Availability:
Champagne
From a simple name of a French province, Champagne has become a magic word that needs no translation. It is synonymous with elegance and savoir vivre, style and refinement. We continue to ship directly from small and large producers, bringing lesser known labels to the attention of Australian Champagne enthusiasts. We also frequently offer very special deals from bigger houses. Browse our top rated Champagnes here.
-
- Organic
Mouzon Leroux L'exaltant Ratafia de Saignee (500ml)Champagne, FRANCE$105. 00Bottle$1260.00 DozenABV: 18%Closure: CorkSébastien Mouzon is a dynamic, ninth-generation grower producing exciting and terroir driven wines at his domaine, Mouzon-Leroux. Based in the Grand Cru village of Verzy, Sébastien farms eight hectares of vines spread across 60 separate plots. While much of the vineyard area is planted to Pinot Noir, there are additional small parcels planted to the remaining six varietals legally allowed in Champagne; Chardonnay, Arbane, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Meunier and Petit Meslier. Aiming to bring further translation of site to his wines, Sébastien works with very low yields in his certified organic vineyards, with fermentation and élevage then completed in a mix of steel tanks and older 500L barrels. Sulphur additions are also kept to a minimum.
L’Exaltant is made 100% of Grand Cru Verzy Pinot Noir grapes, that received just a day of skin contact for a blush of colour before the juice was fortified with grape spirit. No fermentation, no sugar addition, no fining and no filtration. A thrilling, pure-fruited aperitif. Served chilled over ice.
-
- 97
- 97
- 95
2008 Nicolas Feuillatte Palmes d’Or Vintage ChampagneChampagne, FRANCE$325. 00Bottle$3900.00 DozenCellar: Drink now - 5 Years (2024-2029)ABV: 12.5%Closure: Diam CorkA buoyant creamy white mousse sits atop a straw coloured base that has pale gold edges and an exceptionally fine bead streaming through its core. Potent baked bread, yeast lees, citrus and brioche aromas flow through the nostrils followed by hints of cashew, dried honey and toast. Rich, full and enveloping on entry, the palate is engulfed with a creamy textured flavour profile of brioche, yeasty baked bread, dried honey, roasted cashew and a lingering oily toast like quality. Concentrated, powerful and mouth filling, citrusy like acidity lends freshness to the very long cashew laced finish.
Drink over the next 4-5 years.
Alc. 12.5%Other Reviews…..
Rich oxidative and vinous old-school style of Champagne. Rich with toffee apples, lemon curd on toast, brioche rolls and butter. The palate is just on the edge of Brut, with red apple and baked blueberry flavours. Nothing overdone, nothing overripe, nothing overmature - pure, persistent quality. Delicious!
97 Points
DecanterVery flinty, with straw and dried goat’s-cheese character to the dried apples, honeycomb and some bread dough. Medium to full body with a dense center-palate and creamy texture. Dried lemon and orange peel notes, together with spice, dust and ginger. Structured and phenolic. Drink or hold.
95 Points
JamesSuckling.com -
- 94
Nicolas Feuillatte Reserve Exclusive Brut ChampagneChampagne, FRANCE$79. 99Bottle$959.88 DozenABV: 12%Closure: Diam CorkA satiny mousse slowly subsides to reveal a pale straw to straw coloured base that has gold tinged edges. Flowing through its core is a fine persistent bead. Rich aromatics of baked bread, yeast lees, dried honey, pear, almond and oily toast like notes engulf the nostrils. Full, rich and expansive the palate is layered with baked bread, yeast lees and pear flavours which are intermeshed with honeyed cashew and oily toast like elements. Creamy textured it finishes dry and crisp with a long enveloping conclusion.
Alc. 12% -
- 95
2018 Pascal Agrapart Mineral Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut Champagne Grand CruChampagne, FRANCE$370. 00Bottle$4440.00 DozenClosure: CorkChampagne Pascal Agrapart is one of the great grower producers, based at the heart of the Cote des Blancs in the grand cru village of Avize. Pascal has the reputation for being a grape grower first and Champagne producer second; a philosophy shared with his son Ambroise who is now in charge of production. Ambroise and the team works an astonishing 70-plus micro-plots in the Cote des Blancs, mostly in Avize, but also in Cramant, Oiry, Oger, Avenay-Val-d’Or, Bergeres-les-Vertus and Mardeuil. All of these parcels are ploughed, and no chemical pesticides, fertilisers or herbicides are ever used. Production is very small, with no more than 6,000 cases produced in any given year.
Mineral is blended from two adjacent vieilles vignes plots (50-plus years old) on the border between Avize and Cramant, where the vine roots plunge straight into the chalky bedrock. The fruit from Le Champ Bouton in Avize fermented in tank, while the component from Les Bionnes in Cramant was vinified in 600-litre oak casks. The wine spent just over five years on lees and was dosed at 3g/L.
Other Reviews....
This must be one of the most beguiling and refined 2018s from the Côte des Blancs, managing to retain a tensile, nuanced and detailed complexity in a year that can sometimes be a bit simple. From some of the estate’s chalkiest, shallowest soils, Minéral impresses by setting white peach, bitter almond and dried flowers in a lithe, persistent frame full of leapfrogging details of slate, umami savour and apricot kernel richness, dancing over a long, detailed finish. Terrific. Drink 2024 - 2028.
95 points
Tom Hewson - Decanter -
- 95
2018 Pascal Agrapart Mineral Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut Champagne Grand Cru Magnum (1500ml)Champagne, FRANCE$899. 00Bottle$10788.00 DozenClosure: CorkChampagne Pascal Agrapart is one of the great grower producers, based at the heart of the Cote des Blancs in the grand cru village of Avize. Pascal has the reputation for being a grape grower first and Champagne producer second; a philosophy shared with his son Ambroise who is now in charge of production. Ambroise and the team works an astonishing 70-plus micro-plots in the Cote des Blancs, mostly in Avize, but also in Cramant, Oiry, Oger, Avenay-Val-d’Or, Bergeres-les-Vertus and Mardeuil. All of these parcels are ploughed, and no chemical pesticides, fertilisers or herbicides are ever used. Production is very small, with no more than 6,000 cases produced in any given year.
Mineral is blended from two adjacent vieilles vignes plots (50-plus years old) on the border between Avize and Cramant, where the vine roots plunge straight into the chalky bedrock. The fruit from Le Champ Bouton in Avize fermented in tank, while the component from Les Bionnes in Cramant was vinified in 600-litre oak casks. The wine spent just over five years on lees and was dosed at 3g/L.
Other Reviews....
This must be one of the most beguiling and refined 2018s from the Côte des Blancs, managing to retain a tensile, nuanced and detailed complexity in a year that can sometimes be a bit simple. From some of the estate’s chalkiest, shallowest soils, Minéral impresses by setting white peach, bitter almond and dried flowers in a lithe, persistent frame full of leapfrogging details of slate, umami savour and apricot kernel richness, dancing over a long, detailed finish. Terrific. Drink 2024 - 2028.
95 points
Tom Hewson - Decanter -
- 94
2018 Pascal Agrapart Avizoise Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut Champagne Grand CruChampagne, FRANCE$470. 00Bottle$5640.00 DozenClosure: CorkChampagne Pascal Agrapart is one of the great grower producers, based at the heart of the Cote des Blancs in the grand cru village of Avize. Pascal has the reputation for being a grape grower first and Champagne producer second; a philosophy shared with his son Ambroise who is now in charge of production. Ambroise and the team works an astonishing 70-plus micro-plots in the Cote des Blancs, mostly in Avize, but also in Cramant, Oiry, Oger, Avenay-Val-d’Or, Bergeres-les-Vertus and Mardeuil. All of these parcels are ploughed, and no chemical pesticides, fertilisers or herbicides are ever used. Production is very small, with no more than 6,000 cases produced in any given year.
Avizoise is sourced from old vines of around 50 to 60 years of age, situated in the clay-rich (argilo-calcaire) Coteaux d’Avize vineyards of Les Robarts and Les Gros Yeux. The richer soils and altitude of these neighbouring sites bring more exotic fruit and roundness. The wine aged entirely in 600-litre demi-muid, and bottle fermentation took place under cork rather than crown seal. The 2018 spent just over five years on lees and was dosed at 3 g/L.
Other Reviews....
While the Minéral cuvée hails from some of the shallowest, poorest soils in Avize, Avizoise always shows some of the roundness and aromatics of the deeper soils of the Gros Yeux and Robarts parcels. It shows a little more of the heat of the year in 2018, too, with fleshy nectarine, lime and white pepper, deep and long with citrus oil yet retaining a beguiling, papery-delicate texture that all of Agrapart's wines seem to find. For a vintage when blanc de blancs can be a little simplistic, this is full of nerve and detail. Drink 2024 - 2030.
94 points
Tom Hewson - Decanter - 2018 Pascal Agrapart Venus Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut Champagne Grand CruChampagne, FRANCE$730. 00Bottle$8760.00 DozenClosure: Cork
Champagne Pascal Agrapart is one of the great grower producers, based at the heart of the Cote des Blancs in the grand cru village of Avize. Pascal has the reputation for being a grape grower first and Champagne producer second; a philosophy shared with his son Ambroise who is now in charge of production. Ambroise and the team works an astonishing 70-plus micro-plots in the Cote des Blancs, mostly in Avize, but also in Cramant, Oiry, Oger, Avenay-Val-d’Or, Bergeres-les-Vertus and Mardeuil. All of these parcels are ploughed, and no chemical pesticides, fertilisers or herbicides are ever used. Production is very small, with no more than 6,000 cases produced in any given year.
Venus is a very special wine from a very special plot. It comes from one-third of a hectare of vines in the renowned Avize vineyard plot, La Fosse aux Pourceaux. This 0.3-hectare section of La Fosse lies on the chalkiest portion of the slope near the village (contrasting with the more clay-rich soils of the Avizoise cuvée). The vines were planted in 1959 and so are extremely old by Champagne standards. This single parcel cuvée is therefore made in only tiny quantities each year. The wine is named after the Boulonnais mare, Vénus, that first ploughed the vineyard. Venus has more depth, grip and phenolic power than Avizoise, yet it offers plenty of finesse and mineral intensity to match the wine’s power and complexity.
- 2019 Pascal Agrapart EXP (Experience) Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut Champagne Grand CruChampagne, FRANCE$950. 00Bottle$11400.00 DozenClosure: Cork
Champagne Pascal Agrapart is one of the great grower producers, based at the heart of the Cote des Blancs in the grand cru village of Avize. Pascal has the reputation for being a grape grower first and Champagne producer second; a philosophy shared with his son Ambroise who is now in charge of production. Ambroise and the team works an astonishing 70-plus micro-plots in the Cote des Blancs, mostly in Avize, but also in Cramant, Oiry, Oger, Avenay-Val-d’Or, Bergeres-les-Vertus and Mardeuil. All of these parcels are ploughed, and no chemical pesticides, fertilisers or herbicides are ever used. Production is very small, with no more than 6,000 cases produced in any given year.
