Winemaker Notes
"BAM!" is an acronym of these three relatively rare, low-yielding Champagne varieties. The vines were planted in 2003 on sandy, silica-rich limestone soils in the lieu-dit of Four à Chaux-Sablé in Oeuilly and are certified-organic like the rest of Tarlant's sites.
Blend: 27% Pinot Blanc, 27% Arbanne, 46% Petit Meslier.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Very aromatic with fresh white flowers such as jasmine. Nicely ripe apples and pears. Chalk. Medium-bodied with a dense center palate yet vivid and weightless. Creamy texture. A blend of 46% petit meslier, 27% pinot blanc and 27% arbane.a
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Jeb Dunnuck
Pale straw with a youthful green tinge, the NV Champagne BAM! Brut Nature has 2011 as its base, with the rest from the perpetual reserve. Very pretty in its aromatics, with fresh pear, lemon curd, sherbet, and a lift of citrus blossoms, it’s medium-bodied and focused, with a refined mousse, an elegantly rounded midpalate, and a clean, saline finish. Rating; 94+
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Made from Pinot Blanc, Arbanne and predominantly (about 60%) Petit Meslier, the NV Brut Nature BAM! blends 2009 with 2008 and 2007 and was disgorged in October 2016. The nose is pure but aromatic and fruity, the palate is stimulatingly pure, fresh and salty, and the finish is sustainable, though not as complex as the Royale or the Vigne d'Or.
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Wine Spectator
A mineral-driven Champagne, with viscosity to the lightly woolly mousse, which softens the impact of the rapierlike acidity. Flavors of apple peel, dried apricot and chopped almond and notes of golden raisin, preserved lemon and dried sage are expressive, expanding on the palate and providing additional balance to the chiseled frame. Pinot Blanc, Arbanne and Petit Meslier. Disgorged June 2023. Best from 2026 through 2031. 65 cases made, 20 cases imported.
A term typically reserved for Champagne and Sparkling Wines, non-vintage or simply “NV” on a label indicates a blend of finished wines from different vintages (years of harvest). To make non-vintage Champagne, typically the current year’s harvest (in other words, the current vintage) forms the base of the blend. Finished wines from previous years, called “vins de reserve” are blended in at approximately 10-50% of the total volume in order to achieve the flavor, complexity, body and acidity for the desired house style. A tiny proportion of Champagnes are made from a single vintage.
There are also some very large production still wines that may not claim one particular vintage. This would be at the discretion of the winemaker’s goals for character of the final wine.
Associated with luxury, celebration, and romance, the region, Champagne, is home to the world’s most prized sparkling wine. In order to bear the label, ‘Champagne’, a sparkling wine must originate from this northeastern region of France—called Champagne—and adhere to strict quality standards. Made up of the three towns Reims, Épernay, and Aÿ, it was here that the traditional method of sparkling wine production was both invented and perfected, birthing a winemaking technique as well as a flavor profile that is now emulated worldwide.
Well-drained, limestone and chalky soil defines much of the region, which lend a mineral component to its wines. Champagne’s cold, continental climate promotes ample acidity in its grapes but weather differences from year to year can create significant variation between vintages. While vintage Champagnes are produced in exceptional years, non-vintage cuvées are produced annually from a blend of several years in order to produce Champagnes that maintain a consistent house style.
With nearly negligible exceptions, . These can be blended together or bottled as individual varietal Champagnes, depending on the final style of wine desired. Chardonnay, the only white variety, contributes freshness, elegance, lively acidity and notes of citrus, orchard fruit and white flowers. Pinot Noir and its relative Pinot Meunier, provide the backbone to many blends, adding structure, body and supple red fruit flavors. Wines with a large proportion of Pinot Meunier will be ready to drink earlier, while Pinot Noir contributes to longevity. Whether it is white or rosé, most Champagne is made from a blend of red and white grapes—and uniquely, rosé is often produce by blending together red and white wine. A Champagne made exclusively from Chardonnay will be labeled as ‘blanc de blancs,’ while ones comprised of only red grapes are called ‘blanc de noirs.’