103 products

Big Name Champagne

    • 94
    2007 Ayala No. 7 Brut Champagne
    Champagne, FRANCE
    $180. 00
    Bottle
    $2160.00 Dozen
    ABV: 12%
    Closure: Cork

    Other Reviews....
    A new cuvée for Ayala that was disgorged in July 2019, the 2007 Brut No. 7 derives from fruit sourced in seven grands crus—Chouilly, Oger, Cramant, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Avize, Aÿ and Verzy—and saw tirage under cork. Offering up aromas of lemon oil, dried white flowers, walnuts and fresh bread, it's full-bodied, vinous and incisive, with a pillowy mousse, racy acids and a long, mineral finish. Drink 2020 - 2037.
    94 points
    William Kelley - Wine Advocate (May 2020)

    A blend from seven grand crus across the Montagne de Reims and Côte des Blancs, this is dry in the classic Ayala style. Its freshness has been tempered by bottle aging although it is by no means mature and still has taught acidity. The mineral texture of the Chardonnay is balanced by the riper structure of the Pinot Noir in an impressive wine. Drink from 2021.
    95 points
    Roger Voss - Wine Enthusiast

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    2009 Billecart-Salmon Cuvee Louis Blanc de Blancs Champagne
    Champagne, FRANCE
    $399. 00
    Bottle
    $4788.00 Dozen
    ABV: 12.5%
    Closure: Cork

    Other Reviews....
    Disgorged during the second quarter of 2022 with a dosage of 3.75 grams per liter, the 2009 Brut Blanc de Blancs Cuvée Louis Salmon reveals aromas of pear, lemon oil, mandarin oil, white pepper, pastry and almonds. Medium to full-bodied, chiseled and long, it has a crystalline yet vinous texture with a fresh, salty finish. It is a quintessential representation of Billecart's style, characterized by racy acids and a lively palate. It derives from Chardonnay grapes sourced from the villages of Mesnil-sur-Oger, Chouilly and Cramant and was aged exclusively in steel tanks. Drink 2023 - 2040.
    95 points
    Yohan Castaing - Wine Advocate (Nov 17, 2023)

    This is showing an array of almonds, frangipani, dried lemons, apricots, pastries and white chocolate, evolving to salted caramel. Fantastic complexity and all in balance, with firm focus yet open and delicious. Creamy, very fine bubbles. Salty, turning chalky and mineral at the end. Drink or hold.
    96 points
    JamesSuckling.com

    The 2009 Champagne Blanc De Blancs Louis Salmon Brut comes from Mesnil, Cramant and Chouilly and was all fermented in stainless steel tank. Since 2009 was a warmer vintage, they did not use wood, as they were looking to preserve the freshness of the wine. A seductive wine that’s almost identical in appearance to the 2017 Blanc de Blancs, this 2009 jumps from the glass with a buoyant personality in its perfume of lemon custard, honeysuckle, fresh brioche, a hint of almond, and juicy pear. Full-bodied, its wonderfully rich texture coats the palate with citrus oils, and it has a finish that won’t quit. It balances its warmth and solar feel with a lovely embrace and retains a powerful yet balanced finish. Drink 2024-2040. 3.8 grams per liter dosage.
    97 points
    Audrey Frick - jebdunnuck.com

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    2008 Billecart-Salmon Cuvee Nicolas Francois Vintage Champagne Magnum (1500ml)
    Champagne, FRANCE
    $899. 00
    Bottle
    $10788.00 Dozen
    ABV: 12.5%
    Closure: Cork

    Other Reviews....
    The 2008 Brut Cuvée Nicolas François was disgorged during the third quarter of 2022 with less than three grams per liter. It has a delicate, pure, clean bouquet with aromas of orchard fruits, spring flowers, honey and licorice, with hints of brioche and pastry with aeration. Medium to full-bodied, chiseled and crystalline, with racy acids and a chalky texture, the palate is tense and the finish is long, penetrating and salty. It exhibits perfect Billecart style, yet tension is present, a sign of the vintage. It is a blend of 60% Pinot Noir (sourced from Aÿ, Mareuil and Verzenay) and 40% Chardonnay from Mesnil, Chouilly and Cramant, and it matured 83% in tanks and 17% in old oak barrels. Drink 2023 - 2050.
    96 points
    Yohan Castaing - Wine Advocate (Apr 21, 2023)

    The 2008 Brut Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart is an electric, nervy Champagne that very much reflects the style of the year. Crushed rocks, mint, spice, dried herbs, hazelnut, lemon peel and marzipan are all beautifully laced together. The 2008 is just entering its first plateau of maturity, making it a fine choice for drinking now and over the next two decades, possibly more. The blend id 60% Pinot Noir (from Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Ambonnay, Bouzy, Verzy and Verzenay) and 40% Chardonnay (from Mesnil, Chouilly and Cramant). It's a terrific effort, although I must add that a recent visit made it pretty clear that even better things lie ahead. Dosage is 4 grams per liter. Drink 2023-2038.
    96 points
    Antonio Galloni - Vinous

    Based on 60% Pinot Noir and the rest Chardonnay, with 17% raised in barrels, the 2008 Champagne Nicolas François spent more than 150 months on its lees, with 2.9 grams per liter dosage. It pours a rich straw hue and is layered and long with aromas of truffle, apricot, croissant, floral orange blossoms, and marmalade. Full-bodied, it’s supple in texture, with a rounded mousse, and has a long-lasting, mouthwatering finish. Exceptionally well-balanced, it comes together seamlessly on the finish. This will be a wine to enjoy over the next three decades. Disgorged in January of 2022.
    98 points
    Audrey Frick - JebDunnuck.com

    Lovely precision and drive to this with aromas of lemon curd, brioche, praline, apricots, pomelos, mandarin zest and salted caramel. It’s held together by a sharp, citrusy backbone of acidity, balanced with a fine, silky mousse. Both structure and softness here. Citrus fruit brightness on a beautifully elegant and seamless finish. 60% pinot noir and 40% chardonnay. 150 months on lees. 2.9g/L dosage. Drink or hold.
    97 points
    JamesSuckling.com

    • 98
    2005 Billecart-Salmon Le Clos Saint-Hilaire Champagne
    Champagne, FRANCE
    $1250. 00
    Bottle
    $15000.00 Dozen
    ABV: 12.5%
    Closure: Cork

    Other Reviews....
    Richly complex nose of spiced yellow plums, brioche, toasted lemons, butterscotch, baked apples, strawberries, coffee cream, praline, earthy mushroom and truffle hints. It’s creamy, layered and generous, with soft bubbles. Complex toasty and spicy elements carry through to a long finish. Opulence and sophistication. Single parcel pinot noir, 100% vinified in oak barrels. No malo. 1g/l dosage. Drink now or hold.
    98 points
    JamesSuckling.com

    From the walled vineyard behind Billecart's HQ in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ planted exclusively with Pinot Noir. It was all vinified in oak. Apparently 'this micro cuvée will pair wonderfully with a wild turbot and Burmese coffee'. The label is made of cherry wood sourced from sustainable forests. Each individual wooden label is distinguished by differences in grain and colour, making each bottle unique.
    Full of life on the nose and richly textured on the palate. Thoroughly satisfying wine with quite a bit of body that reaches every crevice of the palate. Firm, savoury finish. A serious, dense champagne for the table. Drink 2023-2032.
    17.5/20 points
    Jancis Robinson MW

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    2008 Billecart-Salmon Cuvee Elisabeth Salmon Vintage Rose Champagne Magnum (1500ml)
    Champagne, FRANCE
    $999. 00
    Bottle
    $11988.00 Dozen
    ABV: 12.5%
    Closure: Cork

    Created in 1988 as a tribute to the co-founder Elisabeth Salmon, this cuvee is an elegant and refined rosé composed of 55% Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims and the Grande Vallée de la Marne, along with 45% Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs. Less than 10% of the Pinot Noir is vinified as a red wine, with these old vine grapes sourced from the south facing slopes of the Valofroy vineyard located in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ. This 2008 rendition shows all the traits from this magnificent year, a highly refined wine with wonderful delicacy of texture and flavour. Dosage is 7g/l.

    Other Reviews.....
    Disgorged with seven grams per liter dosage, the 2008 Brut Rosé Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon is one of the finest wines I've tasted from Billecart in recent years. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of peach, mandarin oil, warm bread, red berries and petals, it's full-bodied, deep and vinous, with lovely mid-palate amplitude, terrific concentration and bright girdling acids. In what is quite a tightly wound vintage and from a house whose style is rather understated, this is a dramatic, fleshy wine that concludes with a long, flavorful finish. Drink 2022 - 2048.
    97+ points
    William Kelley - Wine Advocate (Sep 2021)

    This is very vinous with aromas of iron, strawberries, old roses and geraniums. So aromatic. Full-bodied, really intense and layered with super dryness and depth. Lots of saline and spicy character at the end, such as clove and pepper, as well as hints of flowers and melted butter. Strawberry tart at the end. 17% in aged oak casks. Blend of 55% pinot noir from six villages (Mareuil sur Ay, Ay, Bouzy, Ambonnay, Verzenay and Verzy) and 45% chardonnay from three Grand Crus (Mesnil sur Oger, Cramant and Chouilly). 9% of the blend is red wine from a parcel in the village of Mareuil sur Ay. Bottled June 2009 and disgorged July 2019. Drink or hold.
    98 points
    JamesSuckling.com

    The 2008 Brut Rosé Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon explodes from the glass with a mesmerizing array of aromas, flavors and textures. Blood orange, cinnamon, mint and dried flowers. The 2008 is incredibly young, but it is also incredibly tempting. Patience will be rewarded. In the meantime, readers might enjoy adding a few bottles of the stellar 2007 to their cellars, as the nervy, taut 2008 needs time. The 2008 is 55% Pinot Noir (from Aÿ, Verzy, Verzenay and Mareuil) and 45% Chardonnay (from Chouilly, Avize and Cramant), with 9% still wine from Mareuil. It is the first vintage that includes a portion of wines (17%) done in barrel and the first vintage in which the magnums were aged on the cork rather than on crown seal. Dosage is 7 grams per liter. Drink 2028 - 2043.
    97+ points
    Antonio Galloni - Vinous

    A superb vintage of this renowned prestige cuvée, this is made from a base of 55% Pinot Noir and 45% Chardonnay, to which is added 9% of red wine. Despite ageing on its lees for 10 years, it remains almost shockingly youthful, its vividly primary flavours of red cherry, strawberry and nectarine wrapped up in a taut, tense frame. It’s silky in texture and intricately complex on the long, elegantly harmonious finish, underlined by a saline chalkiness, and it demonstrates all the requisite completeness and character for long ageing, promising a slow and dignified evolution to come. Drinking Window 2021 - 2050.
    98 points
    Peter Liem - Decanter

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    2008 Billecart-Salmon Cuvee Elisabeth Salmon Vintage Rose Champagne
    Champagne, FRANCE
    $399. 00
    Bottle
    $4788.00 Dozen
    ABV: 12.5%
    Closure: Cork

    Created in 1988 as a tribute to the co-founder Elisabeth Salmon, this cuvee is an elegant and refined rosé composed of 55% Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims and the Grande Vallée de la Marne, along with 45% Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs. Less than 10% of the Pinot Noir is vinified as a red wine, with these old vine grapes sourced from the south facing slopes of the Valofroy vineyard located in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ. This 2008 rendition shows all the traits from this magnificent year, a highly refined wine with wonderful delicacy of texture and flavour. Dosage is 7g/l.

