2004 Champagne Cup. In cooperation with Rietumu Bank.

The 2004 vintage celebrates twenty years this year! Twenty years can be a serious test for any wine, but not for noble champagnes! In their twenties, noble champagnes are just starting to warm up, right? In their twenties, they just start to share some hints of what they’ll will be capable in maturity, when we are blessed with a cocktail of hedonism, grace and intelligence that is only characteristic of champagne!

How about we open 2024 Riga Wine & Champagne with a 2004 Champagne marathon tasting of a dozen of the finest 2004 champagnes in the company of Peter Liem and Nords Aigars to determine the champion of 2004? 

We can whisper that both the 2004 Louis Roederer Cristal Rosé, which is rightly considered one of the best champagnes of 2004, and the rosy beauty 2004 Laurent-Perrier Alexandra Rosé have confirmed their participation in the evening! The 2004 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne and the good old 2004 Dom Ruinart in magnum will also fight face to face! The growers’ camp will be represented by Pascal Agrapart's super-rare 2004 Vénus, which we will face another chardonnay champagne from Avize - 2004 Jacquesson Champ Caïns. Marc Hebrart’s 2004 Rive Gauche Rive Droite, the inaugural vintage of the champagne, will be there too! And as usual, the grands of Champagne - Bollinger, Drappier, Krug and Billecart-Salmon! 

Don't be late... there are very few places, and the 2004 Champagne Cup will definitely not disappoint you!

Moderating and pouring: Peter Liem and Aigars Nords 

Cooking and Menu: Valters Zirdziņš & B7 restaurant

Where: B7 restorāns, Ausekļa 7, Riga

Date: 29.02.2024

Time: 18:30

Entrance: 349 EUR

Champagnes:

2004 Dom Ruinart MAGNUM

2004 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne

2004 Billecart – Salmon Blanc de Blancs

2004 Agrapart Vénus

2004 Jacquesson Champ Caïns

2004 Marc Hebrart Rive Gauche Rive Droite

2004 Drappier Grande Sendrée MAGNUM

2004 Bollinger Grande Année

2004 KRUG

2004 Laurent-Perrier Alexandra Rosé

2004 Louis Roederer Cristal Rosé

How do critics view 2004? 

Peter Liem (champagneguide.net): “2004 has become one of my favorite vintages of the decade, sometimes equal in quality to 2002, if entirely opposite in character.”

Tyson Stelzer (The Champagne Guide): “8/10. A magnificent vintage of fine aromatic profile, lightness, finesse, energy, mineral definition and terroir expression.” 

Tom Stevenson & Essi Avellan: “4/5 stars. The quality was a pleasant surprise, with the wines showing lightness, finesse and vivacity.”