Formerly known as Experience, Agrapart's EXP is utterly unique in the world of Champagne. Given how difficult it is to produce, and the inherent rarity of such a cuvee, demand for EXP around the globe is enormous which is in part reflected in the price of this spectacular Champagne. In 2002, Agrapart sought and (remarkably) received permission from the local authorities to begin experimenting with a small quantity of wine that he wanted to produce without any sugar additions at all; no chaptalisation and no additions for the second fermentation and final dosage. Not using sugar and yeast for the liqueur de tirage (to prompt the second fermentation in the bottle) is actually against the AOC laws, which is why Agrapart needed permission. Instead of sugar, he uses must (grape juice) from the same vineyards that produce the wine, thus enabling him to produce a Champagne that is solely the product of estate-grown grapes.
This 2019 release is an equal-parts blend from vineyards that contributed to the Avizoise and Minéral cuvées (Les Robarts in Avize and Les Bionnes in Cramant), ‘dosed’ with around 20% of the juice of 2020 from these same vineyards. It is this juice that drives the secondary fermentation in the bottle. Again, no sugar or yeast additions are used for all fermentation, and the wine is never fined or filtered.
- 2017 Pascal Agrapart Mineral Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut Champagne Grand CruChampagne, FRANCE$345. 00Bottle$4140.00 DozenABV: 12.5%Closure: Cork
Champagne Pascal Agrapart is one of the great grower producers, based at the heart of the Cote des Blancs in the grand cru village of Avize. Pascal has the reputation for being a grape grower first and Champagne producer second; a philosophy shared with his son Ambroise who is now in charge of production. Ambroise and the team works an astonishing 70-plus micro-plots in the Cote des Blancs, mostly in Avize, but also in Cramant, Oiry, Oger, Avenay-Val-d’Or, Bergeres-les-Vertus and Mardeuil. All of these parcels are ploughed, and no chemical pesticides, fertilisers or herbicides are ever used. Production is very small, with no more than 6,000 cases produced in any given year.
Mineral is blended from two adjacent vieilles vignes plots (50-plus years old) on the border between Avize and Cramant, where the vine roots plunge straight into the chalky bedrock. The fruit from Le Champ Bouton in Avize fermented in tank, while the component from Les Bionnes in Cramant was vinified in 600-litre oak casks. The wine spent just over five years on lees and was dosed at 3g/L.
- 2017 Pascal Agrapart Mineral Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut Champagne Grand Cru Magnum (1500ml)Champagne, FRANCE$850. 00Bottle$10200.00 DozenABV: 12.5%Closure: Cork
Champagne Pascal Agrapart is one of the great grower producers, based at the heart of the Cote des Blancs in the grand cru village of Avize. Pascal has the reputation for being a grape grower first and Champagne producer second; a philosophy shared with his son Ambroise who is now in charge of production. Ambroise and the team works an astonishing 70-plus micro-plots in the Cote des Blancs, mostly in Avize, but also in Cramant, Oiry, Oger, Avenay-Val-d’Or, Bergeres-les-Vertus and Mardeuil. All of these parcels are ploughed, and no chemical pesticides, fertilisers or herbicides are ever used. Production is very small, with no more than 6,000 cases produced in any given year.
Mineral is blended from two adjacent vieilles vignes plots (50-plus years old) on the border between Avize and Cramant, where the vine roots plunge straight into the chalky bedrock. The fruit from Le Champ Bouton in Avize fermented in tank, while the component from Les Bionnes in Cramant was vinified in 600-litre oak casks. The wine spent just over five years on lees and was dosed at 3g/L.
- 2017 Pascal Agrapart Avizoise Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut Champagne Grand CruChampagne, FRANCE$450. 00Bottle$5400.00 DozenABV: 12.5%Closure: Cork
Champagne Pascal Agrapart is one of the great grower producers, based at the heart of the Cote des Blancs in the grand cru village of Avize. Pascal has the reputation for being a grape grower first and Champagne producer second; a philosophy shared with his son Ambroise who is now in charge of production. Ambroise and the team works an astonishing 70-plus micro-plots in the Cote des Blancs, mostly in Avize, but also in Cramant, Oiry, Oger, Avenay-Val-d’Or, Bergeres-les-Vertus and Mardeuil. All of these parcels are ploughed, and no chemical pesticides, fertilisers or herbicides are ever used. Production is very small, with no more than 6,000 cases produced in any given year.
Avizoise is sourced from old vines of around 50 to 60 years of age, situated in the clay-rich (argilo-calcaire) Coteaux d’Avize vineyards of Les Robarts and Les Gros Yeux. The richer soils and altitude of these neighbouring sites bring more exotic fruit and roundness. The wine aged entirely in 600-litre demi-muid, and bottle fermentation took place under cork rather than crown seal. The 2017 spent just over five years on lees and was dosed at 3 g/L.
-
- 94
2015 Pascal Agrapart Mineral Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut Champagne Grand CruChampagne, FRANCE$280. 00Bottle$3360.00 DozenClosure: CorkOther Reviews....
The 2015 Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Minéral Grand Cru is bracing, taut and wiry. Crushed rocks, mint, white pepper and lemon peel drive this blend. The Minéral is especially fine in 2015. There is a bit of youthful austerity, but nothing a few years in bottle can't take care of. The Minéral is one of the finer 2015s I have come across so far. Dosage is 3 grams per liter. Disgorged: May, 2021. Drink 2022 - 2027.
94 points
Antonio Galloni - Vinous -
- Reduced
Penfolds x Thienot Brut Rose Champagne - ClearanceChampagne, FRANCEReduced from $89.99$81. 99Bottle$983.88 DozenABV: 12%Closure: CorkThis non-vintage Champagne Brut Rosé marks the fourth wine released in Penfolds collaboration series with Champagne House Thiénot. Produced by chef de cave Nicholas Uriel and Penfolds Chief Winemaker Peter Gago, and is composed off 50% Pinot Meunier, 30% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir. The wine spends 4 years on lees with 90% of the blend made up from a 2016 base, with the remaining 10% coming from a 2015 reserve wine.
Notes from Producer....
An ascent of (textbook) grenadine fruits – Avec raspberry, redcurrant, blackcurrant and strawberry. Sans pomegranate. And the citrus - pink grapefruit / mandarin marmalade. Inviting, exotic. Balanced, with an overt freshness - crispness up-front, and a delicate dosage imprint on finish. Relaxed acidity, friendly effervescence.Other Reviews....
Rounded, full-bodied, sweet red-berried fruit, as if there were a decent amount of dosage in there, but at the same time it's well balanced. But not at all demanding. A very easy aperitif/reception champagne.
16 / 20 Points
Tamlyn Currin - JancisRobinson.com (November 2021) -
- 97
- 94
- 95
- 96
- 95
- Nick's Import
2014 Philipponnat Clos des Goisses Extra Brut ChampagneChampagne, FRANCE$550. 00Bottle$6600.00 DozenClosure: CorkPhilipponnat's Clos des Goisses vineyard is one of the most famous in all of Champagne, and having been purchased by the Philipponnat family in 1935 it immediately became its crown jewel. The name is taken from the local dialect “Gois” meaning very steep, and the vineyard is the steepest, directly south-facing site in the whole of Champagne with a gradient between 30-45%. Pinot Noir dominates the cuvee with the typical blend two-thirds Pinot and one-third Chardonnay, granting Clos des Goisses with power, structure, and exceptional longevity. Work is done almost entirely by hand, and no insecticides or synthetic herbicides are used in the vineyard. The 2014 release is a blend of 71% Pinot Noir and 29% Chardonnay, aged on lees for 8 years.
Note: Product comes without gift box.
Other Reviews....
The 2014 Extra-Brut Clos des Goisses, the latest rendition from this walled vineyard, reveals a fresh, energetic character with aromas of pear, peach, licorice, spices, white fruits, spring flowers and menthol. Medium to full-bodied, seamless and chiseled, this is a structured, tension-filled but ethereal Champagne with high acidity, sign of a cool-weather vintage. Although already thoroughly enjoyable, it should age well over the next 10 years. This is a blend of 71% Pinot Noir and 29% Chardonnay, disgorged with 4.25 grams per liter dosage. Drink 2023-2035.
95 points
Yohan Castaing - Wine Advocate (Nov 17, 2023)I tasted the 2014 Extra-Brut Clos des Goisses from a bottle disgorged a la volée, in other words with no dosage and no sulfur added. At this very early and unfinished stage, the 2014 appears to be a linear, focused Champagne built more on persistence and focus than body, which is to say very much in the style of the year. Of course, much can change with dosage. It will be interesting to see how things end up. The blend is 71% Pinot Noir and 29% Chardonnay, done 64% in oak, 36% in steel, with no malolactic fermentation in any of the lots. Drink 2024-2044.
94-96 points
Antonio Galloni - VinousThis is showing elegant and complex aromas of pie crust, cinnamon rolls, spiced apples and hazelnuts. Hints of mocha and berry crumble. Very creamy bubbles on the palate, with caressing pastry elements married to bright acidity. There’s richness, but it’s sleek and fresh at the end. 71% pinot noir and 29% chardonnay. Disgorged March 2023. 4.5g/L dosage. Drink or hold.
95 points
James SucklingMade from 71% Pinot Noir and the rest Chardonnay, the 2014 Champagne Clos des Goisses Extra Brut takes on a very pretty and floral profile. Pouring a bright straw hue, it’s lifted with the perfume of cherry blossoms, wet stone, fresh berries, and sweet brioche. Full-bodied, though more linear compared to the 2013 vintage, it’s highlighted by a refined, chalky texture with a pillowy mousse, building to a ripe and rounded mid-palate and a long, elegant finish with a flourish of white pepper spice. Though it’s certainly not the most powerful vintage for the vineyard, it’s very attractive. It will benefit from another couple of years and continue to improve over the next two decades. Disgorged in March of 2023, with 4.5 grams per liter dosage. Drink 2025 - 2045.
96 points
Audrey Frick - jebdunnuck.comFrom the 5.83-hectare walled vineyard in a cooler, 'classic' vintage for Champagne, giving this a finessed and charming expression. Baked pastry and soft lemon curd notes on the nose, smells inviting and softly floral - honeysuckle, jasmine, lemon and lime rind with some peach. Juicy and so zesty straight away, bright, mouthwateing, scintillatingly fresh and lively, thrilling even, with tiny persistent bubbles that instantly froth and fill the mouth. Alive and energetic with lemon rind and juice, succulent green apples and strawberries, grapefruit and ginger bitterness with touches of salinity and graphite dotting the finish. This makes you instantly want another glass, but this has structure too and such a long finish. No malolactic fermentation. Dosage 4.5g/l. Made by Charles Philipponnat and Thierry Garnier. Drink 2023 - 2042.