    Other Reviews.....
    Disgorged with seven grams per liter dosage, the 2008 Brut Rosé Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon is one of the finest wines I've tasted from Billecart in recent years. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of peach, mandarin oil, warm bread, red berries and petals, it's full-bodied, deep and vinous, with lovely mid-palate amplitude, terrific concentration and bright girdling acids. In what is quite a tightly wound vintage and from a house whose style is rather understated, this is a dramatic, fleshy wine that concludes with a long, flavorful finish. Drink 2022 - 2048.
    97+ points
    William Kelley - Wine Advocate (Sep 2021)

    This is very vinous with aromas of iron, strawberries, old roses and geraniums. So aromatic. Full-bodied, really intense and layered with super dryness and depth. Lots of saline and spicy character at the end, such as clove and pepper, as well as hints of flowers and melted butter. Strawberry tart at the end. 17% in aged oak casks. Blend of 55% pinot noir from six villages (Mareuil sur Ay, Ay, Bouzy, Ambonnay, Verzenay and Verzy) and 45% chardonnay from three Grand Crus (Mesnil sur Oger, Cramant and Chouilly). 9% of the blend is red wine from a parcel in the village of Mareuil sur Ay. Bottled June 2009 and disgorged July 2019. Drink or hold.
    98 points
    JamesSuckling.com

    The 2008 Brut Rosé Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon explodes from the glass with a mesmerizing array of aromas, flavors and textures. Blood orange, cinnamon, mint and dried flowers. The 2008 is incredibly young, but it is also incredibly tempting. Patience will be rewarded. In the meantime, readers might enjoy adding a few bottles of the stellar 2007 to their cellars, as the nervy, taut 2008 needs time. The 2008 is 55% Pinot Noir (from Aÿ, Verzy, Verzenay and Mareuil) and 45% Chardonnay (from Chouilly, Avize and Cramant), with 9% still wine from Mareuil. It is the first vintage that includes a portion of wines (17%) done in barrel and the first vintage in which the magnums were aged on the cork rather than on crown seal. Dosage is 7 grams per liter. Drink 2028 - 2043.
    97+ points
    Antonio Galloni - Vinous

    A superb vintage of this renowned prestige cuvée, this is made from a base of 55% Pinot Noir and 45% Chardonnay, to which is added 9% of red wine. Despite ageing on its lees for 10 years, it remains almost shockingly youthful, its vividly primary flavours of red cherry, strawberry and nectarine wrapped up in a taut, tense frame. It’s silky in texture and intricately complex on the long, elegantly harmonious finish, underlined by a saline chalkiness, and it demonstrates all the requisite completeness and character for long ageing, promising a slow and dignified evolution to come. Drinking Window 2021 - 2050.
    98 points
    Peter Liem - Decanter

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    Billecart-Salmon Brut Rose Champagne (375ml)
    Champagne, FRANCE
    $89. 99
    Bottle
    $1079.88 Dozen
    ABV: 12%
    Closure: Cork

    A blend of 40% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir and 30% Pinot Meunier aged on lees for 36 months with the inclusion of 40% reserve wines.

    A frothy white mousse holds well over a salmon pink coloured base that has a very fine and persistent bead flowing through it. Streaming out of the glass are delightful aromas of peach and strawberry which are followed by hints of brioche, yeast lees and ginger. Racy pear, strawberry and yeast lees flavours meld into subtle baked bread and mineral characters. The satiny textured mid palate counterpointed by crisp nervy acidity on the finish which lends a vividly refreshing effect to the long aftertaste.
    Alc. 12%

    Other Reviews….
    The NV Champagne Brut Rose is an attractive pale salmon hue, with a fresh perfume of wild strawberry, ripe peach, white and red flowers, a hint of tropical fruit, and grapefruit. The palate is rounded, with fruit up front and through the mid-palate, and it has a silky and fresh lift. There is a wonderful ease and drinkability to this wine, which delivers balance and finesse. Drink 2022-2037.
    94 points
    Audrey Frick – JebDunnuck.com

    Billecart-Salmon is one of my favorite Champagne houses, and their non-vintage Rose (Lot #L85547401905M) is a consistent winner. A delicate pink color is accompanied by gorgeous sweet cherry, strawberry, and mineral-like scents, assertive medium-bodied flavors, a delicate, crisp personality, and surprising depth as well as persistence. A beautiful berry character in the finish adds to this impeccable rose’s captivating style.
    94 points
    Robert Parker - Wine Advocate #162 (Dec 2005)

    Composed with 30 per cent from each of pinot noir and pinot meunier, and 40 per cent chardonnay. It has 40 per cent reserve wine, and spends three years on tirage. It is the go-to rosé for wine professionals, with nuances of juicy/poached red berry fruits, yet finishes dry and fresh.
    96 points
    James Halliday's Top 100 Wines of 2022

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    • Reduced
    2009 Billecart-Salmon Vintage Champagne
    Champagne, FRANCE
    Reduced from $160.00
    $140. 00
    Bottle
    $1680.00 Dozen
    Cellar: Drink now - 8 Years (2020-2028)
    ABV: 12%
    Closure: Cork

    Aged on lees for 9 years this excellent vintage Champagne is comprised of 40% Pinot Noir, 33% Chardonnay and 27% Pinot Meunier grapes sourced from predominately (73%) Grand Cru and Premier Crus.
    A frothy white mousse forms over a pale straw/pale gold coloured base that’s finely threaded by a very persistent bead. Pronounced aromatics of pear and yeast lees meld into brioche, citrus, oily toast like notes, dried honey and almond. The rich, powerful palate is caressed with baked bread, pear, yeast lees and citrus flavours which have a full creamy like feel. Elements of roasted almonds, subtle oily cashew and dried honey characters chime in on the dry, crisp finish. Long, complex aftertaste.
    Drink over the next 6-8 years.
    Alc. 12%

    Other Reviews….
    Comprises 40/33/27% pinot noir/chardonnay/pinot meunier, 73% grands and premiers crus. The low dosage of 2g/l and the warm vintage allow the fruit-based flavours free rein - white peach, Granny Smith apple and nectarine. The finish and aftertaste remain fresh and long. A house in grand form.
    96 points
    James Halliday – Australian Wine Companion

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    Billecart-Salmon Reserve Brut Champagne
    Champagne, FRANCE
    $99. 99
    Bottle
    $1199.88 Dozen
    ABV: 12%
    Closure: Diam Cork

    Billecart-Salmon’s ever reliable Reserve Brut is made from a blend of 30% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Meunier and spends 30 months ageing on its lees. 50-60% of the blend is made up of reserve wines.
    Buoyant and frothy upon pouring, the mousse fades into a pale straw coloured base that has flecks of pale gold to the edges and an extremely fine and persistent bead flowing through its core. A classic sniff of yeasty baked bread characters is followed by pear, cashew, hints of dried honey and brioche. The delicious palate has a satiny and airy like feel to it and features a flavour profile of baked bread, pear, yeast lees, subtle cashew, citrus and brioche. Dry crisp chalked tinged finish with a long and delicately creamy aftertaste.
    Alc. 12%

    Other Reviews...
    The avowed aim is to achieve finesse, elegance and balance through very cool ferments in stainless steel, an approach pioneered by Billecart-Salmon. A feature of the house is low dosage levels (here 8g/l), and the wines are fragrant and elegant.
    96 points
    James Halliday's Top 100 2023

    • 96
    2013 Boll & Cie Extra Brut Grand Cru Champagne
    Champagne, FRANCE
    $160. 00
    Bottle
    $1920.00 Dozen
    Cellar: Drink now - 6 Years (2023-2029)
    ABV: 12.5%
    Closure: Diam Cork

    A buoyant fluffy white mousse slowly subsides to reveal a pale straw coloured base with pale gold tinged edges that has a steady flow of tiny bubbles running through it. Richly scented the nose is filled with baked bread and yeast lees scents which are complimented by oily toast like notes, brioche and subtle honeyed cashew. The mouth filling palate is engulfed with rich baked bread, yeast lees and brioche flavours which provide the front half with a full creamy feel. Lingering through the back half are honeyed cashew elements, toast and chalky characters. Finishes dry with sculptured acidity providing structure. Concludes long and decadent.
    Drink over the next 5-6 years.
    Alc. 12.5%

    Other Reviews….
    The mousse is vigorous and the bead really persistent and fine: it looks fabulous. Toasty, brioche, honey, citrus and baked apple aromas, so much going on here. Rich, layered, mouth-filling, creamy and long. There’s lovely weight and real complexity on the palate. A very complete Champagne. Drink 2023-2030.
    96 Points
    Aaron Brasher – The Real Review

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    Bollinger PN AYC18 Champagne
    Champagne, FRANCE
    $215. 00
    Bottle
    $2580.00 Dozen
    Cellar: Drink now - 6 Years (2023-2029)
    ABV: 12.5%
    Closure: Diam Cork

    PN AYC18 is an assembly of 100% Pinot Noir, predominantly from the Aÿ cru. It is blended with other villages on the Montage de Reims, such as Tauxières and Verzenay. The base year is 2018 which is blended with older reserve wines dating back to 2009.
    A fine satiny mousse slowly recedes to reveal a straw pale gold coloured base that has a steady bead flowing through it. Nosing draws out aromas of ripe pear, baked bread, yeast lees and hints of strawberries and quince. An energetic, modernist style of Champagne, the palate has a chalk tinged mouth feel with flavours of pear, wild strawberry and quince melding into an oily baked bread, yeast lees and roasted hazelnut back drop. Finishes dry with refreshing acidity and a creamy edged, hazelnut laced aftertaste.
    Drink over the next 5-6 years.
    Alc. 12.5%

    Other Reviews….
    The NV PN AYC 2018 is the newest edition in Bollinger’s range of single village-based Champagnes, a series of wines created by former Chef de Caves Gilles Descôtes, who passed away earlier this year. Tense and vibrant, with notable saline intensity, the AYC (based on Aÿ) sizzles with energy. Dried pear, crushed flowers, mint, sage, chalk and light pastry notes all race across the palate. This release is 53% 2018 and 47% reserve wines, a big part of which are Bollinger’s famous reserve magnums (in this case 2009 Verzenay Pinot), plus dollops of 2017 and 2016 wines. The 2018 was done in equal parts oak and tank. Dosage is 6 grams per liter, but the impression is of a slightly drier style. The combination of a very warm base vintage blended with a high proportion of reserve wines yields a Champagne of notable complexity and texture. Drink 2023-2038.
    92 Points
    Antonio Galloni – Vinous

