Vallein Tercinier Napoléon 40%

Vallein Tercinier Napoleon 40%

Refined Fine Champagne?

I’ve tried this Vallein Tercinier Napoleon many times but I’ve never managed to review it properly, so let’s try this 15yo++ Fine Champagne bottled at 40%.  

Colour: Orange, gold lights. Regular medium tears.

Nose: Young apricot and light honeyed tones at first. Generous spiced notes and sunny melon smells. Candied citruses shades. Ample nose regarding the ABV. Strong fruitiness that I usually link with Fins Bois, which is quite surprising here. Vine peaches scents in the background.

Palate: Oily texture. Subtle spiced shades surrounded by heavy fruity notes of lemon peel marmalade and tinned apricot aromas. Great mouth length on blood orange. Acacia honey aftertaste, following nose impressions. Not the most complex palate ever but some much roundness. Easy without any excess of sugariness.

Last Notes: A tad of nutty/woody notes with air. Almond paste scents melted with light linseed oil shades. It feels a bit more rustic now but it remains round, with a vivid fruitiness on tangerine stew notes. back on the palate, you find back these nutty notes, especially on roasted walnuts now. Hints of rancio, it has to be said. It isn’t obvious, but there is a baby rancio on chestnut cream and light leathery notes. The fruitiness isn’t as strong as previously perceived but you still get nice young apricot aromas. It ends on white pepper and tinned peach shades. 

Easy, well-balanced, generous. But a bit rustic and massive too, and that’s what I love with VT’s style. This 15yo++ G.C/P.C blend gives everything you can wait from this kind of cognac.

My very subjective note: 85+/100

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