97 points
Georgina Hindle - Decanter -
- 97
- 94
- 95
- 96
- 95
- Nick's Import
2014 Philipponnat Clos des Goisses Extra Brut Champagne Magnum (1500ml)Champagne, FRANCE$1099. 00Bottle$13188.00 DozenClosure: CorkPhilipponnat's Clos des Goisses vineyard is one of the most famous in all of Champagne, and having been purchased by the Philipponnat family in 1935 it immediately became its crown jewel. The name is taken from the local dialect “Gois” meaning very steep, and the vineyard is the steepest, directly south-facing site in the whole of Champagne with a gradient between 30-45%. Pinot Noir dominates the cuvee with the typical blend two-thirds Pinot and one-third Chardonnay, granting Clos des Goisses with power, structure, and exceptional longevity. Work is done almost entirely by hand, and no insecticides or synthetic herbicides are used in the vineyard. The 2014 release is a blend of 71% Pinot Noir and 29% Chardonnay, aged on lees for 8 years.
Note: Product comes without gift box.
Other Reviews....
The 2014 Extra-Brut Clos des Goisses, the latest rendition from this walled vineyard, reveals a fresh, energetic character with aromas of pear, peach, licorice, spices, white fruits, spring flowers and menthol. Medium to full-bodied, seamless and chiseled, this is a structured, tension-filled but ethereal Champagne with high acidity, sign of a cool-weather vintage. Although already thoroughly enjoyable, it should age well over the next 10 years. This is a blend of 71% Pinot Noir and 29% Chardonnay, disgorged with 4.25 grams per liter dosage. Drink 2023-2035.
95 points
Yohan Castaing - Wine Advocate (Nov 17, 2023)I tasted the 2014 Extra-Brut Clos des Goisses from a bottle disgorged a la volée, in other words with no dosage and no sulfur added. At this very early and unfinished stage, the 2014 appears to be a linear, focused Champagne built more on persistence and focus than body, which is to say very much in the style of the year. Of course, much can change with dosage. It will be interesting to see how things end up. The blend is 71% Pinot Noir and 29% Chardonnay, done 64% in oak, 36% in steel, with no malolactic fermentation in any of the lots. Drink 2024-2044.
94-96 points
Antonio Galloni - VinousThis is showing elegant and complex aromas of pie crust, cinnamon rolls, spiced apples and hazelnuts. Hints of mocha and berry crumble. Very creamy bubbles on the palate, with caressing pastry elements married to bright acidity. There’s richness, but it’s sleek and fresh at the end. 71% pinot noir and 29% chardonnay. Disgorged March 2023. 4.5g/L dosage. Drink or hold.
95 points
James SucklingMade from 71% Pinot Noir and the rest Chardonnay, the 2014 Champagne Clos des Goisses Extra Brut takes on a very pretty and floral profile. Pouring a bright straw hue, it’s lifted with the perfume of cherry blossoms, wet stone, fresh berries, and sweet brioche. Full-bodied, though more linear compared to the 2013 vintage, it’s highlighted by a refined, chalky texture with a pillowy mousse, building to a ripe and rounded mid-palate and a long, elegant finish with a flourish of white pepper spice. Though it’s certainly not the most powerful vintage for the vineyard, it’s very attractive. It will benefit from another couple of years and continue to improve over the next two decades. Disgorged in March of 2023, with 4.5 grams per liter dosage. Drink 2025 - 2045.
96 points
Audrey Frick - jebdunnuck.comFrom the 5.83-hectare walled vineyard in a cooler, 'classic' vintage for Champagne, giving this a finessed and charming expression. Baked pastry and soft lemon curd notes on the nose, smells inviting and softly floral - honeysuckle, jasmine, lemon and lime rind with some peach. Juicy and so zesty straight away, bright, mouthwateing, scintillatingly fresh and lively, thrilling even, with tiny persistent bubbles that instantly froth and fill the mouth. Alive and energetic with lemon rind and juice, succulent green apples and strawberries, grapefruit and ginger bitterness with touches of salinity and graphite dotting the finish. This makes you instantly want another glass, but this has structure too and such a long finish. No malolactic fermentation. Dosage 4.5g/l. Made by Charles Philipponnat and Thierry Garnier. Drink 2023 - 2042.
97 points
Georgina Hindle - Decanter -
- 96
- 97
- 95
- 95
- Nick's Import
1998 Philipponnat Clos des Goisses L.V. Extra Brut ChampagneChampagne, FRANCE$1199. 00Bottle$14388.00 DozenClosure: CorkPhilipponnat's Clos des Goisses vineyard is one of the most famous in all of Champagne, and having been purchased by the Philipponnat family in 1935 it immediately became its crown jewel. The name is taken from the local dialect “Gois” meaning very steep, and the vineyard is the steepest, directly south-facing site in the whole of Champagne with a gradient between 30-45%. Pinot Noir dominates the cuvee with the typical blend two-thirds Pinot and one-third Chardonnay, granting Clos des Goisses with power, structure, and exceptional longevity. Work is done almost entirely by hand, and no insecticides or synthetic herbicides are used in the vineyard.
The L.V. (Long Vieillissement / long ageing) release of Clos des Goisses is the rarest bottling to come from the vineyard in which only a few hundred bottles are ever released. Philipponnat's most recent L.V. comes from the 1998 vintage, and was disgorged 25 years after harvest in 2023 bottled with a very low 4.25 g/L dosage.
Other Reviews....
Disgorged in March 2023, the 1998 Extra Brut Clos des Goisses L.V. matured for 25 months in bottle and on lees. It reveals a brilliant, complex and intense bouquet with aromas of white pepper, smoke, orange peel, pastry, ripe fruits and flowers intertwined with a refreshing, delicate note of menthol. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and chiseled, it’s concentrated and racy with bright acids and an endless finish. Fully mature, it should age well over the next two to three years. This is a blend of 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay. Drink 2023-2035.
95 points
Yohan Castaing - Wine Advocate (Nov 17, 2023)Pale golden color with notes of honey, dried pear, chopped nuts, white chocolate and truffles. Creamy and rich, with a delicious sweet and salty character alongside earthy and honey undertones. Soft bubbles. Complex and drinking beautifully after 25 years in the cellar. Disgorged in March 2023. 4.5 g/L dosage. Drink now.
97 points
James SucklingThe bright golden yellow 1998 Champagne Clos des Goisses Extra Brut is expressive and noble on opening, with notes of butterscotch, praline, white chocolate, cherry liqueur, and preserved apricot. Pure and ripe on the palate, it has an umami-like richness and is juicy with savory orange oil and grapefruit pith. It has a silky, supple mouthfeel with a refined mousse and a long finish, and it’s maturing wonderfully. Full-bodied, it’s an elegant wine but retains the characteristic power and length of this cuvée a fantastic finish. Saline and earthy, I might prefer to enjoy this over the next few years, but it will have a lot of life. Drink 2023-2033. Raised with cork not crown, it was disgorged in March 2023, with 4.5 grams per liter dosage. Approximately 100 bottles will be released. Drink 2023 - 2033.
95 points
Audrey Frick - jebdunnuck.comA library release of around 600 bottles from Philipponnat's oenotheque range. Salty aromas on the nose with fresh almonds - you can smell age and richness but the colour is remarkable, not at all deep gold or brown more bright gold, this smells older than it looks. Lots of pear, ripe and fresh with vanilla, sandalwood, floral scents and softly spiced accents on the nose alongside a faint truffle aroma. The palate is focussed and straight with an iodine, lemon and lime tang in the middle while the edges carry the maturity with smoked meat, cepe, buttery toast, vanilla cream pastry, salt and a touch of exotic fruit. Persistent, intense, complex, rich and so intriguing - a real ride of flavour and texture. A wonderful treat to taste a historic vintage direct from the estate and to be able to compare it to the initial release if you have any. Dosage 4.25g/l. Drink 2023 - 2032.
96 points
Georgina Hindle - Decanter -
- 96
- 98
- 97
- 98
- Nick's Import
2013 Philipponnat Clos des Goisses Extra Brut ChampagneChampagne, FRANCE$499. 00Bottle$5988.00 DozenClosure: CorkNote: Product comes without gift box.
Philipponnat's Clos des Goisses vineyard is one of the most famous in all of Champagne, and having been purchased by the Philipponnat family in 1935 it immediately became its crown jewel. The name is taken from the local dialect “Gois” meaning very steep, and the vineyard is the steepest, directly south-facing site in the whole of Champagne with a gradient between 30-45%. Pinot Noir dominates the cuvee with the typical blend two-thirds Pinot and one-third Chardonnay, granting Clos des Goisses with power, structure, and exceptional longevity. Work is done almost entirely by hand, and no insecticides or synthetic herbicides are used in the vineyard. The 2013 release is a blend of 85% Pinot Noir and 15% Chardonnay, aged on lees for 8 years.
Other Reviews....
Surpassing even the 2012 and 2008, Philipponnat's 2013 Extra-Brut Clos des Goisses looks to be the finest vintage of this cuvée in several decades, at least on first acquaintance. Deriving from only the six core parcels out of the 13 that make up the Clos des Goisses, it's a striking wine, evoking aromas of crisp yellow orchard fruit, Anjou pear, clear honey, bee pollen, stone fruit and iodine. Full-bodied, layered and vinous, its textural attack segues into a deep, concentrated and tightly wound mid-palate that's girdled by racy acids and chalky structure, before concluding with a long, saline finish. Why is it quite so good? It would appear that 2013 was the perfect storm: an early-ripening terroir in a cool, late vintage; moderately yielding Burgundian selections of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that attained full maturity; and a willingness to make a strict selection have all come together to deliver a profound Clos des Goisses. Drink: 2025 - 2055.
98 points
William Kelley - Wine AdvocateThe 2013 Extra-Brut Clos des Goisses is fabulous. Readers will have to be patient, as the 2013 is in no mood to show all its cards. The late harvest produced a bristling, intensely saline Clos des Goisses that will require years to be at its best. Even so, its depth, textural resonance and finish are so evocative as to what the future holds. The 2013 is a positively stunning Champagne and one of the best Goisses in recent memory. I can't wait to see how it develops. Dosage is 4.5 grams per liter. Drink: 2031-2053.
98 points
Antonio Galloni - VinousGently aromatic nose, floral and fresh. Round, generous and so delicate. Tiny bubbles are so lovely, coating the mouth in a fresh lemon, green apple, peach and nectarine quality. Sensual almost, so charming, so welcoming. Round, not massively full, but driving and persistent. You can definitely have this without food and just enjoy the balance, the detail and the nuance. Excellent winemaking here. Beautifully controlled and such a joy to drink. Dosage 4.5g/L. Drink: 2024-2040.