    Including the 2018, 2017, 2016, and 2009 vintage, the pale straw-copper hued NV Champagne PN AYC18 opens with stunning notes of jasmine and tropical flowers, followed by pure and expressive aromas of wild cherry, fresh orange, wet stone, and fresh roses. Full-bodied, with freshness throughout and a hint of warmth on its beautiful finish, this is the most successful of the wines from this line that I have tasted to date, offering fantastic length and gorgeous depth of fruit. It’s going to only improve with another few years in bottle, but it’s gorgeous now. Drink 2024-2034. Dosage 6 grams per liter.
    93+ points
    Audrey Frick - jebdunnuck.com

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    Bollinger Special Cuvee Brut Champagne (375ml)
    Champagne, FRANCE
    $69. 99
    Bottle
    $839.88 Dozen
    ABV: 12%
    Closure: Cork

    Bollinger’s trademark depth and richness are on full show here. A blend of 60% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay and 15% Pinot Meunier with over 85% of the blend sourced from Grand and Premier crus.
    Pours with a fluffy white mousse.The base colour is pale straw with tinges of gold around the edges. Very fine bead with a steady stream of bubbles. The nose exhibits Bollinger’s hallmark richness with pronounced aromas of baked bread, yeast lees and oily toast like characters followed by cashew, almond and citrus notes. Rich, mouthfilling flavours of baked bread, yeast lees, oily toast like characters, citrus and cashew. Creamy textural feel with good freshness on the finish. Long aftertaste of baked bread, oily toast like characters, yeast lees and cashew.
    Drink over the next 3-4 years.
    Alc 12%

    Other Reviews....
    Surely the most underpriced champagne on the market today, yet one of the most complex. The 60/25/15% pinot noir/chardonnay/pinot meunier blend is of scant importance compared with the 400 components with 60% reserves, the oldest 8+ years old. Majestically complex and layered in a jewelled crown of freshness.
    96 points
    James Halliday's Top 100 2020

    This harmonious Champagne is wonderfully vibrant as it dances across the palate, with the satinlike mousse carrying flavors of white cherry, Marcona almond and ground coffee that show accents of candied kumquat, ginger, aromatic verbena and graphite. A streak of racy salinity emerges on mouthwatering finish. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. Drink now through 2025
    93 points
    Wine Spectator

    Bollinger’s NV Special Cuvée knocks it out of the park. Made from 60% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay and the rest Pinot Meunier, with 30% of the blend brought up in barrels, it boasts a rich, deep, medium to full-bodied style as well as terrific notes of lemon curd, crème brûlée, caramelized stone fruits, and hints of toasty nuttiness that develop with time in the glass. It’s a big, rich Champagne that stays balanced and pure. Beautiful stuff. Drink 2018-2028.
    93 points
    JebDunnuck.com

    Fine bubbles combine nicely with the cooked apples, pie crust and lemon rind. Some biscuit, too. Full body. Layered and creamy with a crisp finish. Always delicious. Drink now.
    92 points
    JamesSuckling.com

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    2014 Bollinger La Grande Annee Champagne
    Champagne, FRANCE
    $275. 00
    Bottle
    $3300.00 Dozen
    Cellar: Drink now - 8 Years (2022-2030)
    ABV: 12%
    Closure: Cork

    Powerful and complex this is a stunning rendition of Bollinger’s La Grande Annee

    A blend of 61% Pinot Noir and 39% Chardonnay sourced from 19 different crus, mainly Ay and Verzenay for the Pinot Noir whilst for the Chardonnay Chouilly and Oiry. Fermented entirely in aged oak barrels.
    A fine, satiny mousse slowly recedes to reveal a pale straw gold tinged coloured base that has a nibble stream of delicate bubbles flowing through it. The nose is magnificent, complex aromatics of baked bread, yeast lees and brioche soar from the glass with cashew, subtle citrus, hazelnut and ginger ensuing. On the palate Bollinger’s hallmark richness and power are shaped by vivid acidity with mouth filling flavours of baked bread, citrus, yeast lees and cashew trailed by some brioche and almond like characters. Dry chalk tinged finish with a long airy yet sculptured aftertaste.
    Drink over the next 6-8 years.
    Alc. 12%

    Other Reviews....
    Offering up complex aromas of crisp yellow orchard fruit, confit citrus, frangipane, walnuts, dried white flowers and subtle hints of iodine, Bollinger's 2014 Brut La Grande Année is medium to full-bodied, pillowy and vinous, with an elegantly fleshy core of fruit that's underpinned by racy acids and complemented by a pretty pinpoint mousse. Concluding with a long, chalky finish, this is a charming but precise Grande Année that's more giving and demonstrative than its immediate predecessor, the 2012, but which attains a very similar level of quality in a more challenging vintage—testimony to the serious viticulture that underpins Bollinger's contemporary excellence. Drink 2021 - 2045.
    95 points
    William Kelley - Wine Advocate (Mar 2022)

    The 2014 La Grande Année is stunning. In fact, it is one of the best recent editions I can remember tasting. What comes through most is the wine’s sizzling energy and tension, qualities that aren’t often associated with Bollinger, where the Champagnes tend to show more breadth and volume. In 2014, readers will find a Grande Année built on linear intensity and drive.
    The 2014 is a blend taken from 19 villages, 61% Pinot Noir and 39% Chardonnay instead of the more typical 70/30 mix. For the second time in two decades (the first was 2007), Verzenay takes the lead in the Pinots over Aÿ, more or less an inverse from the norm. Verzenay, a north-facing village in the Montagne de Reims that saw less rain than Aÿ and most of the Vallée de la Marne, yields Pinots of energy more than volume. That, married with Chardonnays mostly from the Côtes des Blancs (predominantly Chouilly, Vertus, Oiry and Cramant), results in a truly magical Grande Année that will delight Champagne fans for several decades. I can’t recommend the 2014 highly enough. It’s a total knock-out. Disgorged: April, 2021. Dosage: 8 grams per liter. Drink 2024-2044.
    98 points
    Antonio Galloni - Vinous

    Racy acidity drives this mouthwatering Champagne, enlivening the rich panoply of flavors. Features a fine and creamy mousse that's still a lively springboard for aromas and flavors of crème de cassis, glazed tangerine, roasted hazelnut, ground coffee, pickled ginger and white blossoms. Long and satiny, with minerally salt and chalk notes gaining momentum on the lasting finish. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Disgorged July 2021. Drink now through 2037.
    97 points
    Alison Napjus - Wine Spectator

    With the hallmark Bollinger richness that is derived from fermentation in wood and a high percentage of Pinot Noir in the blend, this grand wine is ripe, full of apple and spice flavors. It is drinkable now, but still young. Keep until 2024.
    97 points
    Wine Enthusiast

    This classic blend of pinot noir and chardonnay (61/39 per cent) is drawn from 19 crus, the base wine fermented in oak on tirage until disgorged October ’21. Superb wine, with ultimate balance between the robust pinot noir and airy freshness of the chardonnay; great length. Drink until 2024.
    98 points
    James Halliday's Top 100 Wines of 2022

    The 2014 Champagne La Grande Annee Brut is 61% Pinot Noir and the rest Chardonnay, with 7 grams per liter dosage, and sees more fruit coming from Verzenay. I loved this wine last year, and it did not disappoint at this tasting either. Perfumed and mineral-tinged notes of saline and lemon custard lift from the glass, and it’s medium to full bodied on the palate, taking on a more focused and linear feel while remaining quite powerful, with salty minerality. I love the tension this brings, with a long, persistent spine of acidity, and it’s aging at a very slow rate. Drink 2024-2044. Disgorged in February 2023.
    96 points
    Audrey Frick - JebDunnuck.com

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    Bollinger Rose Champagne
    Champagne, FRANCE
    Reduced from $135.00
    $125. 00
    Bottle
    $1500.00 Dozen
    ABV: 12%
    Closure: Diam Cork

    Produced from a blend of 62% Pinot Noir, 24% Chardonnay, 14% Meunier with only 5-6% red wine added. Over 85% coming from Grand and Premiers Cru vineyards.

    A pillowy mousse slowly subsides to reveal a salmon pink coloured base that has a nibble stream of bubbles flowing through to the surface. Delightful strawberry, cherry, baked bread and yeast lees aromas fill the nostrils with hints of blood orange, toast and brioche also evident. Rich and full flavoured yet wonderfully finessed, the palate is engulfed with strawberry, cherry, yeast lees and brioche characters which are complimented by some delicate toast and chalky elements. Creamy textured it finishes dry with invigorating acidity and a long airy aftertaste. A wonderful Rose Champagne to savour through the summer months.
    Alc. 12%

    Other Reviews….
    Deep red-berry nose, plus some nectarine, spice and candied-orange notes. Powerful and fresh, the hint of tannin from the red-wine component of the blend neatly balanced by the creaminess. Excellent textural complexity, then a long, delicately spicy and mineral finish. Disgorged in June 2021. Drink now.
    93 points
    JamesSuckling.com

    Sleek and elegant, this finely knit rosé Champagne offers flavors of ripe cherry, blood orange granita and slivered almond, with aromatic accents of graphite, star anise and verbena. Long and creamy on the vibrant finish. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. Drink now through 2028. 
    93 points
    Wine Spectator

    The NV Brut Rosé, which was first introduced in 2008, offers classic, slightly tertiary notes of spiced cherries, dried strawberries, and rose petals. Clean, crisp, and chiseled on the palate, it’s much more firm and tight than the Special Cuvée, yet has a great finish, impeccable balance, and bright acidity. A blend of 62% Pinot Noir, 24% Chardonnay and the rest Pinot Meunier, with 30% vinified in barrel, it spent 30 to 36 months on lees. Give it a year or so.
    92+ points
    JebDunnuck.com

    The latest release of Bollinger's NV Brut Rosé is showing especially well, offering up complex aromas of sweet stone fruit, honeycomb, freshly baked bread and orange oil, followed by a medium to full-bodied, pillowy and vinous palate. Layered and concentrated, with a pretty pinpoint mousse and ripe but racy acids, it concludes with a long, expansive finish.
    92 points
    William Kelley - Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate

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    2004 Dom Perignon P2 Champagne
    Champagne, FRANCE
    $1225. 00
    Bottle
    $14700.00 Dozen
    Closure: Cork

