Tasting Notes in Champagne at The Grill

Josh Ardizzoni, certified sommelier and cellar consultant, reviews the wine list of The Grill,  a mid-century American Steakhouse inside the iconic Seagram Building in Midtown East. It’s expensive, glitzy, and definitely smacks of mid-20th-century fat-cat dining, but it’s well worth dining here. Whether you are in the mood for land, sky, or sea, the menu offers a delicious array of dishes, and the extensive wine list offers an impressive selection of champagnes, an impressive Premier Cru selection, and many exciting wines from Europe and beyond.

If celebration is on your mind, and you’re in the mood for a little decadent indulgence, The Grill offers a classy, classic New York experience.

They offer several vintages of Louis Roederer, Cristal, ranging from 1997 to 2013, Moet Chandon, Dom Perignon, and more, and you can choose a three-litre bottle, six litres, or a magnum.

Champagne engages all the senses, from the first pop of the cork to the fizz when pouring, and the light pop of the bubbles in the glass. Then there is the delicate color, aroma, and texture on the tongue. It’s light, delightful, and a downright joyous way to kick off an evening with friends.

Identifying the delicate tasting notes of champagne is no easy task, it takes dedication, focus, and the arduous task of drinking lots and lots of different types and styles of champagne.

The tasting notes in Champagne wines are subtle but every bottle has unique characteristics that have developed over time, and of course, are derived from the grape, age, producing and bottling. All elements converge and merge and mature into their own, unique bottle with notes that can range from fruity to floral, wood or spice.

At The Grill, consider kicking off the evening with a bottle of Dom Pérignon, Lady Gaga, 2010, the floral aromas, nuttiness, toast and a tight salinity, this wine is full-bodied and dry, and wonderfully fresh.

A champagne that offers value in addition to sparkle is the Moussé L'Or d'Eugene, Perpetuelle, it’s a blend of 80% pinot meunier and 20% pinot noir. This wine has a deep and complex bouquet of golden orchard fruit, honeycomb, and candied peel. It's medium to full-bodied, satiny and layered, and would complement many of the appetizers on the menu.

To learn more about the wine list at The Grill, check out the CorkRules podcast with Josh Ardizonni.

Josh, a CorkRules’ sommelier, talks about where the exciting side of where champagne is going, and he identifies those exclusive and beautifully-aged bottles as well as the extraordinary value wines on the list such as Les Beaux Regards from Béreche & Fils, the 2015 Volnay-Champans from Marquis d’Angerville, and the 1986 Château Rauzan-Ségla from Margaux.