96 points
Georgina Hindle - DecanterTasting this a year later alongside the new release of 2014, the 2013 Champagne Clos des Goisses Extra Brut seems to be coming into its own. Composed of 85% Pinot Noir and the rest Chardonnay, and pouring a rich straw/copper hue, it’s starting to show lovely, layered aromatics as it unfolds with scents of red berries, currant, toasted croissant, frangipane, and orgeat. Full-bodied, assertive, and long on the palate, it has driving, assertive energy with fantastic concentration and acidity. Though it has broad shoulders, it remains in check with itself and offers a long, fantastic finish. It has great structure and an angular feel, with notes of Meyer lemon preserves and orange rind, and delivers wonderful energy throughout. This can hold up through a meal of sweetbreads or other rich fare. 10,723 bottles were produced. Drink 2024-2055. Disgorged in March 2022, with 4.5 grams per liter dosage.
97 points
Audrey Frick - jebdunnuck.com -
- 96
- 98
- 97
- 98
- Nick's Import
2013 Philipponnat Clos des Goisses Extra Brut Champagne Magnum (1500ml)Champagne, FRANCE$1099. 00Bottle$13188.00 DozenClosure: CorkNote: Product comes without gift box.
Philipponnat's Clos des Goisses vineyard is one of the most famous in all of Champagne, and having been purchased by the Philipponnat family in 1935 it immediately became its crown jewel. The name is taken from the local dialect “Gois” meaning very steep, and the vineyard is the steepest, directly south-facing site in the whole of Champagne with a gradient between 30-45%. Pinot Noir dominates the cuvee with the typical blend two-thirds Pinot and one-third Chardonnay, granting Clos des Goisses with power, structure, and exceptional longevity. Work is done almost entirely by hand, and no insecticides or synthetic herbicides are used in the vineyard. The 2013 release is a blend of 85% Pinot Noir and 15% Chardonnay, aged on lees for 8 years.
Other Reviews....
Surpassing even the 2012 and 2008, Philipponnat's 2013 Extra-Brut Clos des Goisses looks to be the finest vintage of this cuvée in several decades, at least on first acquaintance. Deriving from only the six core parcels out of the 13 that make up the Clos des Goisses, it's a striking wine, evoking aromas of crisp yellow orchard fruit, Anjou pear, clear honey, bee pollen, stone fruit and iodine. Full-bodied, layered and vinous, its textural attack segues into a deep, concentrated and tightly wound mid-palate that's girdled by racy acids and chalky structure, before concluding with a long, saline finish. Why is it quite so good? It would appear that 2013 was the perfect storm: an early-ripening terroir in a cool, late vintage; moderately yielding Burgundian selections of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that attained full maturity; and a willingness to make a strict selection have all come together to deliver a profound Clos des Goisses. Drink: 2025 - 2055.
98 points
William Kelley - Wine AdvocateThe 2013 Extra-Brut Clos des Goisses is fabulous. Readers will have to be patient, as the 2013 is in no mood to show all its cards. The late harvest produced a bristling, intensely saline Clos des Goisses that will require years to be at its best. Even so, its depth, textural resonance and finish are so evocative as to what the future holds. The 2013 is a positively stunning Champagne and one of the best Goisses in recent memory. I can't wait to see how it develops. Dosage is 4.5 grams per liter. Drink: 2031-2053.
98 points
Antonio Galloni - VinousGently aromatic nose, floral and fresh. Round, generous and so delicate. Tiny bubbles are so lovely, coating the mouth in a fresh lemon, green apple, peach and nectarine quality. Sensual almost, so charming, so welcoming. Round, not massively full, but driving and persistent. You can definitely have this without food and just enjoy the balance, the detail and the nuance. Excellent winemaking here. Beautifully controlled and such a joy to drink. Dosage 4.5g/L. Drink: 2024-2040.
96 points
Georgina Hindle - DecanterTasting this a year later alongside the new release of 2014, the 2013 Champagne Clos des Goisses Extra Brut seems to be coming into its own. Composed of 85% Pinot Noir and the rest Chardonnay, and pouring a rich straw/copper hue, it’s starting to show lovely, layered aromatics as it unfolds with scents of red berries, currant, toasted croissant, frangipane, and orgeat. Full-bodied, assertive, and long on the palate, it has driving, assertive energy with fantastic concentration and acidity. Though it has broad shoulders, it remains in check with itself and offers a long, fantastic finish. It has great structure and an angular feel, with notes of Meyer lemon preserves and orange rind, and delivers wonderful energy throughout. This can hold up through a meal of sweetbreads or other rich fare. 10,723 bottles were produced. Drink 2024-2055. Disgorged in March 2022, with 4.5 grams per liter dosage.
97 points
Audrey Frick - jebdunnuck.com -
- 96
- Nick's Import
1997 Philipponnat Clos des Goisses L.V. Extra Brut ChampagneChampagne, FRANCE$1150. 00Bottle$13800.00 DozenClosure: CorkPhilipponnat's Clos des Goisses vineyard is one of the most famous in all of Champagne, and having been purchased by the Philipponnat family in 1935 it immediately became its crown jewel. The name is taken from the local dialect “Gois” meaning very steep, and the vineyard is the steepest, directly south-facing site in the whole of Champagne with a gradient between 30-45%. Pinot Noir dominates the cuvee with the typical blend two-thirds Pinot and one-third Chardonnay, granting Clos des Goisses with power, structure, and exceptional longevity. Work is done almost entirely by hand, and no insecticides or synthetic herbicides are used in the vineyard.
The L.V. (Long Vieillissement / long ageing) release of Clos des Goisses is the rarest bottling to come from the vineyard in which only a few hundred bottles are ever released. Philipponnat's most recent L.V. comes from the stunning 1997 vintage, it's a blend of 66% Pinot Noir and 34% Chardonnay and was disgorged 25 years after harvest in 2022 bottled with a very low 4.5 g/L dosage.
Other Reviews....
The 1997 Extra Brut Clos des Goisses L.V. is a stunning Champagne, with aromas of coffee beans, vanilla, honeycomb, pastry, ripe orchard fruits and a touch of menthol. Full-bodied, layered and textural, it’s perfectly balanced with an enveloping core of fruit and a delicate mousse. It concludes with an elegantly vinous profile and a long, sapid finish. Although already thoroughly enjoyable, it should age well over the next five to 10 years. Drink 2023 - 2035.
96 points
Yohan Castaing - Wine Advocate (Nov 17, 2023)25 years after vintage, disgorged at the same time as the (not dissimilar in spirit) 2013, and at this point you can expect a slight softening in the pressure of the mousse, and a whole heap of extra truffle, creme patisserie, brioche and wax flavours. After so long on the lees, you might also get a touch of marmite reduction at first, so I would give it a short carafe before drinking - basically just decant for 5 minutes and then straight out into your glass. As it opens, you get waves of aromatic herbs, angelica-liqourice, touch of honeysuckle, frangipane, soot, cold ash, grilled almond, even rancio oxidative notes on the finish. An October harvest which is extremely late for Champagne, this has decades ahead of it. Today's winemaker Thierry Garnier was already there, but chef de cave was Norbert Thiebert.
97 points
Jane Anson -
- 99
- 96
- 98
- Nick's Import
1996 Philipponnat Clos des Goisses L.V. Extra Brut ChampagneChampagne, FRANCE$1299. 00Bottle$15588.00 DozenABV: 13%Closure: CorkPhilipponnat's Clos des Goisses vineyard is one of the most famous in all of Champagne, and having been purchased by the Philipponnat family in 1935 it immediately became its crown jewel. The name is taken from the local dialect “Gois” meaning very steep, and the vineyard is the steepest, directly south-facing site in the whole of Champagne with a gradient between 30-45%. Pinot Noir dominates the cuvee with the typical blend two-thirds Pinot and one-third Chardonnay, granting Clos des Goisses with power, structure, and exceptional longevity. Work is done almost entirely by hand, and no insecticides or synthetic herbicides are used in the vineyard.
The L.V. (Long Vieillissement / long ageing) release of Clos des Goisses is the rarest bottling to come from the vineyard in which only a few hundred bottles are ever released. Philipponnat's most recent L.V. comes from the stunning 1996 vintage, and was disgorged 25 years after harvest in 2021 bottled with a very low 4.5 g/L dosage.
Other Reviews....
Only small amounts of this vintage has been made available before now, so this is really an extremely special release from one of the last Champagne houses to be run by a member of its founding family. Now 25 years post harvest, this was a high acidity vintage, meaning it was always clear that it would age well, but also clear that Clos des Goisses benefitted more than ever from its south-facing slopes that allowed the Pinot to get beautifully structured and ripe to balance the acidity. Rich and nuanced in colour, golden amber, with evident body and powerful flavours of quince, tobacco, campfire smoke. A brilliant interplay between tertiary truffle and patisserie notes with elderflower, white peaches and lemongrass coming in halfway through to add lift. Precise and delicate bubbles, clear persistency, with a bitter almond finish. The house vintages are all aged in the traditional 18C cellars, riddled by hand. Very low dosage at 4.5 g/l - making it an Extra Brut (as are all the Philipponnat Champagnes). Bottled 1997, disgorged March 2021 (and just 600 bottles, going up to perhaps 900 maximum, for worldwide distribution). Would benefit from a short carafe before drinking, but the main priority here is to clear your schedule and enjoy.
100 points
Jane AnsonA special back-vintage release of the Clos des Goisses 1996 which has seen no other official commercial sales since its initial disgorgement. The bottles being offered via the Place de Bordeaux, which amount to less than 1,000, were disgorged in March 2021 having spent 24 years on their lees. A beautiful light caramel gold colour in the glass, this has aromatic intensity with a poised and delicate palate. So juicy and fresh, the high acidity of the 1996 vintage still evident with bright white fruits at the fore backed by buttery patisseries elements and some tertiary nuttiness around the sides of the mouth that give shape to the overall mouthfeel. An invigorating glass and one to savour the nuanced complexity. A dosage of 4.5g/l. Drinking Window 2021 - 2031.
99 points
Georgina Hindle - DecanterLots of bread dough and rancio with dried-apple and white-pepper aromas that follow through to a full body with a tight and beautiful palate of intense yeast and fresh pie. Raw pie crust at the end, as well as almond cream and some cheese. Steely. Unique late release. Drink now.
98 points
James SucklingThe 1996 Extra-Brut Clos des Goisses L.V. has reached a glorious peak of expression. Apricot, burnt sugar, spice, pastry, hazelnut and a whole range of reductive notes that have developed in bottle fill out the layers. In 1996, Clos des Goisses was still aged on cork (for both the original and L.V. releases. Over time, cork seems to given the 1996 an especially relaxed, resonant feel. Dosage is 4.5 grams per liter. Disgorged: March, 2021. Drink 2021 - 2036.