    Other Reviews....
    The 2004 Dom Pérignon P2 is drinking beautifully on release, wafting from the glass with aromas of sweet orchard fruit, fresh peach, pastry cream, buttered toast and cotton candy that display a less reductive profile than the original disgorgement. Medium to full-bodied, pillowy and charming, with an ample, enveloping core of fruit, succulent acids and a pretty pinpoint mousse, it concludes with a long, sapid finish. Forward and giving, there's no obvious reason to defer gratification. Drink 2021 - 2035.
    95 points
    William Kelley - Wine Advocate (Sep 2022)

    Structured, tight and mineral with so much tension. White grapefruit, lemon rind, dried apple, seashell, iodine, biscuit and blanched almond. Vibrant. Fantastic focus and verticality. Disgorged July 2021. Will be released October 2022. Drink on release or hold.
    97 points
    JamesSuckling.com

    P2 is the acronym for the Plénitude 2 series, Dom Pérignon’s second life. It indicates that bottles are kept by the house to let them age on the lees and to obtain different expressions of the same wine throughout its life, letting time work its magic and thus acquiring additional complexity. This year, Dom Pérignon’s cellar master, Vincent Chaperon, decided to release the 2004 vintage. ‘2004 was a contrast to 2003,’ he said. After rain in January, the spring was hot and sunny, like the beginning of summer. But the summer was wet, with 50% more rain than in an average year. Despite this, the health of the grapes was stable and the crop was abundant. ‘This is quite a perfect vintage,’ he added. The bouquet impresses with its finesse and elegance, its delicate aromas of pastry, orchard fruit, nuts, and lemon oil, and both iodine and chalky hints with air. The palate is medium- to full-bodied, very charming, with a sappy texture, racy acids, and a long and lingering finish. This is a very harmonious and rather chalky Dom Pérignon, which must be approached in its singularity. Time is a real asset here. Dosage: 5g/L. Drink 2022 - 2040.
    96 points
    Yohan Castaing - Decanter

    Mandarin orange, ripe cherry, raspberry and apricot fruit notes offer an exuberant burst of flavor at the entry point of this otherwise refined and subtle Champagne. The expressive fruit is joined on the lacy mousse by hints of toast, pastry cream and Earl Grey tea leaf, with an underpinning of minerally chalk and smoke. Lithe and graceful on the palate, but with a dancer's sense of restrained power. Drink now through 2037.
    97 points
    Alison Napjus - Wine Spectator

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    2012 Dom Perignon Champagne
    Champagne, FRANCE
    $350. 00
    Bottle
    $4200.00 Dozen
    Cellar: 5 - 15 Years (2027-2037)
    ABV: 12.5%
    Closure: Cork

    Buoyant, fine and lacy the mousse holds well gradually subsiding to reveal a pale straw coloured base wine that has pale gold edges and an exceptionally fine and persistent bead flowing through it. Citrus, toast and yeast lees aromas jump from the glass trailed by pear, green apple and light biscuit notes. Refined and elegant yet long, the palate is brimming with citrus and green pear fruits which overlay a back drop of yeast lees, green apple, oyster shell and faint cashew. There’s good tension and focus but this is not a Dom Perignon to drink now, it requires some further bottle age to fill out at which time it will no doubt garner another point or two. Concludes dry and racy with a gentle chalk tinged aftertaste.
    Cellar 5-15 years.
    Alc. 12.5%

    Other Reviews....
    The 2012 Dom Pérignon is a dense, powerful wine. I am almost shocked by its vinous intensity and raw, unbridled power. The 2012 reminds me of the 2003, but with more finesse and not quite as pushed. Mildew, rain and frost were challenges and resulted in low yields, something that was further compounded by warm, dry weather that concentrated the fruit even more. Those qualities result in a dense Dom Pérignon endowed with real phenolic intensity. It is one of the most reticent young Doms I can remember tasting, I wouldn’t even think of opening a bottle for at least a few years. (Originally published in May 2021). Drink 2022 - 2052.
    97 Points
    Antonio Galloni's Vinous

    Wonderful elegance and balance to this Dom Pérignon with cooked apple, lemon and hints of white pepper and salt. It’s medium-bodied with really fine bubbles and balance. Spicy at the end. So wonderfully fresh, linear and long. Racy and elegant. A DP that invites to drink right now. All about finesse. Tension, too, with precise phenolics and bright acidity on the back palate. Subtle energy. Drinkable now, but will develop beautifully in the bottle.
    97 Points
    JamesSuckling.com (May 2021)

    The 2012 Dom Pérignon has turned out very well indeed, unwinding in the glass with notes of Anjou pear, smoke, toasted nuts, freshly baked bread and crisp stone fruit. Medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, it's still tightly wound, its incipiently fleshy core of fruit framed by racy acids and chalky grip, complemented by a classy pinpoint mousse. A touch drier and a touch less reductive than the 2008 out of the gates, these two vintages are clearly destined to be compared for some time to come; but at this early stage, my instinct is that the 2012 will have the edge in the long term. Drink 2023 - 2050.
    96+ Points
    William Kelley - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (September 2021)

    This eloquent Champagne has an enticing waft of Mandarin orange on the nose that continues on the palate, which is layered with flavors of crushed blackberry and cassis, toast, chopped almond, graphite and oyster shell. A bright, finely-knit and harmonious version, with a lovely, raw silk-like mousse, and a lasting, expressive finish. Drink now through 2037.
    96 Points
    Alison Napjus - The Wine Spectator (November 2021)

    What a magnificent bouquet for this Dom Pérignon 2012! Pastry, a hint of smoke and classic brioche notes provide a compelling counterpart to eager yet elegant aromas of citrus (lime, tangerine and kumquat) joined by those of fresh fruit, herbs, liquorice and menthol. There is even a refreshing note of ivy. The palate is tense, vibrant and very fresh despite its impressive density, which meets its match with an unending finish. This 2012 embodies the very essence of Dom Pérignon with such a concentrated degree of intensity, along with a capacity for ageing that it is surely destined for a second life in a P2 edition. Drink 2021 - 2050.
    98 points
    Decanter

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    2010 Dom Ruinart Blanc De Blancs Champagne
    Champagne, FRANCE
    $549. 00
    Bottle
    $6588.00 Dozen
    ABV: 12.5%
    Closure: Cork

    The 2010 Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs is crafted solely from Grand Cru Chardonnay, with the majority, comprising 90%, cultivated in the esteemed vineyards of the Côte des Blancs, including Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Avize, Chouilly, and Cramant. The remaining 10% is sourced from the Montagne de Reims (Sillery). In their pursuit of excellence, Maison Ruinart is improving the aging process for Dom Ruinart wines, by reintroducing the traditional method of aging the wine with corks instead of metal caps. This choice also brings back a century-old practice of manually disgorging the wines. The wine goes through malolactic fermentation to add richness and is aged on lees for 9 years in bottle before being disgorged and topped with a dosage of 4g/L.

    Other Reviews....
    The 2010 Dom Ruinart is starting to open up nicely. There's still plenty of the intense, chalky minerality and energy the wine showed last year, but also a bit more mid-palate richness to balance things out. Lemon confit, marzipan, white flowers, slate and white pepper are some of the many aromas and flavors that take shape in the glass. As good as the 2010 is today, I imagine it will be even better in another few years' time. As I have written previously, the 2010 Dom Ruinart is one of the most impressive Champagnes ever made here. If there is anything better, I don't think I have tasted it! Drink 2024 - 2050.
    98 Points
    Antonio Galloni - Vinous

    Almost like a white, with a smoky and flinty nose. Dried lemons, cedar, smoked almonds, spiced apples, hazelnuts, salted butter and toast. Tangy and sharp, yet creamy and buttery, too, with fine bubbles. Hazelnuts at the end. Disgorged in February 2021. Drink or hold.
    94 Points
    JamesSuckling.com

    The first vintage since the 1960s to see tirage under natural cork in lieu of crown caps, the 2010 Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs was disgorged in November 2021. It's showing nicely, over-performing for the vintage, displaying aromas of yellow orchard fruit, toasted nuts, spices, smoke, dried white flowers and iodine. Medium to full-bodied, pillowy and layered, with impressive concentration and chalky structure, it concludes with a long, saline finish. Drink 2022 - 2035.
    94 Points
    William Kelley - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

    A mineral-driven Champagne, creamy and compact, this deftly meshes a layer of smoke, chalk and saline with detailed flavors of glazed apple and apricot, roasted hazelnut and ginger-infused pastry cream carried on a raw silky mousse. The fine texture softens the firm spine of chiseled acidity that structures the wine, and hints of white blossoms, Meyer lemon and oyster shell play on the finish. Disgorged November 2020. Drink now through 2035.
    95 Points
    Alison Napjus - Wine Spectator

    This is the first vintage of this cuvée that the house has opted to age under cork instead of crown capsule for the aging on the lees, sur latte. It pours a vibrant straw/green hue, and comes from five villages: Sillery, Avize, Cramant, Chouily, and Mesnil-sur-Oger. The 2010 Champagne Dom Ruinart Blanc De Blancs Extra Brut was raised, as it always is, without the use of oak, and saw 3 grams per liter of dosage. Highly expressive on opening, it’s layered with aromas of fresh baked croissant, key lime, melon, and honeysuckle. Rounded and long on the palate, it’s elegant and refined within its medium frame and takes on a remarkable silky chalk texture. Floral all the way through the finish, with long-lasting notes of lemon curd, it retains a springy freshness that is true to the house style but is quite elevated and impeccably well-balanced with layered depth. This would be a great addition to the cellar. Drink 2025-2045. Disgorged in June of 2022.
    96 points
    Audrey Frick - JebDunnuck.com

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    Krug Grande Cuvee 171eme Edition Champagne
    Champagne, FRANCE
    Reduced from $430.00
    $395. 00
    Bottle
    $4740.00 Dozen
    ABV: 12.5%
    Closure: Cork

    Since their inception in 1843, Krug Grande Cuvée has been their signature wine, and the most important wine they produce each year. Crafting Grande Cuvée only once a year, Krug now distinguish each release numerically, and provide great insight into the detailed composition via their Krug iD site. While these Edition wines are non-vintage, Krug prefers to call them multi-vintage given they use a large proportion of reserve wines in the blend, normally over 120 base wines spanning 10+ vintages. The 171eme Edition is a staggering blend of 131 wines from 12 vintages back to 2000, with the base wine hailing from the excellent 2015 vintage. The varietal mix of the base wine is 45% Pinot Noir, 37% Chardonnay and 18% Pinot Meunier, and comprises 58% of the blend, while 42% of reserve wines are used from 11 older vintages stretching back to 2000.

