2016 Ultramarine Blanc de Blanc Champagne

We got together with our friends on Wednesday, April 14. It was a day to celebrate! Our friends were bringing what my husband has called an "unobtainium" champagne, an Ultramarine. It's so unobtainable that our friends were on a waiting list for 2 years just to get on the selection list. We were honored that they wanted to share this champagne with us.

For the appetizer, my husband made oysters two ways, fresh shucked and baked with roasted garlic, lemon, and parsley drizzle. We also purchased uni for this occasion. When our friend opened the champagne and poured it we all remarked what tiny bubbles were in the glass. The Ultramarine Blanc de Blanc was a vintage 2016 with a disgorgement date of November 11, 2020.

We all liked the Ultramarine, but my friend and I agreed that in our memory banks was the indelible impression of two bottles of 1985 Krug, that they shared with us in 2013 in which I posted "the essence of crème brûlée from the Clos du Mesnil...the Grand Cuvee to be a bit more of tart green apples and less of the creaminess we remembered from the vintage champagne."
For the main course, my husband made smoked cowboy steaks and baked potato. We had another Cruse wine, a 2018 Tannat with the meal. Then there was dessert from our local bakery, Zest.

All in all it was a wonderful evening shared with friends!