Impact
Eau-de-Vie de Marc de Champagne -- the grappa of France.
A brandy distilled as a by-product of the Champagne making process that recycles the residual skins & seeds left over after pressing; in other words a grape pomace. Under strict regulations only this dry residue may be fermented, absent of grape juice.
The label applies to but 2 dozen or so appellations for those spirits produced within the well-defined Champagne region, & from specific varieties of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier & Chardonnay.
The equivalent in chocolate is, well... chocolate. Correct.
The nectar of cacáo is the pulp which attracted monkeys & men to it in the first place. Its seeds are usually discarded / spit out by predators who only suck on them for their surrounding pulp. The offal jungle-trash re-purposed for human consumption by transforming them into chocolate,.
So consider this whole confected combine a cast-off of rejects in a variant on the axion 'no 'pagne, no gain'.
A brandy distilled as a by-product of the Champagne making process that recycles the residual skins & seeds left over after pressing; in other words a grape pomace. Under strict regulations only this dry residue may be fermented, absent of grape juice.
The label applies to but 2 dozen or so appellations for those spirits produced within the well-defined Champagne region, & from specific varieties of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier & Chardonnay.
The equivalent in chocolate is, well... chocolate. Correct.
The nectar of cacáo is the pulp which attracted monkeys & men to it in the first place. Its seeds are usually discarded / spit out by predators who only suck on them for their surrounding pulp. The offal jungle-trash re-purposed for human consumption by transforming them into chocolate,.
So consider this whole confected combine a cast-off of rejects in a variant on the axion 'no 'pagne, no gain'.
Appearance 4 / 5
| Color: | saddle brown |
| Surface: | ripple creek |
| Temper: | shimmering |
| Snap: | strong klunk; porous edge wall |
Aroma 7.8 / 10
delectable detritus: scraped traces of white grape must, cocoa buttered-leather, soy dust & driftwood (vanilla-oak)
Mouthfeel 10.2 / 15
| Texture: | mealy |
| Melt: | goes hydro |
Flavor 35.7 / 50
spirited entry with alcohol vapor rising to the level of ether -> recoils toward nuts (chestnut purée & almond skins) -> 2nd wind of those vapors, only this round stronger & lined with an oaken lash -> sugar 'n cream at the final meltdown only... vague candy-peel in the after-burn
Quality 14.3 / 20
Staying with Zotter's French theme here, a bonbon-in-a-bar or maybe just a booze bar. In a word, 'potent'.
Sometimes chocolate can be all about mouthfeel (Hachez Maracaibo or Agostoni Chiara). So too Marc de Champagne. Because only dry skins & pips are distilled in Marc de Champagne, the resulting flavor has less of a fruit character than those from the complete wine must. The difference really between hard liquor & grape juice.
And bartender Zotter pours an overflowing shot of it... topping it off well over the top. Virtually no let up. Cocoa, both butter or mass, only present to balm any fires & soothe the stringent grip alcohol might otherwise apply.
Once again, Zotter leaving his mark.
INGREDIENTS: cocoa mass, sugar, soy milk, cocoa butter, fructose-glucose syrup, Marc de Champagne, soy powder, salt, lecithin, vanilla
Reviewed July 5, 2012
Sometimes chocolate can be all about mouthfeel (Hachez Maracaibo or Agostoni Chiara). So too Marc de Champagne. Because only dry skins & pips are distilled in Marc de Champagne, the resulting flavor has less of a fruit character than those from the complete wine must. The difference really between hard liquor & grape juice.
And bartender Zotter pours an overflowing shot of it... topping it off well over the top. Virtually no let up. Cocoa, both butter or mass, only present to balm any fires & soothe the stringent grip alcohol might otherwise apply.
Once again, Zotter leaving his mark.
INGREDIENTS: cocoa mass, sugar, soy milk, cocoa butter, fructose-glucose syrup, Marc de Champagne, soy powder, salt, lecithin, vanilla
Reviewed July 5, 2012