    Other Reviews....
    Non vintage? Technically so, but in fact there is a new edition every year, this the 171st, based on 131 wines from 12 vintages dating back to 2000. It is composed of 45/37/18% pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot meunier. Krug’s power is an iron fist in a velvet glove, and it’s my favourite champagne.
    99 points
    James Halliday's Top 100 Wines 2023

    The NV Grande Cuvée 171ème Édition, (2015 base vintage) is bright and focused in the glass, showing notable tension and tons of class. Citrus peel, white flowers, mint and white pepper all lend remarkable brightness to a Grande Cuvée that is built more on linear cut rather than volume. Krug is always among the first houses to pick. The 171 clearly shows that style. The blend is 45% Pinot Noir, 37% Chardonnay and 18% Meunier, vintages 2015 through 2000. Disgorged: Winter 2021-2022. Krug ID: 122003
    95 Points
    Antonio Galloni's Vinous

    The tightness and tension of this is impressive considering the youngest wine from this is 2015 (hot and dry year), with some wines going back to 2000. Ginger and orange zest. Some creme brulee. It's medium-bodied with apple, pie crust and floral character. It's salty and zesty yet, at the same time, complex and gorgeous. Chamomile and other floral teas highlight everything. Turns rich and flavorful at the finish. Terrific release. Really takes off at the end. Drink or hold.
    99 Points
    JamesSuckling.com

    The NV Grande Cuvée 171ème Edition is a delightful blend of 45% Pinot Noir, 37% Chardonnay and 18% Pinot Meunier and boasts an attractive and captivating aroma of dried fruits, pastry, lemon oil, marzipan, spring flowers and ginger, with hints of almond and vanilla notes that become more pronounced over time. This medium to full-bodied wine is precise and well-structured, with a fleshy core of fruit and a sapid, incisive finish. Crafted around the 2015 vintage, the blend comprises 131 reserve wines from as far back as 2000 (42% of the total blend) and is expected to age beautifully over the next decade. Drink 2023 - 2040.
    94 Points
    Yohan Castaing - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

    A vivid Champagne, with chiseled acidity and a fine, vivacious mousse creating a buoyant frame for layered flavors of crushed black raspberry, grilled nuts, pink grapefruit sorbet and coffee liqueur, plus fragrant accents of ground ginger and anise, graphite and lime blossoms. Long and expressive on the finish, crackling with a lingering fleur de sel note. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Meunier. Disgorged winter 2022 to 2021. Drink now through 2033.
    96 Points
    Alison Napjus - Wine Spectator

    Such a complete wine. It pushes flavour to the corners of the mouth. Complex and detailed. It’s a wholesome experience. Fine gentle mousse but firm enough to keep your palate energised. It smells of salted shortbread, quince and croissant with almond cream. Then nougat and razor-sharp acidity. Crème brûlée and salt flakes. Crunchy almonds and limey acidity. Oyster shell with lemon, the mineral note. Complete balance. And it’s long and delightful. I forgot about sparkling Shiraz for a moment. On that balmy winter day in Sydney. Drink 2023 - 2033+
    96 Points
    Kasia Sobiesiak - The Wine Front

    Deliciously balanced, this Champagne is impressive. The iconic wine is in its 171st blend, meaning it combines vintages for the best result for each bottling, not a specific vintage. The 171st essence is dry, while also having fine textured fruit. This is a magnificent wine and worth aging for another year.
    97 Points
    Roger Voss - Wine Enthusiast Magazine

    Spanning from 1998 through the 2015 vintage, the NV Champagne Grande Cuvée 171 is lush with a kaleidoscope of aromas including orange marmalade, toasted brioche, almond, and ripe peaches. Full-bodied and rounded, it has a hint of warmth on the finish, but it’s highly attractive, balanced, and long, with outstanding depth and richness. This fantastic expression of the Grand Cuvée is gorgeous right out of the gate and will be a great addition for collectors to enjoy over the coming two decades. Drink 2023-2043.
    94 Points
    Audrey Frick - Jeb Dunnuck

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    Krug 25eme Edition Rose Champagne
    Champagne, FRANCE
    Reduced from $799.00
    $750. 00
    Bottle
    $9000.00 Dozen
    ABV: 12%
    Closure: Cork

    While Krug's Rose Edition wines are non-vintage, Krug prefers to call them multi-vintage given they use a large proportion of reserve wines in the blend. This 25eme Edition Rose is a blend of 28 wines from 5 vintages back to 2008, with the base wine hailing from the 2013 vintage. The base wine comprises 50% of the blend, while 50% of reserve wines are used from 4 older vintages stretching back to 2008.

    Other Reviews....
    A mouthwatering rosé that wraps a racy spine of acidity in the plushly creamy, cashmere-like mousse, offering a fine frame for the rich and finely meshed range of flavors, with baked raspberry, passion fruit and Mandarin orange peel fruit accented by chopped hazelnut, fleur de sel, candied ginger and lime blossom notes that echo for days on the vivid finish. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. Disgorged autumn 2019. Drink now through 2030.
    96 Points
    Alison Napjus - Wine Spectator

    An intense clarity of fresh red berries from the start, which builds anticipation on the magnificent and magnifying nose. On the palate there’s counter-balancing mature buttery fruit crumble and a savoury note here, delicious and grown-up – the result of a high contribution of 50% reserve wines in the blend perhaps? There’s a smidgen of grippy texture at the end like drinking a light red wine and it does not detract. Less strikingly obvious and glamorous than the 26th edition. This will keep well and develop. Main harvest: 2013. 50% reserves. Aged for five and a half years on lees. 11% red wine used in the blend. Disgorged: Late 2019. Drink 2022 - 2035.
    97 Points
    Tim Hall - Decanter

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    1988 Krug Collection Vintage Champagne
    Champagne, FRANCE
    $2499. 00
    Bottle
    $29988.00 Dozen
    ABV: 12.5%
    Closure: Cork

    Vintage Krug holds a special place among the landscape of prestige cuvée Champagne, over the years having produced some of the most mesmerising and memorable wines of the region. Appearing only when conditions allow, and never at the sacrifice of their number one wine Grande Cuvée, Vintage Krug is cherished and chased by collectors the world over. Knowing that Champagne displays a range of experiences as bottles evolve over time, Krug also holds back a small amount of these vintage wines to be released as they reach a new peak of expression, naming them Krug Collection. These impossibly rare releases of Krug Collection are kept in ideal conditions in the House’s cellars, and after regular tasting and appraisal are finally disgorged to reveal their new personality.

    Krug Collection 1988 is part of Krug’s trilogy of three exceptional years (1988, 1989, 1990) with completely different conditions that resulted in Champagnes that are unique. Comprised of 50% Pinot Noir, 32% Chardonnay, 18% Pinot Meunier, Krug Collection 1988 was kept on lees for 29 years before finally receiving its cork in autumn 2017. 1988 is one of the most feted vintages in Champagne, and Krug decided to release the 1988 Collection after both 1989 and 1990 editions.

    Other Reviews....
    The 1988 Krug Collection, a 2017 disgorgement, offers an enticing bouquet of grilled walnut, baked bread and a touch of freshly baked gingerbread on the nose, displaying exquisite delineation and focus. A tang of bitterness on the entry refreshes the senses. This champagne is impressive in terms of depth and salinity. Vibrant and bright, it conveys a sense of completeness, so that you can’t help coming back for just one more sip. At its peak? Probably. Drink 2022 - 2035.
    97 points
    Neal Martin - Vinous (March 2022)

    Gorgeous, exuding aromas and flavors of baked black currant, toasted hazelnut and coffee liqueur, along with subtle hints of elderflower, oyster shell and white truffle. The rich profile relies on soft, citrus peel acidity, as well as a tang of salinity for freshness and balance. The plush, creamy texture feels like cashmere on the palate. A beauty at any age. Disgorged fall 2017. Drink now through 2028.
    96 points
    Alison Napjus - Wine Spectator (Dec 2019)

    When Krug 1988 was first released, a few bottles remained stored in the Krug cellars to see how they aged. The result today is a bouquet of incredible complexity, a veritable spice box full of seductive scents including sandalwood, mocha, and leather as well as a waxy note. The palate is perfectly balanced with both ample flesh and breathtaking freshness, and a wide-ranging flavour and textural profile having elements of quince, candied fruit, and spices. A floral freshness takes the upper hand on the long finish of this supremely subtle and light-footed Champagne. Such a beguiling mix of youthful energy with eminent ageworthiness. Readers who can find the 1988 should not hesitate, as it is stellar.
    98 points
    Yohan Castaing - Decanter (Sept 2020)

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    1990 Krug Collection Vintage Champagne
    Champagne, FRANCE
    $2299. 00
    Bottle
    $27588.00 Dozen
    ABV: 12%
    Closure: Cork

    Vintage Krug holds a special place among the landscape of prestige cuvée Champagne, over the years having produced some of the most mesmerising and memorable wines of the region. Appearing only when conditions allow, and never at the sacrifice of their number one wine Grande Cuvée, Vintage Krug is cherished and chased by collectors the world over. Knowing that Champagne displays a range of experiences as bottles evolve over time, Krug also holds back a small amount of these vintage wines to be released as they reach a new peak of expression, naming them Krug Collection. These impossibly rare releases of Krug Collection are kept in ideal conditions in the House’s cellars, and after regular tasting and appraisal are finally disgorged to reveal their new personality.

    Krug Collection 1990 is part of Krug’s trilogy of three exceptional years (1988, 1989, 1990) with completely different conditions that resulted in Champagnes that are unique. Comprised of 40% Pinot Noir, 37% Chardonnay, 23% Pinot Meunier, Krug Collection 1990 was kept on lees for 25 years before finally receiving its cork in spring 2015. 1990 produced wines that are rich and balanced with great structure.

    Other Reviews....
    Krug's just-released 1990 Collection is magnificent. Remarkably fresh for a 26 year-old wine, the 1990 Collection captures the Krug house style at its very best. Floral notes meld into hints of apricot, chamomile, orchard fruit, vanillin and sweet spices. On the palate, the 1990 is creamy, vivid and super-expressive, but what is most intriguing is how fresh the Collection is relative to Vintage Champagne, which has always been a heavier, more oxidative wine. Readers who can find the 1990 should not hesitate, as it is stellar. Drink 2016-2031.
    97+ points
    Antonio Galloni - Vinous (Oct 2016)

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    2008 Krug Vintage Champagne
    Champagne, FRANCE
    $999. 00
    Bottle
    $11988.00 Dozen
    ABV: 12.5%
    Closure: Cork

    Vintage Krug holds a special place among the landscape of prestige cuvée Champagne, over the years having produced some of the most mesmerising and memorable wines of the region. Appearing only when conditions allow, and never at the sacrifice of their number one wine Grande Cuvée, Vintage Krug is cherished and chased by collectors the world over.