96 points
Antonio Galloni - Vinous -
- 95
Pierre Gimonnet & Fils Cuvee Cuis 1er Cru Blanc de Blancs ChampagneChampagne, FRANCE$99. 99Bottle$1199.88 DozenMinimum 6 bottlesABV: 12.5%Closure: Diam CorkSince 1750 the Gimonnet family have been vine growers in the village of Cuis, supplying some of the great Champagne houses with fruit. It wasn’t until the 1930's recession when sales of grapes fell that Monsieur Pierre Gimonnet finally decided to take up the challenge of producing Champagne under his own label. It was a great struggle at first, establishing a clientele who were not, at that time, accustomed to "blanc de blancs" Champagnes, not least from a new small independent producer. The effort finally paid off and today the name Pierre Gimonnet et Fils is a highly respected name in Champagne. The estate is now run by Pierre's sons, Michel and Didier, who share the fanaticism of their father for the Gimonnet Champagnes.
A very flavoursome Blanc de Blancs Champagne.
Pours with an exuberant mousse that holds well over a pale straw gold tinged core. Fine and persistent bead. Gorgeous aromatics of baked bread, yeast lees and cashew fill the nostrils complimented by some brioche, citrus and subtle ginger notes. Racy and chalky in in its feel the mouth watering palate is layered with baked bread, citrus and yeast lees flavours which meld into a cream tinged back drop of cashew and delicate ginger. Sculptured acidity with a long, dry and crisp finish that has a slightly chalky feel to it.
Alc. 12.5%
Previously tasted May 2016. Pours with a frothy white mousse that shows very good hold. Pale straw base wine colour with a very fine bead that shows excellent persistence. Rich, powerful nose with aromas of baked bread, yeast lees and some toastiness to the fore. Subtle roasted almond and citrusy dried honey notes follow on. Quite full and rich the palate possesses mouthfilling flavours of baked bread, oily toast like characters and yeast lees with infusions of roasted nuts and traces of citrus fruits freshening things up. Creamy textural feel with a dry oily finish. Superb richness and length with a long toasty aftertaste of bready yeast lees characters and roasted nuts.
Alc 12.5%
96 points -
- 94
- Reduced
Pierre Gimonnet & Fils 1er Cru Rose de Blancs Champagne - ClearanceChampagne, FRANCEReduced from $99.99$94. 99Bottle$1139.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 5 Years (2018-2023)ABV: 12.5%Closure: CorkShowing ample hold is a frothy mousse which sits over a salmon pink coloured base that’s threaded by a very profuse and fine bead. Delicate peach and winter strawberry scents intermix with yeast lees, subtle raspberry and light toast. Mouthfilling flavours of winter strawberries and raspberries are underpinned by racy acidity with yeast lees characters, brioche and subtle toast forming on the back palate. Dry, slightly chalky finish with a faintly creamed, vibrant mouthfeel. Aftertaste of winter strawberry, yeast lees, fresh raspberries and hints of toast.
Drink over the next 4-5 years.
Alc. 12.5% -
- 93
- 95
- 93
2017 Pierre Peters l'Esprit Blanc de Blancs Vintage ChampagneChampagne, FRANCE$180. 00Bottle$2160.00 DozenABV: 12%Closure: CorkOther Reviews....
Unwinding in the glass with scents of sweet orchard fruit, peach, honeycomb, warm biscuits and dried fruits, the 2017 Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Millésime L’Esprit de 2017 is medium to full-bodied, ample and satiny, with fine concentration, racy acids and a long, saline finish. Péters describes the vintage in the Côte de Blancs—which suffered less than sectors where Pinot predominates—as "a precursor of 2019," in the sense that small yields attained elevated maturity without losing freshness; and this Champagne does indeed transcend simplistic generalizations about the vintage. Drink 2023 - 2035.
93+ points
William Kelley - Wine Advocate (Sep 01, 2022)The L'Esprit de 2017 is a surprising wine, in a very good way. Deep and wonderfully layered, the 2017 possesses tremendous depth and textural resonance. Tangerine peel, spice, brioche, baked apple and more exotic tropical accents all open with a bit of time in the glass. Disgorged: July 2022. Dosage is 4.7 grams per liter. Drink 2023-2030.
93 points
Antonio Galloni - VinousA brightness and clarity here with sliced apples, oyster shell and hints of brioche with butter. Medium to full body with beautiful length. Creamy texture and a delicious finish. A balance and beauty to this. Four blocks from Mesnil, Oger, Avize and Cramant. 4.5 g/L dosage. Drink now.
95 points
JamesSuckling.com -
- 94
- 93
- 92
Pierre Peters Reserve Oubliee Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru ChampagneChampagne, FRANCE$220. 00Bottle$2640.00 DozenABV: 12%Closure: CorkOther Reviews....
The NV Brut Réserve Oubliée (base 2015 ) marries freshness, tension and the complexity that emerges from the perpetual reserve in this blend. Wonderfully complex and layered, with striking aromatic presence, the Réserve Oubliée has so much going on. Marzipan, dried flowers, mint, lemon confit and spice build in the resonant, creamy finish. Dosage is 4.5-5.5 grams per liter. Disgorged: December, 2020. Drink 2021 - 2030.
94 Points
Antonio Galloni's Vinous (Nov 2021)The NV Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Réserve Oubliée is a blend of the best reserve wines from three different vessels: concrete, stainless steel and a 45-hectoliter oak vat from Franz Stockinger in Austria. The "forgotten reserve" shows a complex bouquet with bright and elegant fruit intertwined with notes of nuts, mocha and a touch of smoked speck. Aged sous liège (under natural cork), this is a very pure, fresh, fine, highly complex and energetic Champagne with a long, salty finish. A fascinating example and proof that top quality is also possible with nothing but reserve wines. Disgorged in November 2017 with a dosage of four grams per liter. Tasted at the domaine in April 2018.
93 Points
Stephan Reinhardt - Wine Advocate (September 2018)Leesy pastry dough and marzipan notes are an aromatic entry for this creamy, layered Champagne, leading to flavors of baked plum, kumquat and anise. A subtle streak of smoky mineral and vivid acidity define the mouthwatering finish. Drink now through 2025.
92 Points
Alison Napjus - Wine Spectator (November 2020) -
- 95
- 93
- 92
- 92
- 92
- 93
Pierre Peters Cuvee de Reserve Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru ChampagneChampagne, FRANCE$110. 00Bottle$1320.00 DozenCellar: Drink now - 5 Years (2020-2025)ABV: 12%Closure: CorkOnce the lacy white mousse dissipates it reveals a pale straw coloured base that has shades of gold to the edges. The bead is fine and profuse. Refined yeast lees, citrus and baked bread aromas are followed by light notions of oyster shell and cashew. Possessing good richness and fine airy feel, there’s a faint creaminess to the oily bread, yeast lees and citrus flavours which are backed by a subtle toastiness and some brioche. Finishes dry and finely textured with stimulating acidity and a long savoury aftertaste.
Drink over the next 4-5 years.
Alc. 12%Other Reviews....
Based on the 2019 vintage (which Péters declares "the best of the decade") and disgorged this year, the NV Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Cuvée de Réserve bursts with aromas of crisp stone fruit, orange zest, freshly baked bread and beeswax. Medium-bodied, ample and pillowy, with a fleshy core of fruit, racy acids and a saline finish, it's animated by an attractive pinpoint mousse. Drink 2022 - 2032.
92 points
William Kelley - Wine Advocate (Sep 2022)The NV Brut Cuvée de Réserve Grand Cru is fabulous. A Champagne of tension and energy, the Cuvée de Réserve has real presence, not to mention tons of class. Citrus, jasmine, mint and crushed rocks are some of the many nuances that race out of the glass. In this release, the Cuvée de Réserve has a light tropical quality that is both exotic and hugely appealing. Dosage is 7 grams per liter. Disgorged: March, 2021. Drink 2021-2028.
92 points
Antonio Galloni - VinousVery fine bready lemon citrus aromas here; a restrained, fresh and attractively raw expression of chardonnay aromas. The palate unleashes more flamboyant fruit flavors, heading through citrus to nectarine and peach. The focus never wavers. Long, fine and pure.
92 points
JamesSuckling.comMade up, half and half, of base wine from the sunny 2018 harvest, and reserve wine from Rodolphe’s Perpetual Reserve which goes back to 1988, this is one of the most consistently excellent NV wines on the market. Its current iteration is especially impressive, floral, chalky, upstanding, and very complex; the palate sharing notes of dried apricot, plum and lemon pith with more developed intimations of sour honey and patisserie. An exemplary wine with real purity and precision on the finish. Drink 2021 - 2024.
93 points
Simon Field MW - DecanterThis elegant Champagne is powered by intense acidity, wrapping its racy frame in a cloak fashioned from the plush and creamy mousse as it carries flavors of ripe mirabelle plum and fig fruit, chopped hazelnut and preserved lemon, with an underlying tang of salinity. The lingering finish echoes the ripe fruit and mineral character. Disgorged October 2020. Drink now through 2026.
93 points
Alison Napjus - Wine Spectator -
- 93
- 93
- Reduced
2014 Piper-Heidsieck Vintage ChampagneChampagne, FRANCEReduced from $130.00$110. 00Bottle$1320.00 DozenABV: 12%Closure: CorkFounded in 1785, Piper-Heidsieck has a long history of excellence and innovation in blending exceptional wines. Chef de Cave Emilien Boutillat reflects this in the entire range of champagnes. The 2014 vintage benefited from an early spring and a warm Indian summer, resulting in crisp Chardonnays and sophisticated Pinots Noirs. Sourced from 19 crus, including 87% Grands and Premiers Crus, this blend was aged on lees for over 5 years. Expect elegant aromas of orange blossom, apricot, brioche, and toasted almond, with flavors of tangerine, lime zest, and licorice on the palate.
Alc. 12%Other Reviews....
Showing nicely complex notes of figs, red apples, golden pears, walnuts and lemon conserve on toast, with a touch of beeswax. It’s medium-bodied, with bright acidity and a textured, phenolic palate. Tight bubbles. Dry feel. 55% pinot and 45% chardonnay. 7g/L dosage. Delicious now.
93 Points
JamesSuckling.comA seamless Champagne, finely textured and showing a creamy viscosity on the palate. This vibrant version winds a subtle, toasty thread of brioche and roasted almond through flavors of black currant, dried apricot and candied lemon peel. Mouthwatering and lightly chalky on the finish. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Drink now through 2029.
