalade.

There is an initially dry, clean mouthfeel with plenty of juicy acid, then it feels like a mouthful of bubbles, they are that vigorous.

Juicy acid dips away after about 10 seconds into a smooth, lasting, yeasty brioche flavour. 

It is a ripper and really held its’ own enjoyed by itself or with our sliders.

Fixin’s for our make your own sliders. Photo: Willunga Wino

Our tasty little burgers. Photo: Willunga Wino