    Other Reviews....
    Krug's 2008 Brut is slated to be released at the end of 2021, but any readers who purchase the wine will need to exercise considerably more patience if they are to enjoy it in its prime, as it is very tightly wound out of the gates. Unwinding in the glass with a youthfully discreet bouquet of clear honey, dried fruit, walnut oil, Meyer lemon and rock salt, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and incisive, with a racy spine of acidity, a pretty pinpoint mousse and a penetrating, saline finish. The polar stylistic opposite of the rich, demonstrative 2006, the 2008 is a rather understated, taut vintage from Krug that isn't as liberally endowed with the house's characteristic toasty patina as its immediate predecessor. Drink 2026 - 2046.
    94+ points
    William Kelley - Wine Advocate (Sept 2021)

    The 2008 Vintage is a nervy, electrifying Champagne, the likes of which has not emerged from Krug's cellars since the magical 1996. Bright and sculpted, with tremendous precision, the 2008 dazzles from start to finish. Stylistically, the 2008 doesn't have the toastiness or explosive breadth often found in young Krug, but that in no way detracts from its magnificent beauty. Krug ID: 419044. Drink 2028 - 2058.
    97 points
    Antonio Galloni - Vinous

    Exceptional freshness with aromas of flinty white stones, flowers, almonds and lemons. There’s hazelnut and strawberry here, too. Complex. The palate has a long, powerful and smooth-honed feel with very assertive citrus flavors, driven by long acidity. A perfect 2008.
    100 points
    Nick Stock - jamessuckling.com

    There’s a supernova of sensation with each sip of this powerful version, starting with the vivid streak of mouthwatering acidity that drives a rich panoply of ripe black currant, mandarin orange peel and grilled nut flavors, accented by hints of candied ginger, briny oyster shell, verbena and ground cardamom. This burns bright from start to finish, yet its fine integration and lovely, raw silk–like mousse pull it all together into a seamless, vibrant package. Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. Disgorged autumn 2019. Drink now through 2038.
    99 points
    Alison Napjus - Wine Spectator

    What a burst of fresh fruit on the nose! The aromatic freshness is evident from the first whiff, suffused with notes of citrus fruits including grapefruit, menthol, and a hint of liquorice. The texture has precise contours, giving an impression of rectangular rectitude and perfect balance. This is a finely chiselled Champagne offering great harmony and a long finish enhanced by delicious underlying notes of nutty bitterness. 53% Pinot Noir, 25% Pinot Meunier and 22% Chardonnay. Disgorged in the first quarter of 2020. Dosage: 4.5g/L. Drinking Window 2021 - 2040.
    97 points
    Yohan Castaing - Decanter

    A vintage Champagne from this producer is rare. But 2008 was a great year in Champagne and that shows in this intense, still amazingly young wine. Freshness works with the richness to give concentration, density and the sure-fire possibility of long-term aging. So drink now, but the Champagne will last for many years.
    97 points
    Roger Voss - Wine Enthusiast

    • 93
    • 91
    Laurent-Perrier Ultra Brut Champagne
    Champagne, FRANCE
    $140. 00
    Bottle
    $1680.00 Dozen
    ABV: 12%
    Closure: Cork

    Other Reviews....
    The latest release of Laurent Perrier's NV Ultra Brut is based on the 2014 vintage, disgorged in 2021. Offering up aromas of sweet buttery pastry, peach, iodine and hazelnut, it's medium-bodied, ample and fleshy, with bright acids and a chalky finish. Time sur lattes and on cork post disgorgement have rounded out any hard edges to deliver a very suave Champagne out of the gates. Drink 2023 - 2028.
    91 points
    William Kelley - Wine Advocate (Dec 15, 2023)

    This is very dry and vinous with very fine bubbles that wrap themselves around the wine. It's full with lovely fruit that is subtle and encompassing on the palate. Caressing texture and finish. Some pie crust and dry biscuit undertones here. Also white pepper. The base is 2014 and bone dry. Six years on lees. 55% pinot noir and 45% chardonnay. Bottled in May 2021.
    93 points
    JamesSuckling.com

    • 95
    • 94
    • 92
    • 92
    • 93
    • Reduced
    Louis Roederer Collection 243 Brut Champagne
    Champagne, FRANCE
    Reduced from $99.99
    $89. 99
    Bottle
    $1079.88 Dozen
    Cellar: Drink now - 6 Years (2023-2029)
    ABV: 12%
    Closure: Diam Cork

    Collection 243 is the 3rd release of the new multi-vintage cuvée which replaces the Brut Premier. The Collection 243 shares the same philosophy as the Jacquesson 7 series and Krug’s Edition wines, which are based on a younger vintage blended with some older reserve wines.
    Based on the 2018 vintage with a blend of 41% Reserve wines from the 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017 vintages (10% of which were aged in oak). The wine is composed of 42% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir & 18% Pinot Meunier sourced equally from Vallée de la Marne, the Côte des Blancs and the Montagne de Reims.
    Dosage: 8g/l
    An overflowing mousse eventually dissipates to reveal a pale straw coloured base with pale gold tinged edges that has a delicate stream of persistent bubbles flowing through it. The nose features citrus, baked bread and yeast lees aromas followed by hints of roasted almond, pear and chalky mineral notes. Vivid and rich at once, the palate possesses Louis Roederer’s satiny feel with flavours of pear, baked bread and yeast lees prominent. Refreshing acidity with notions of citrus, delicate cashew and chalky characters lingering through what is a long, dry and mouth watering finish.
    Drink over the next 5-6 years.
    Alc. 12.5%

    Other Reviews....
    Dried-lemon, apricot, green-apple, salted-almond, walnut and light caramel notes. Vinous and layered, with small and tight bubbles. Excellent focus and intensity. Based on 2018, with reserve wines going back to 2009. Dosage 8g/L. Drink now.
    94 Points
    JamesSuckling.com (August 2022)

    Based on the 2018 vintage and complemented by reserve wines from a solera established in 2012, as well as younger foudre-aged reserve wines, Roederer's newly released NV Brut Collection 243 is a pillowy, enveloping Champagne evocative of crisp stone fruits, honeycomb, white flowers and buttery pastry. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and generous, with an ample core of fruit, bright acids and a saline finish, it will offer demonstrative drinking on release. Drink 2021 - 2035.
    92 Points
    William Kelley - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (September 2022)

    A vibrant Champagne that's fine and creamy on the palate, almost plush, but bright and well-balanced throughout. Reveals a chalky base note that underscores layers of ripe pear and nectarine fruit, mandarin orange peel, oyster shell and chamomile. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier. Drink now.
    92 Points
    Alison Napjus - Wine Spectator (December 2022)

    The NV Champagne Collection 243 Brut is the third release and is based on the 2018 vintage, with the addition of 30% of the perpetual reserve started in 2012 and 10% reserve wine that has been aged in oak. It is ripe and balanced, with yellow flowers, honeycomb, and plum, and it has elegant concentration and underlying tension, precise mousse, and rich salinity, with lingering notes of croissant and delicate smoke. This will be an exciting wine in the range to follow. Drink 2022-2037.
    93 Points
    Audrey Frick - JebDunnuck.com (December 2022)

    Based on 2018, described by Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon as 'a truly magical year', with oak aged wines from 2009, 2011 and all vintages from 2013 to 2017 inclusive that make up this impeccable house's perpetual reserve begun in 2012.
    Wonderfully complex aroma rises from the glass as soon as this is poured. So complex on the nose and uncompromisingly dry but well balanced on the palate. Lightly smoky but with no shortage of fine, ripe fruit in an interesting honeysuckle and lime spectrum. Clean and fresh and extremely long. This definitely deserves to be priced above regular non-vintage champagne. Not quite delicate. Not quite creamy. Just hits the right note for a superior blend. Drink 2022 – 2030.
    17+ / 20 Points
    Jancis Robinson MW (October 2022)

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    • 96
    • Organic
    2014 Louis Roederer Cristal Champagne
    Champagne, FRANCE
    $475. 00
    Bottle
    $5700.00 Dozen
    ABV: 12%
    Closure: Cork

    The Champagne of Kings, this somewhat mythical Champagne has a cult following amongst pop and rap stars. Despite the hype this brings it never to fails to live up to it’s legendary status with wine critics, who consistently lavish it with high praise.

    Other Reviews....
    An enlightened expression from a season of extremes, this has intensity, ripeness and depth of fruit that is underpinned by chalk soil-derived structure and freshness. Complex nose with lemon and grapefruit aromas, as well as closed red apple, blood orange, light biscuit spices and toasted hazelnuts. Super fresh. The palate starts pithy and fleshy with pink grapefruit, blood orange, red apple, sliced strawberry and nectarine. Expansive and mouth-filling build that is driven by concentrated fruit, Then it tightens and turns to a more mineral edge, before smoothly honed phenolics finish it long. It is 60% pinot noir and 40% chardonnay, 32% oak fermentation in those same proportions, no chaptalization, no malolactic and a dosage of 7g per liter. From organically farmed grapes. Very complex, it strikes a natural balance and is very drinkable already, though will develop well for more than a decade in the cellar.
    97 Points
    JamesSuckling.com (March 2022)

    The 2014 Cristal is another in a long line of gorgeous wines from Roederer and long-time Chef de Caves Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon. A dazzling, vibrant Champagne, the 2014 impresses with a stunning combination of fruit density and linear energy that brings to mind a hypothetical blend of 2012 and 2008. At times, the bubbles feel totally wrapped up in waves of creamy, resonant fruit to the point the mousse is barely perceptible, especially with aeration. The flavors are bright and finely sculpted, leaning very much into the citrus, floral and mineral end of the spectrum.
    The blend is a classic: 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay taken from 39 of the 45 parcels that comprise the Cristal estate. In most vintages, the Pinot components are roughly equally split between Verzy/Verzenay and Aÿ, but in 2014, Lécaillon favored Verzy and Verzenay, two north facing villages in the Montagne de Reims (where rain was less problematic) known for conferring saline energy and vibrancy. Rain was much more of an issue in the Vallée de la Marne. Consequently, some of the Pinots in Aÿ were diluted and did not make it into the blend. Chardonnays were sourced from historic plots in Avize, Mesnil and Cramant. About 32% of the lots were fermented in wood, the rest were done in tank. As always, all of the malolactic fermentations were blocked. In 2014, the growing season was marked by a good spring followed by a cool, wet summer and then very favorable weather in September. I vividly recall that there was not much enthusiasm for the vintage at the outset. Today, though, opinions are starting to change, at least with regards to some wines.
    Since 2012, Cristal has been made entirely from organically-farmed grapes, an approach Lécaillon adopted in order to achieve a more ideal and parallel relationship between sugar and phenolic ripeness. “Champagne is always a battle between picking too early and rot,” Lécaillon has often said during our tastings. One of the other benefits of organic farming is that it naturally lowers yields. As Champagne fans know, the great wines of the 1950s and 1960s were made at a time when yields were in the 5,000 kilo per hectare range. Then, in the 1980s, widespread planting of higher-yielding clones led to an entirely different situation in the vineyard. Today’s permitted yields are 11,000 kilos per hectare, with some variation in years that present unusual growing conditions. With organic farming, yields for Cristal are in the 7,000-9,000 kilo per hectare range. Another innovation at Roederer has been a focus on higher-density plantings with newer vineyards, an approach that encourages low production per vine. But back to the wine. Drink 2024 - 2064.
    98 Points
    Antonio Galloni's Vinous (February 2022)