93 Points
Alison Napjus - Wine Spectator -
- 93
- 93
- 92
- Reduced
Piper-Heidsieck Cuvee Brut ChampagneChampagne, FRANCEReduced from $69.99$59. 99Bottle$719.88 DozenABV: 12%Closure: Diam CorkA buoyant mousse slowly dissipates to reveal a pale straw coloured base that has pale gold edges. The fine bead showing excellent persistence. Citrusy chalk tinged aromas are complemented by yeast lees, subtle red apple and baked bread. Nicely meshed flavours of pear, citrus and baked bread mix with yeast lees and delicate quince characters. Vivid acidity lends a refreshing feel to the mouth watering conclusion.
Alc. 12%
Other Reviews….
Finely balanced and fresh, with the delicate bead carrying appealing ripe black cherry and green apple fruit, plus a fragrant mix of lime blossom, saffron, toasted almond and ground coffee details. Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. Drink now.
92 points
Wine Spectator
Regularly self-selects itself for its quality/price ratio. A 50/30/20% blend of pinot noir, pinot meunier and chardonnay, 30% reserve (a collection of more than 150 wines), on yeast lees for a minimum of 24 months; dosage 8g/l. The bouquet has a spicy edge, the palate long and juicy with citrus and bosc pear.
93 points
James Halliday's Top 100 2023 -
- Nick's Import
2002 Ployez-Jacquemart Cuvee Liesse d'Harbonville Vintage ChampagneChampagne, FRANCE$340. 00Bottle$4080.00 DozenABV: 12%Closure: CorkCuvee Liesse d'Harbonville represents the flagship Champagne of the Ployez-Jacquemart range. Only produced in exceptional vintages, the composition is 65% Chardonnay (Cuis-Bisseuil-Ludes 1er Crus), 20% Pinot Noir (Mailly Champagne Grand Cru), and 15% Pinot Meunier (Ludes old vineyard 1er Cru). Following a strict selection at harvest, primary fermentation occurs in 2-3 year old barrels before being put to bottle 7-8 months after the harvest to age at least 10 years in the cellar before disgorgement. As with all wines of Ployez-Jacquemart dosage is very low at approximately 3 grams per litre.
Alc. 12% -
- 96
- Nick's Import
2010 Ployez-Jacquemart Vintage Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs ChampagneChampagne, FRANCE$150. 00Bottle$1800.00 DozenCellar: Drink now - 6 Years (2021-2027)ABV: 12%Closure: CorkA 100% Chardonnay sourced from Premier Cru and Grand Cru districts with a minimum of 6 years on lees.
A lacy white mousse slowly dissipates to reveal a pale straw to pale gold coloured base that’s finely threaded by a steady stream of tiny bubbles. Rich baked bread, citrus and toasty yeast lees aromatics fill the nostrils with some almond and chalky notes also present. Full, generous and creamy, concentrated flavours of brioche, citrus and yeast lees meld into a back drop of honeyed cashew, ginger and roasted almond. Finishes dry with stimulating acidity and a long, richly textured aftertaste.
Drink over the next 5-6 years.
Alc. 12% -
- 95
- 92
- Nick's Import
Ployez-Jacquemart Extra Quality Brut Champagne (375ml)Champagne, FRANCE$39. 99Bottle$479.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 5 Years (2021-2026)ABV: 12%Closure: CorkThe standard bearer for the house, the Extra Quality Brut receives a minimum of 4 years on lees and is blended from Premier Cru and Grand Cru fruit, 60% of which is Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, the balance Chardonnay.
Ranked No. 65 in Wine Spectators Top 100 wines for 2020.
Pours with a frothy white head that slowly subsides to reveal a pale straw coloured base with pale gold edgings that has a fine steady bead flowing through it. Enticing baked bread, vegemite like yeast lees and citrus aromatics merge with some toasty notes, almond and smoky minerals. The palate shows good weight and richness yet is quite racy and vibrant in its feel. Citrus and yeast lees flavours combine over subtle baked bread nuances, light toast and minerals. Dry chalky finish with tense acidity and a lengthy aftertaste.
Drink over the next 4-5 years.
Alc. 12%Other Reviews…..
A lovely hint of honeysuckle accents the flavors of mirabelle plum, white cherry, anise and grated ginger in this vibrant Champagne, which is finely knit and detailed in texture, with a mouthwatering finish of ripe fruit, spice and chalk accents. Disgorged November 2019. Drink now through 2025.
92 points
Wine Spectator -
- 95
- 93
Pol Roger Pure Extra Brut ChampagneChampagne, FRANCE$150. 00Bottle$1800.00 DozenABV: 12.5%Closure: Diam CorkPol Roger’s zero dosage Champagne offers up a buoyant mousse which slowly dissipates to reveal a pale straw coloured base with pale gold tinged edges that has a very fine and persistent bead flowing through it. Elevated aromas of yeast lees and brioche are complimented by cashew, citrus and delicate honeyed toast like notes. Very dry and sculptured yet possessing a creamy edge, baked bread, yeast lees and cashew flavours overlay a chalk tinged back drop of citrus and oily toast like characters. Crisp acidity. Finishes tense and chalky with a lingering almond element.
Alc. 12.5%Other Reviews….
Cooked apples and lemons with nougat, light caramel and ginger on the nose. Medium to full-bodied with creamy texture from the fine bubbles that spread across the palate. Plenty of flavor but not overpowering. Drink now.
93 Points
JamesSuckling.com -
- 97
- 95
- 95
2016 Pol Roger Vintage ChampagneChampagne, FRANCE$175. 00Bottle$2100.00 DozenCellar: Drink now - 8 Years (2023-2031)ABV: 12.5%Closure: Diam CorkPol Roger’s 2016 vintage Champagne is made from the traditional house vintage blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay sourced from 20 Grands and Premiers crus vineyards in the Montagne de Reims and the Côte des Blancs regions.
Possessing great length and a graceful, airy like feel, this is a wonderfully complex and finessed Champagne.
A fine, satiny mousse slowly subsides to reveal a pale straw coloured base that has pale gold tinged edges with a generous and very fine bead flowing through to the surface. On the nose leading the way in classic Pol Roger style are aromatics of yeast lees and brioche followed by some citrus, cashew, subtle dried honey and faint oily toast like notes. Rich and creamy textured yet wonderfully light and airy across the palate. A sophisticated flavour profile of baked bread, yeast lees, delicate cashew, citrusy honeyed like characters, ginger, chalk and oily toast elements extend through to a very long and pillowy finish that’s beautifully sculptured by mouth watering acidity.
Drink over the next 6-8 years.
Alc. 12.5%Other Reviews….
A very elegant and silky vintage Champagne with a seamless harmony of candied citrus fruit, sushi ginger and dried cherry character with racy acidity and delicate minerality at the long, straight and refined finish. You don’t even think about how much or little dosage this has. Drink or hold.
95 points
JamesSuckling.comBased on 60% Pinot Noir and the rest Chardonnay, the 2016 Champagne Vintage Brut is released only after 6-7 years on the lees (sur latte). It pours a straw hue and displays a more expressive profile on opening, with notes of tangerine and fresh flowers, its red fruit coming through with fresh red raspberry and peppery spice. It’s medium-bodied and rounded through the palate, with excellent structure, powerful concentration, and a long finish. This has a refined yet powerful feel and will be a wine with significant longevity and slow maturation over the next 15-20 years. True to the house style, it has a sturdy backbone and is emblematic of a fantastic vintage champagne from Pol Roger. The mousse is pinpoint and rounded on the finish. Drink 2024-2040.
95 points
Audrey Frick - JebDunnuck.com -
- 95
- 98
- 96
- 94
2015 Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill ChampagneChampagne, FRANCE$520. 00Bottle$6240.00 DozenABV: 12.5%Closure: CorkOther Reviews....
A strong effort in a less-acclaimed vintage, Pol Roger's newly released 2015 Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill opens in the glass with aromas of confit citrus, ripe orchard fruits and dried white flowers mingled with hints of honeycomb, freshly baked bread and anise. Medium to full-bodied, vinous and concentrated, with bright acids, chalky structuring extract and a pinpoint mousse, this inherently rather rich, gastronomic Champagne is quite tightly wound out of the gates and will reward a bit of bottle age. Stylistically, it is somewhat reminiscent of a modern-day version of the 1985. Drink 2025 - 2045.
94+ points
William Kelley - Wine Advocate (Mar 10, 2023)The 2015 Brut Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill shows off the savory side of the vintage to great effect. Hints of dried pear, sage, mint, dried flowers, lemon oil and chamomile open gradually in this mid-weight, lithe edition of Pol Roger's tête de cuvée. The 2015 unfolds nicely with time in the glass, but I wouldn't think of opening a bottle anytime soon. Readers will find a nervy Winston Churchill marked by notable freshness and vigor more than size. This is a fine effort in a vintage that has proven to be far trickier than most observers originally envisioned. Dosage is 7 grams per liter. Disgorged September 2022. Drink 2027-2045.
95 points
Antonio Galloni - VinousVery complex nose with a wide spectrum of candied citrus, dried peach and mirabelle tart aromas. Bold and rich, particularly on the mid-palate, but with a great deal of subtlety and delicacy for the vintage. This is already delicious, but at the finish you really taste how this has been made for the long term. Great drive and persistence right at the end. Drink or hold.
96 points
Stuart Pigott - jamessuckling.com
This is the 21st vintage of Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill, for whom a personal cuvée of the best champagne was created, the details of the wine still secret. Widely believed to be over 60% pinot noir, the balance chardonnay, all grand crus. Its full-bodied generosity flows through the very long palate and finish.
98 points
James Halliday's Top 100 2023 -
- 95
2015 Pol Roger Blanc de Blancs ChampagneChampagne, FRANCE$199. 99Bottle$2399.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 8 Years (2023-2031)ABV: 12.5%Closure: Diam CorkThe 2015 Brut Blanc de Blancs is exclusively made from Chardonnay selected from the Grands Crus of the Côte des Blancs : Oiry, Chouilly, Cramant, Avize, Oger and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger.
A buoyant and lacy mousse slowly subsides to reveal a pale straw coloured base that has a steady stream of generous bubbles rising through to the surface. Toasty pear and citrus aromas are intermeshed with roasted almond, yeast lees and chalky mineral notes. Focused and energetic yet fluffy in its feel across the palate, pear, green apple, citrus, yeast lees and roasted almond flavours overlay an oyster shell and chalky mineral back drop. Invigorating acidity lends tension to the long, dry sculptured finish.
Drink over the next 6-8 years.
Alc. 12.5% -
- 95
- 95
Pol Roger Reserve Brut Champagne (375ml)Champagne, FRANCE$59. 99Bottle$719.88 DozenABV: 12.5%Closure: CorkA big house cuvee that delivers an authentic Champagne experience.
Pol Roger’s non vintage Brut Reserve is a blend in equal parts of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay sourced from 30 different crus. It also includes 25% reserve wines.
Pours with a frothy mousse that shows good hold. Pale straw coloured with pale gold edges, the base is finely threaded by a steady stream of tiny bubbles. The nose offers up a classic Champagne sniff with baked bread and yeast lees aromas to the fore. Oily toast like notes, cashew and light citrus are also evident. Rich yeasty baked bread, pear and citrus flavours have an airy feel across the palate underscored by elements of toast and cashew. Gently creamed in its texture, it finishes dry and crisp with a long refined aftertaste.
Alc. 12.5%Other Reviews......
One of my favourite champagne houses. This entry point has one-third each of pinot noir, pinot meunier and chardonnay from 30 crus, 25% reserve wines, spending 4 years on tirage. It has a flowery bouquet, terrific mouthfeel thanks to a hint of honey, and Meyer lemon cleansing the finish and aftertaste.
95 points
James Halliday's Top 100 Wines for 2020 -
- 95
- 94
Pol Roger Reserve Brut Champagne Magnum (1500ml)Champagne, FRANCE$250. 00Bottle$3000.00 DozenCellar: Drink now - 5 Years (2017-2022)ABV: 12.5%Closure: CorkBouyant creamy white mousse with a pale straw, gold tinged colour. Exceptionally fine bead showing excellent persistence. Very yeasty and refined nose with delicate notes of baked bread, citrus, faint toast and brioche. The palate shows great finesse with an elegant creaminess to the mouthfeel featuring flavours of baked bread, yeast lees, citrus, brioche and cashew. Clean dry finish. Excellent length with a long yeasty baked bread, citrus and cashew.
Drink over the next 4-5 years.
Alc 12.5%Tasted 29/09/2010: This non vintage cuvee is a blend of 33% Pinot Noir, 33% Pinot Meunier and 33% Chardonnay. The wine pours with an excellent white creamy mousse showing good hold. Exceptionally fine bead showing excellent persistence with a pale gold base colour. The nose displays top notes of toast and good yeast autolysis characters followed by baked bread and biscuit. The palate possesses a distinct toasty character with underlying flavours of yeast lees, biscuit and brioche. Creamy texture with clean crisp balanced acidity. Long aftertaste of toast, yeast lees and brioche.
Drink over the next 3-4 years (2010-2014).
94 points
Alc 12.5%Other Reviews......
A roughly equal blend of chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier, plus 25% reserve wines; has 150 blend components, with 48 months on tirage. This is right in the heart of Pol style, crystal clear and poised, flowing evenly yet with drive and depth to its chalky/minerally/citrussy journey through to the fresh finish and lingering aftertaste.
94 points
James Halliday's Top Wines for 2016 -
- 95
- 96
Pol Roger Reserve Brut ChampagneChampagne, FRANCE$105. 00Bottle$1260.00 DozenABV: 12.5%Closure: CorkA big house cuvee that delivers an authentic Champagne experience.
Pol Roger’s non vintage Brut Reserve is a blend in equal parts of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay sourced from 30 different crus. It also includes 25% reserve wines.
Pours with a frothy mousse that shows good hold. Pale straw coloured with pale gold edges, the base is finely threaded by a steady stream of tiny bubbles. The nose offers up a classic Champagne sniff with baked bread and yeast lees aromas to the fore. Oily toast like notes, cashew and light citrus are also evident. Rich yeasty baked bread, pear and citrus flavours have an airy feel across the palate underscored by elements of toast and cashew. Gently creamed in its texture, it finishes dry and crisp with a long refined aftertaste.
Alc. 12.5%Other Reviews......
The wine is based on equal parts of pinot noir, pinot meunier and chardonnay, and an all-important 25% of reserve. The maturation on lees is now four years; the wine has layered complexity, power and drive, building presence through the length of the palate and an aftertaste of grapefruit zest.
96 points
James Halliday's Top 100 Wines for 2023 -
- 95
- Reduced
Pommery Blanc de Blancs Champagne - ClearanceChampagne, FRANCEReduced from $135.00$120. 00Bottle$1440.00 DozenCellar: Drink now - 5 Years (2016-2021)ABV: 12.5%Closure: CorkPours with a buoyant frothy white mousse which dissipates to reveal a pale straw, pale gold base colour with a very fine and persistent bead. The nose shows a shade more intensity than the Brut Royal delivering aromatics of yeast lees and baked bread over some cashew, subtle dried honey and brioche. Fresh and lively with an underlying richness and creamy mouthfeel flavours of bready yeast lees subtlety infused with citrus and toast flow across the palate followed by nuances of cashew and toast. Dry finish with a long baked bread, yeast lees, subtle toasted honey character, cashew and citrus aftertaste.
Drink over the next 4-5 years.
Alc 12.5% -
- 93
- 94
Ruinart Champagne RoseChampagne, FRANCE$215. 00Bottle$2580.00 DozenCellar: Drink now - 4 Years (2018-2022)ABV: 12.5%Closure: CorkA very buoyant lacy mousse sits proudly atop a salmon pink coloured base. Very profuse fine bead. Nosing dispels delicate peach, raspberry and strawberry aromas which are overlaid by yeast lees and light toast. Dry and fresh with a tautness to the mouthfeel the palate has flavours of strawberries and raspberries over yeast lees, traces of toast and mineral. Dry, very crisp finish with an aftertaste of winter strawberries, raspberries, yeast lees and mineral.
Drink over the next 3-4 years.
Alc. 12.5%
Other Reviews.....
A gorgeous rosé in a rich, vinous style, this shows a satiny mousse and well-honed acidity, which buoy a detailed range of macerated raspberry fruit, dried apricot, grated ginger, graphite and chopped roasted almond flavors. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Drink now through 2025.
94 points
Wine Spectator -
- 96
- Reduced
Ruinart Blanc de Blancs ChampagneChampagne, FRANCEReduced from $215.00$184. 99Bottle$2219.88 DozenABV: 12.5%Closure: CorkA Superb Blanc de Blancs Champagne.
A pioneer in the champagne trade, the Ruinart House has stood out due to its unique know-how and history. The son of Nicolas Ruinart, brother of Dom Ruinart, himself named Nicolas, opened the companies first account book on 1st september 1729 with the following declaration, “in the name of God and the Saint Virgin shall this book be commenced.” This entry was to be the official act establishing France’s First Champagne House.
Made in the pure Ruinart tradition exclusively from the Chardonnay grape, Ruinart Blanc de Blancs reflects perfect harmony. Its striking luminosity is further enhanced by the clear glass bottle, a replica from an 18th Century model.
Good white creamy mousse with pale gold base wine colour and a very fine bead displaying excellent persistence. The nose delivers a superb complex sniff with a distinct yeasty top note followed by aromas of baked bread, brioche, cashew and toast. The palate is quite rich for a Blanc de Blancs displaying very refined flavours of baked bread, yeast lees and cashew with a light toast overlay. Creamy texture with excellent length. Clean crisp dry finish with long aftertaste of baked bread, yeast less and cashew.
Drink over the next 2-3 years
Alc 12.5% -
- 95
- 93
- Reduced
Ruinart Brut ChampagneChampagne, FRANCEReduced from $135.00$125. 00Bottle$1500.00 DozenABV: 12%Closure: CorkFrom Champagne's oldest house, with a history dating back to 1729 that began with the efforts of a monk, Dom Ruinart, a close friend to Dom Pérignon.
Presents well with a fine satiny mousse that sits well over a pale straw, pale gold edged base that’s finely threaded by a persistent bead. Aromas of pear and citrus have a baked bread overlay with some subtle oily toast and yeast lees notes also apparent. The house style has been freshened up with the palate livelier than past releases. Its brimming with pear, citrus and yeast lees flavours which overlay a background of light toast, subtle almond and baked bread. Stimulating acidity leads into a long vividly sculptured finish.
Drink now.
Alc. 12%Other Reviews…..
Although this has some red-berry aromas from pinot noir, the pear, white-peach and white-floral aromas are central, and they surely come from the chardonnay grape. Excellent balance of fresh fruit, animating acidity and creaminess, the mousse keeping it moving steadily across the palate through the very clean finish. A cuvée of 45% chardonnay, 45% pinot noir and 10% pinot meunier. Drink or hold.
93 points
JamesSuckling.com - Savart Les Pinots v15.16 Extra Brut ChampagneChampagne, FRANCE$330. 00Bottle$3960.00 DozenABV: 12.5%Closure: Cork
Fred Savart is one of the most engaging and energetic vignerons currently in Champagne. Based in the village of Ecueil where most of his holdings are located, Fred also farms a handful of vines across into Villiers-aux-Noeuds, along with most recently accessing plots in Le Mesnil and Oger. His wines are largely based on Pinot Noir, with a smaller amount of Chardonnay, and while initially there was a focus on fermentation in stainless steel, more increasingly his wines are raised in barriques and demi-muids. Each of his wines are born out of inspiration and intuition rather than any sort of set formula, and are routinely some of the best expressions of terroir viewed through the vagaries of vintage.
Les Pinots is a one-off Champagne, belding 50% Pinot Noir and 50% Pinot Meunier from the 2015 and 2016 vintages. Disgorged in July 2021 with 1gr/l of dosage, only 4,000 bottles were made.
-
- 93
- 93
2018 Savart Le Noues Extra Brut ChampagneChampagne, FRANCE$345. 00Bottle$4140.00 DozenABV: 12.5%Closure: CorkFred Savart is one of the most engaging and energetic vignerons currently in Champagne. Based in the village of Ecueil where most of his holdings are located, Fred also farms a handful of vines across into Villiers-aux-Noeuds, along with most recently accessing plots in Le Mesnil and Oger. His wines are largely based on Pinot Noir, with a smaller amount of Chardonnay, and while initially there was a focus on fermentation in stainless steel, more increasingly his wines are raised in barriques and demi-muids. Each of his wines are born out of inspiration and intuition rather than any sort of set formula, and are routinely some of the best expressions of terroir viewed through the vagaries of vintage.
Le Noues is a new line composed of 100% Pinot Noir from some of the best plots that previously would make it into his L'Ouverture bottling. Fermentation occurs in demi-muid before ageing on less for three years.
Other Reviews....
Aromas of peach, sweet red berries, peonies and buttery pastry introduce Savart's 2018 Extra Brut Premier Cru Les Noues, a medium to full-bodied, fleshy wine with a sweet core of fruit and a pretty, pillowy mousse. Lively and saline, readers may remember that it's a cuvée produced from a parcel of Pinot Noir vines that used to go into the l'Ouverture cuvée. Drink 2022 - 2032.
93 points
William Kelley - Wine Advocate (Sep 2022)The 2018 Brut Nature Les Noues (100% Pinot Noir) speaks with great eloquence and tons of class. Even with no dosage, the 2018 possesses captivating inner perfume and more than enough fruit to build beautifully in the glass. Hints of kirsch, raspberry, white pepper, chalk, orange peel, spice, dried flowers and cranberry grace this weightless wonderfully classy Champagne from Savart. Disgorged: May, 2022. Drink 2022-2030.