    The 2014 Cristal is a terrific effort that transcends the vintage. Bursting from the glass with expressive aromas of ripe citrus fruit, nectarine, white flowers, freshly baked bread and subtle hints of honeycomb, it's medium to full-bodied, vinous and fleshy, with an exuberant core of fruit that's girdled by racy acids, resulting in a wine that's simultaneously chiseled and demonstrative, meaning that early appeal doesn't come at the expense of the requisite tension for long-term cellaring. Concluding with a long, aromatic and intensely chalky finish, it is a brilliant Champagne that will offer a broad drinking window. This bottle was disgorged in June 2021 with seven grams per liter dosage. Drink 2021 - 2050.
    96 Points
    William Kelley - Robert Parkers Wine Advocate (February 2022)

    This vivid Champagne shows up-front and linear definition, thanks to rapierlike acidity, with finely meshed flavors of ripe black cherry and mandarin orange fruit, raw almond, anise and cardamom spice as well as a touch of honeycomb, which all unfurl and expand on the fine, creamy palate. Sleek acidity continues through to the finish, with additional racy character provided by a streak of minerally saline and chalk, which gains momentum through the midpalate and rings out on the well-cut, lasting finish. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Drink now through 2040.
    98 Points
    Alison Napjus - Wine Spectator (June 2022)

    It’s always educational, and a treat, to taste the latest vintage of Louis Roederer’s flagship Cristal Champagne. This cuvee is sourced from 45 separate plots covering just under 200 acres spread between the villages of Verzeny, Verzy, Beaumont-sur-Vesle, Aÿ, Avize, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, and Cramant. The vineyards are farmed either organically or biodynamically and are planted to a 60/40 split of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Each parcel is vinified separately and for the 2014, only 39 parcels made the final selection, with the blend being roughly 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay. The wine has the malolactic fermentation blocked and is brought up in a mix of 32% oak and 68% tank. This was a warmer year that saw fabulous springtime weather, a slightly cooler, rainy summer, and a great end of the year. The 2014 fits in nicely in recent vintages and has a style all its own, showing a fleshy, round, nicely concentrated style reminiscent of the 2012 yet not quite the precision of either the 2008 or 2013. Gorgeous and classic Cristal stone fruit, chalky minerality, white flowers, almond paste, and subtle toast emerge on the nose and it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a supple, almost creamy texture, terrific balance, and a great finish. It’s surprisingly approachable yet I’ve no doubt it will evolve nicely given its mid-palate depth and overall balance. It’s beautiful today and a terrific Cristal to enjoy over the coming two decades or so. It’s unquestionably more approachable than either the 2013 or 2008, but not far off qualitatively. Drink 2022 - 2042.
    96 Points
    JebDunnuck.com (June 2022)

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    2015 Moet & Chandon Grand Vintage Champagne
    Champagne, FRANCE
    $125. 00
    Bottle
    $1500.00 Dozen
    Cellar: Drink now - 6 Years (2023-2029)
    ABV: 12.5%
    Closure: Diam Cork

    A blend of 44% Pinot Noir, 32% Chardonnay and 24% Pinot Meunier aged for 6 years on lees. A frothy head slowly dissipates over a pale straw coloured base. Pale gold tinged edges with a very fine bead showing good persistence through its core. Citrus, baked bread, yeast lees and brioche scents make their way out of the glass with ample intensity. Hints of honeyed cashew and ginger lend further complexity. Vibrant pear and citrus fruits are intermeshed with baked apple, yeast lees, almond and chalk characters. Finishes dry, faintly creamed and invigorating.
    Drink over the next 5-6 years.
    Alc. 12.5%

    Other Reviews….
    A firm, focused Champagne, with a pleasing crunchiness to the fine mousse. Reveals a toasty edge, with notes of smoke, brioche and vanilla showing up front, before transitioning to underscore and enrich flavors of nectarine and plum fruit, salted almond, lemon curd and anise as they expand through the creamy finish. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Disgorged February 2022. Drink now through 2033.
    94 Points
    Wine Spectator

    The 2015 Extra-Brut Grand Vintage is a terrific choice for drinking now, as it is so expressive. Baked apple tart, spice, lemon confit, marzipan and a hint of toastiness are front and center. Open-knit and engaging, the 2015 is a Champagne of pure and total pleasure. Drink 2022-2030.
    93 Points
    Antonio Galloni – Vinous

    Produced from 44% Pinot Noir, 32% Chardonnay, and the rest Meunier, the 2015 Champagne Grand Vintage Extra Brut pours a medium golden-straw hue and is opulent on opening with toasty aromas of baked bread, spiced orange peel, marzipan, and dried peach. Full-bodied, with a pillowy mouthfeel, it has a very nice balance of ripe fruit while retaining freshness Silky textured, its notes of citrus oils and orchard fruits last through the finish. This elegant and warming wine would do fantastically well moving into these cooler fall and winter months. Although I personally enjoy where this is for drinking now, it should hold up over the coming 6-8 years. Disgorged February 2022. Drink 2023-2031.
    93 points
    Audrey Frick - JebDunnuck.com

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    • Nick's Import
    1996 Philipponnat Clos des Goisses L.V. Extra Brut Champagne
    Champagne, FRANCE
    $1299. 00
    Bottle
    $15588.00 Dozen
    ABV: 13%
    Closure: Cork

    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 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 Anson

    A 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 - Decanter

    Lots 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 Suckling

    The 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
    • 93
    Pol Roger Pure Extra Brut Champagne
    Champagne, FRANCE
    $150. 00
    Bottle
    $1800.00 Dozen
    ABV: 12.5%
    Closure: Diam Cork

    Pol 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

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    2015 Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill Champagne Magnum (1500ml)
    Champagne, FRANCE
    $1050. 00
    Bottle
    $12600.00 Dozen
    ABV: 12.5%
    Closure: Cork

    Other 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 - Vinous

    Very 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
    • 98
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    • 94
    2015 Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill Champagne
    Champagne, FRANCE
    $520. 00
    Bottle
    $6240.00 Dozen
    ABV: 12.5%
    Closure: Cork

    Other 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 - Vinous

    Very 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 Champagne
    Champagne, FRANCE
    $199. 99
    Bottle
    $2399.88 Dozen
    Cellar: Drink now - 8 Years (2023-2031)
    ABV: 12.5%
    Closure: Diam Cork

    ­The 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%

    • 96
    Ruinart Blanc de Blancs Champagne
    Champagne, FRANCE
    $215. 00
    Bottle
    $2580.00 Dozen
    ABV: 12.5%
    Closure: Cork

    A 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.

    Tasting Notes: 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%

    • 99
    • 95
    • 96
    • 95
    2012 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs
    Champagne, FRANCE
    $465. 00
    Bottle
    $5580.00 Dozen
    ABV: 12.5%
    Closure: Cork

    Other 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.com

    The 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 Advocate

    A 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 Spectator

    From 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

    • 91
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    • 96
    • 94
    • 93
    Taittinger Prelude Grand Cru Champagne
    Champagne, FRANCE
    $145. 00
    Bottle
    $1740.00 Dozen
    ABV: 12.5%
    Closure: Cork

    Other 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)

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    2014 Taittinger Brut Millesime Champagne
    Champagne, FRANCE
    $150. 00
    Bottle
    $1800.00 Dozen
    ABV: 12.5%
    Closure: Cork

    Other Reviews....
    Sweet tobacco leaf on the nose with seductive honeysuckle undertones, lemongrass and fallen apples nuances. Approachable in the mouth with a firm pull of acidity. Drink 2021 - 2026.
    94 Points
    Simon Field MW - Decanter (October 2021)

    Lots of apple and lemon with biscuit and pie-crust character. Rich nose. Full-bodied with a big palate, showing lots of apple and vanilla. Round and layered texture. Flamboyant. Drink or hold.
    94 Points
    JamesSuckling.com (January 2022)

    The newly released 2014 Brut Millésimé from Taittinger is showing very well, offering up aromas of white peach, green apple, nougat and freshly baked bread. Medium to full-bodied, bright and incisive, with a charming core of fruit and a delicate mousse, this is a pretty, expressive vintage for Taittinger. Sufficiently open and fruit-driven to be enjoyed, toasty complexity with come with a few years on cork. Drink 2021 - 2035.
    92 Points
    William Kelley - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (September 2020)

    A blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Grand and Premier Cru vineyards, this Champagne is impressively rich. Still young, its taut texture and minerality are imbued with elegance as well as freshness. This is a style of wine that can age for many years so, although it could be drunk now, it will improve at least until 2025.
    94 Points
    Roger Voss - Wine Enthusiast

    A vivacious Champagne, mouthwatering with tangy, citrus peel acidity and showing flavors of crunchy white peach, plum, toast and candied ginger riding the lively bead. Drink now through 2027.
    92 Points
    Alison Napjus - The Wine Spectator (December 2020)

    Impressive autolysis on the nose. A lot of lemony froth and then a clean, flattering, crisp, well put together palate. I’d guess the dosage is very slightly higher than average nowadays (yes, it’s 9 g/l apparently) but the balance is good. A sort of mini Comtes? Drink 2020 – 2025.
    16 + / 20 Points
    JancisRobinson.com (October 2021)

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    • Reduced
    2015 Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame Paola Paronetto Artist Edition Champagne
    Champagne, FRANCE
    Reduced from $399.00
    $350. 00
    Bottle
    $4200.00 Dozen
    ABV: 12.5%
    Closure: Cork

    For this new vintage of La Grande Dame, Italian ceramist and color master, Paola Paronetto collaborated with Veuve Clicquot to interpret the excellence of La Grande Dame's 2015 vintage. Paronetto, akin to Madame Clicquot, is an intuitive innovator who shares a passion for color. Her artistic approach results in a chromatic symphony reflecting the harmony of the 2015 vintage. The packaging, featuring six unique gift boxes, showcases a shower of hues from Paronetto's personal color palette.

    The La Grande Dame 2015 is the 24th Vintage of La Grande Dame, a showcase of the House’s excellence. It perfectly expresses the Maison’s love for Pinot Noir, which since the 2008 vintage, has represented over 90% of the blend.
    12.5% Alc./Vol.