93 points
Antonio Galloni - Vinous - 2018 Savart Le Mont des Chretiens Extra Brut ChampagneChampagne, FRANCE$355. 00Bottle$4260.00 DozenABV: 12.5%Closure: Cork
Fred Savart is one of the most engaging and energetic vignerons currently in Champagne. Based in the village of Ecueil where most of his holdings are located, Fred also farms a handful of vines across into Villiers-aux-Noeuds, along with most recently accessing plots in Le Mesnil and Oger. His wines are largely based on Pinot Noir, with a smaller amount of Chardonnay, and while initially there was a focus on fermentation in stainless steel, more increasingly his wines are raised in barriques and demi-muids. Each of his wines are born out of inspiration and intuition rather than any sort of set formula, and are routinely some of the best expressions of terroir viewed through the vagaries of vintage.
Le Mont des Chrétiens (previously called Dame de Coeur) is a lieu dit in the village Ecueil. The parcel is entirely planted to Chardonnay and Fred ferments and ages it in 500L barrels.
-
- 93
- 92
- 91
Savart L'Ouverture Brut ChampagneChampagne, FRANCE$199. 00Bottle$2388.00 DozenABV: 12.5%Closure: CorkFred Savart is one of the most engaging and energetic vignerons currently in Champagne. Based in the village of Ecueil where most of his holdings are located, Fred also farms a handful of vines across into Villiers-aux-Noeuds, along with most recently accessing plots in Le Mesnil and Oger. His wines are largely based on Pinot Noir, with a smaller amount of Chardonnay, and while initially there was a focus on fermentation in stainless steel, more increasingly his wines are raised in barriques and demi-muids. Each of his wines are born out of inspiration and intuition rather than any sort of set formula, and are routinely some of the best expressions of terroir viewed through the vagaries of vintage.
This is Fred Savart's entry level Champagne but it is far from one-dimensional. It is 100% Pinot Noir all from the village of Ecueil, half of which was fermented in mostly neutral barrel with the other half is fermented in stainless steel. The wine only sees partial malolactic fermentation. Fred doesn't guide the malolactic fermentation, instead it is the inclusion of reserve wine that goes through malolactic fermentation because it has gone more temperature swings. The wine is in equal parts a blend of three successive vintages and aged under cork, not crown cap. Dosage is 7g/L.
Other Reviews....
Based on the 2019 vintage and disgorged in February 2022, Savart's NV Brut Premier Cru L'Ouverture offers up expressive aromas of pear, honeyed orchard fruit, baking spices and fresh bread. Medium-bodied, lively and fine-boned, with a pretty core of fruit, lively acids and a pinpoint mousse, it's an attractive wine that's showing well out of the gates. Drink 2022 - 2032.
91 points
William Kelley - Wine Advocate (Sep 2022)The NV Extra-Brut L’Ouverture (100% Pinot Noir, base 2019) is a bright, exuberant Champagne. Crushed rocks mint, white flowers, apricot, tangerine peel and citrus confit all race out of the glass. Bright and finely cut, this steely, delineated Champagne has a ton to offer. Time in the glass brings out burnished Pinot character and a good bit of breadth, but there’s a ton of Chardonnay-like vibrancy here too. Dosage is 4 grams per liter. Disgorged: February, 2022. Drink 2022-2029.
93 points
Antonio Galloni - VinousA very fragrant blanc de noirs with 20 per cent of the second press and three years on lees. The wild red fruit is super fresh, delicate and floral; the lees time has this on a neat, reductive edge. The palate is very fine, fresh and crisp. Great depth and elegance here.
92 points
JamesSuckling.com -
- 95
- 99
- 95
- 96
2012 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de BlancsChampagne, FRANCE$465. 00Bottle$5580.00 DozenABV: 12.5%Closure: CorkOther Reviews....
This is a fantastic and refined Blanc de Blancs. So layered and complex, with lemon curd, chalk, hazelnuts, pastries, baked apples and almond croissants. Structured and tightly wound, with almost imperceptible bubbles. Delicious salty notes at the end. Beautiful. Drink or hold.
99 Points
JamesSuckling.comThe 2012 Brut Blanc de Blancs Comtes de Champagne is showing beautifully out of the gates, offering up demonstrative aromas of sweet golden orchard fruit, buttery croissants, peach and hazelnuts. Medium to full-bodied, pillowy and enveloping, it's a rich, textural, vinous Comtes somewhat reminiscent of the brilliant 2002. If it gains in tension and cut (as the 2002 did and as I suspect the 2012 will) with more time on cork, it will make this initial rating seem conservative. Drink 2024 - 2055.
95+ Points
William Kelley - Robert Parker's Wine AdvocateA gorgeous blond bombshell of a Champagne, fragrant with roasted hazelnut, vanilla and smoke notes that waft through layers of poached pear and quince, pastry cream, pain d'épices and candied ginger. This is sculpted by a vibrant acidity that's seamlessly knit to the plush, silky mousse and chalky underpinning. Drink now through 2033. 1,500 cases imported.
96 Points
Alison Napjus - Wine SpectatorFrom the very first whiff, this expresses energy, depth and complexity. Aeration reinforces this impression, while also revealing scents of orchard fruit, like apricot, but also exotic fruit, as well as hazelnut and delicate autolytic notes - pastry in particular. On the palate, it is rich and full-bodied, with satisfying sapidity on the long finish. Five to eight years of further cellaring would be ideal, and even more for aficionados of Champagne with marked bottle maturity. Drink 2023 - 2040.
95 Points
Yohan Castaing - Decanter -
- 96
- 91
- 93
- 93
- 94
- 93
- 92
Taittinger Prelude Grand Cru ChampagneChampagne, FRANCE$145. 00Bottle$1740.00 DozenABV: 12.5%Closure: CorkOther Reviews....
The nose is shy and subtle, though notions of red apple, peppery rye crumb, stone and lemon emerge with more air. Tightly coiled, the palate suggests spicy riches with its insinuations of white pepper and tangerine peel. A lovely interplay of Pinot richness and Chardonnay slinkiness, showing depth, svelteness and elegance. It justs needs air to breathe. Gorgeous. Drink: 2020 - 2030.
96 Points
Anne Krebiehl MW - Decanter.com(a 50/50 blend of Avize and Mesnil-sur-Oger Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from Mailly, Bouzy and Ambonnay; around 10 g/l dosage; L33830X01300): Pale gold. Vibrant, mineral-laced citrus and orchard fruit aromas are complemented by suggestions of buttered toast and honey. Toasty orange and pear flavors are braced by juicy acidity, picking up a suggestion of chamomile with air. Finishes dry and precise, with repeating mineral and toast notes.
91 Points
Josh Raynolds - Antonio Galloni's Vinous (January 2015)A tighter and firmer dry Champagne with a compact, minerally palate. Lovely, fine and creamy bead. Soft, round mid-palate with lemon, lemon-curd and green-apple flavors. Fresh finish. Linear. Made from one year. All from grand-cru vineyards. 50% chardonnay and 50% pinot noir. Drink now.
93 Points
JamesSuckling.com (January 2022)The latest release of Taittinger's NV Brut Prélude Grands Crus is showing nicely, offering up aromas of pear, crisp stone fruit, warm biscuits and marzipan. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and precise, with tangy acids and fine depth at the core, this is still a little reserved after what I suspect is quite a recent disgorgement, and it will merit a little patience. Drink 2022 - 2037.
93 Points
William Kelley - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (September 2021)Breaking my usual rule here of not reviewing any NV that doesn’t have a batch number/disgorge date/cuvee or similar, and I believe Taittinger are opposed to including any sort of batch identification too. Shame. Well, anyway, it’s Christmas and I really like this wine, but make no guarantee that you’ll be supping the same batch. Made only from Grand Cru vineyards and held on lees for five years.
Toasty with plenty of bready complexity and powerful lemon and mixed nut flavour. Intense acidity and focus–strong and firm—then a long briny/mineral finish. Muscular but graceful. So much fizz packed into one bottle, though it’s still easy to drink. Terrific.
94 Points
Gary Walsh - The Wine Front (December 2012)A blend of equal Chardonnay and Pinot Noir exclusively from Grand Cru vineyards. It is a rich wine, tightly textured with citrus and tangy acidity. There is a tense core of crispness, with intense fruit and a dry aftertaste. This is a fine bottling that should age further, so drink from 2018.
93 Points
Roger Voss - Wine Enthusiast (December 2017)There's a pleasing viscosity to this elegant Champagne, with sleek acidity creating a mouthwatering frame for the flavors of wild cherry, toast point, preserved lemon and honeycomb. Offers a lingering, creamy finish. Drink now through 2023.
92 Points
Alison Napjus - The Wine Spectator (November 2019)This really has the creamy signature of Taittinger. Quite rich but precise and with some finesse too. Orange peel. Then quite chewy after the crème pâtissière mid palate. Drink 2020 – 2026.
16.5 / 20 Points
JancisRobinson.com (June 2019) -
- 92
- 91
- 94
- 94
Taittinger Les Folies de La Marquetterie ChampagneChampagne, FRANCE$150. 00Bottle$1800.00 DozenABV: 12.5%Closure: CorkOther Reviews....
(55% pinot noir and 45% chardonnay, from a single vineyard in Pierry, due south of Epernay and near Cuis; L1202FC00100): Pale gold. Red berries, rose and orange peel on the fragrant, floral-accented nose and in the mouth. Sappy and broad, with very good depth and an energizing note of chalky minerals. Gains weight with air and finishes with excellent breadth, clarity and lingering mineral and honeysuckle notes.
92 Points
Josh Raynolds - Antonio Galloni's VinousThis is a fruity Champagne with cooked-apple, strawberry and pear flavors. Round and easy with freshness and softness. Opulent and lightly tannic. Crushed white pepper. Minerally. Tension. A higher percentage of pinot noir here. Drink now.
91 Points
JamesSuckling.com (January 2022)The latest release of Taittinger's NV Brut Folies de la Marquetterie is showing superbly, bursting from the glass with aromas of fresh bread, crisp stone fruit, buttered toast, citrus oil and mirabelle plums. Full-bodied, vinous and fleshy, with an enveloping core of fruit, racy acids and a pillowy pinpoint mousse, it's a gourmand, concentrated wine with the substance to evolve with grace in the cellar. Drink 2021 - 2038.
94 Points
William Kelley - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (September 2021)This special cuvée comes from the vineyards surrounding the Château de la Marquetterie in Reims. With a part aged in wood, the wine has fine bottle aging and toastiness giving it richness as well as bringing out the ripe lemon and red-apple flavors. It is a beautifully balanced wine that is ready to drink.
94 Points
Roger Voss - Wine Enthusiast (December 2017)