    Other Reviews....
    The 2015 La Grande Dame is bright and nicely focused. There’s good energy driving a core of Pinot Noir fruit. Pear, white flowers, mint, white pepper and lime are nicely delineated. The 2015 is not the most complex Grande Dame I have ever tasted, but it offers plenty of immediacy with no vegetal notes or hard contours that have proven so challenging elsewhere. This is an expertly made Champagne by any measure. Dosage is 6 grams per liter. Disgorged: October, 2021. Drink 2023-2030.
    95 points
    Antonio Galloni - Vinous

    This is sleek and vivid with aromas of green apples, lemon peel, lime blossom, salted almonds and pastries on the nose. Medium-bodied and refreshing with lively acidity throughout and tiny bubbles. 90% pinot noir and 10% chardonnay. Drink or hold.
    93 Points
    JamesSuckling.com

    This graceful Champagne offers hints of smoke and toasted brioche that transition to patisserie apple and blackberry fruit, candied ginger and mandarin orange peel notes. Seamlessly knit and mouthwatering, with a minerally underpinning and a finely detailed, dotted bead. Lush and creamy on the vibrant, lasting finish. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Drink now through 2035.
    95 Points
    Alison Napjus - Wine Spectator

    2015 shows off the sunny fruits of the year with more grip and intensity than the 2008 and 2012. Fleshy orange, red pear, dried pineapple and chewy grapefruit peel build on a firmly structured frame, although there is a suppleness of nougat and acacia honey lurking in the middle that promises to emerge with a little patience. The bustling energy of the vintage is sitting proud for now, bitter almond and fruit skin building to an energising close despite the moderate acidity. An edition that will perform especially well at the table. 90% Pinot Noir, 10% Chardonnay from 8 Grand Cru villages. Dosage 6 g/L. Drink 2023 - 2033.
    94 Points
    Tom Hewson - Decanter

    This fine Champagne is rich and beautifully structured. It is full with fine maturity, boasting layers of ripeness against the generous texture. Drink this impressive wine now.
    95 Points
    Roger Voss - Wine Enthusiast Magazine

    • 95
    • Reduced
    2015 Veuve Clicquot Vintage Champagne
    Champagne, FRANCE
    Reduced from $150.00
    $130. 00
    Bottle
    $1560.00 Dozen
    Cellar: Drink now - 6 Years (2023-2029)
    ABV: 12.5%
    Closure: Diam Cork

    A blend of 50% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Meunier sourced from selected Grand Cru and Premier Cru vineyards with an average of 5 years on lees. A plentiful mousse slowly dissipates to reveal a pale straw coloured base that has pale gold tinged edges. Very persistent and fine bead. Pronounced citrus and yeast lees aromas mingle with baked bread, almond, chalk and subtle toast. Racy and tense the palate is vividly sculptured by crisp acidity with citrus, oily toast and yeast lees characters melding into a dry chalky back drop of oyster shells and minerals. Airy mouth feel finishing long and stimulating.
    Drink over the next 5-6 years.
    Alc. 12.5%

    • 94
    • 95
    • 95
    2012 Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame Rose
    Champagne, AUSTRALIA
    $599. 00
    Bottle
    $7188.00 Dozen
    ABV: 12.5%
    Closure: Cork

    In 1818, Madame Clicquot made the first-ever "rosé d'assemblage" champagne by mixing some of her red Bouzy wines with white ones. La Grande Dame Rosé honors her idea by using 90% Pinot Noir from the historical Grands Crus of Aÿ, Verzenay, Verzy, Ambonnay, and Bouzy, enriched by 10% Chardonnay from Avize and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. This base is then blended with 13% Pinot Noir red wine exclusively from the 'Clos Colin' parcel, situated in Bouzy. Aged on lees for 10 years in bottle before being disgorged and topped with a dosage of 8g/L.

    Other Reviews....
    The 2012 Brut Rosé La Grande Dame is the finest wine I've tasted from Veuve Clicquot in several decades. Offering up aromas of red berries, bee pollen, orange zest and freshly baked bread, it's medium to full-bodied, pillowy and precise, with a deep core of fruit and a vibrant, tightly coiled profile, concluding with a penetrating, sapid finish. This isn't the muscular, powerful Clicquot style of yesteryear, but it's a compelling effort in a fine-boned, more polished register. Drink 2023 - 2038.
    94 Points
    William Kelley - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

    The new 2012 vintage of Veuve Clicquot's top rosé sweeps in full of dynamics and detail, the 13% proportion of red wine bringing a succulent red apple, rose and poached strawberry fragrance to 2012's finessed, narrowing build. There's an intriguing smoky/reductive streak at present too, setting off the fruit-forwardness and creamy undercurrent with a touch of drama and energy. This has the volume and immediacy to enjoy now, but even more impressive is the precision and build of a truly cellar-worthy rosé. 92% Pinot Noir from Äy, Verzenay, Verzy, Ambonnay and Bouzy (13% as red wine from Bouzy), 8% Chardonnay from Avize and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. Dosage 8 g/L. Drink 2023 - 2040.
    95 Points
    Tom Hewson - Decanter

    Maturity gives the wine toastiness while retaining the background of fine fruits and texture. It is an impressive Champagne, as always: rich while also balanced, with a touch of minerality. Drink the wine now.
    95 Points
    Roger Voss - Wine Enthusiast Magazine

    • 95
    2012 Veuve Clicquot Vintage Rose Champagne
    Champagne, FRANCE
    $160. 00
    Bottle
    $1920.00 Dozen
    Cellar: Drink now - 6 Years (2020-2026)
    ABV: 12%
    Closure: Cork

    Pours with a buoyant pink tinged mousse, the salmon pink tinged base finely threaded by a persistent stream of tiny bubbles. Aromas of raspberry and winter strawberries are apparent on the lifted nose followed by yeast lees, light ginger and chalky mineral notes. The spritely palate has a racy, airy like feel with flavours of raspberries and creamed tinged strawberries melding into yeast lees, citrus and chalky mineral characters. Dry vibrant finish with a stimulating and layered aftertaste.
    Drink over the next 5-6 years.
    Alc. 12%

    • 96
    Ayala Brut Majeur Champagne Magnum (1500ml)
    Champagne, FRANCE
    $190. 00
    Bottle
    $2280.00 Dozen
    Cellar: 2 - 3 Years (2020-2021)
    ABV: 12%
    Closure: Cork

    A blend of 40% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir and 20% Pinot Meunier with an average of 3 years ageing on lees. A fine satiny mousse sits over a straw, pale gold edged base wine that’s delicately threaded by a very persistent bead. Rich yeasty baked bread aromas fill the nostrils with roasted almonds, toast and dried honey also present. Impressive richness and palate length with mouth filling flavours of yeast lees, baked bread and roasted almonds prevalent over subtle dried honey, oily toast and citrus characters. Finishes dry and creamy like with refreshing acidity and a long aftertaste.
    Drink over the next 2-3 years.
    Alc. 12%

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    2008 Billecart-Salmon Cuvee Nicolas Francois Vintage Champagne
    Champagne, FRANCE
    $425. 00
    Bottle
    $5100.00 Dozen
    ABV: 12.5%
    Closure: Cork

    Other Reviews....
    The 2008 Brut Cuvée Nicolas François was disgorged during the third quarter of 2022 with less than three grams per liter. It has a delicate, pure, clean bouquet with aromas of orchard fruits, spring flowers, honey and licorice, with hints of brioche and pastry with aeration. Medium to full-bodied, chiseled and crystalline, with racy acids and a chalky texture, the palate is tense and the finish is long, penetrating and salty. It exhibits perfect Billecart style, yet tension is present, a sign of the vintage. It is a blend of 60% Pinot Noir (sourced from Aÿ, Mareuil and Verzenay) and 40% Chardonnay from Mesnil, Chouilly and Cramant, and it matured 83% in tanks and 17% in old oak barrels. Drink 2023 - 2050.
    96 points
    Yohan Castaing - Wine Advocate (Apr 21, 2023)

    The 2008 Brut Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart is an electric, nervy Champagne that very much reflects the style of the year. Crushed rocks, mint, spice, dried herbs, hazelnut, lemon peel and marzipan are all beautifully laced together. The 2008 is just entering its first plateau of maturity, making it a fine choice for drinking now and over the next two decades, possibly more. The blend id 60% Pinot Noir (from Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Ambonnay, Bouzy, Verzy and Verzenay) and 40% Chardonnay (from Mesnil, Chouilly and Cramant). It's a terrific effort, although I must add that a recent visit made it pretty clear that even better things lie ahead. Dosage is 4 grams per liter. Drink 2023-2038.
    96 points
    Antonio Galloni - Vinous

    Based on 60% Pinot Noir and the rest Chardonnay, with 17% raised in barrels, the 2008 Champagne Nicolas François spent more than 150 months on its lees, with 2.9 grams per liter dosage. It pours a rich straw hue and is layered and long with aromas of truffle, apricot, croissant, floral orange blossoms, and marmalade. Full-bodied, it’s supple in texture, with a rounded mousse, and has a long-lasting, mouthwatering finish. Exceptionally well-balanced, it comes together seamlessly on the finish. This will be a wine to enjoy over the next three decades. Disgorged in January of 2022.
    98 points
    Audrey Frick - JebDunnuck.com

    Lovely precision and drive to this with aromas of lemon curd, brioche, praline, apricots, pomelos, mandarin zest and salted caramel. It’s held together by a sharp, citrusy backbone of acidity, balanced with a fine, silky mousse. Both structure and softness here. Citrus fruit brightness on a beautifully elegant and seamless finish. 60% pinot noir and 40% chardonnay. 150 months on lees. 2.9g/L dosage. Drink or hold.
    97 points
    JamesSuckling.com

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    2009 Billecart-Salmon Cuvee Elisabeth Salmon Vintage Rose Champagne
    Champagne, FRANCE
    $385. 00
    Bottle
    $4620.00 Dozen
    ABV: 12.5%
    Closure: Cork

    Other Reviews....
    Copper-orange color with aromas of grapefruit pith, cherry stones, dried roses, white pepper, pastries, walnuts and oyster shells. Refined and elegant with pretty, dried red and citrus fruit, layered with subtle spice and toast. Fine bubbles. Dry. 55% pinot noir from Mareuil-sur-Ay and Ay, and 45% Grand Cru chardonnay from Cote des Blancs, with 10% of pinot noir red wine. Dosage 7g/L. Disgorged in July 2021. Drink or hold.
    96 Points
    JamesSuckling.com (August 2022)

    Incorporating fully 10% still red wine, Billecart's 2009 Brut Rosé Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon is showing beautifully, delivering fragrant aromas of plums, stone fruits, petals, sweet spices and marzipan. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and elegant, it's seamless and pillowy, with bright acids and a pure, precise profile, concluding with a bright, saline finish. In 2009, it was vinified entirely in stainless steel. Drink 2022 - 2035.
    96 Points
    William Kelley - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (September 2022)

    An elegant rosé Champagne that seamlessly knits juicy acidity and fine-grained texture with a subtle, smoke-laced underpinning and a delicate mesh of wild strawberry, kirsch, mandarin orange peel and toasted brioche flavors. Harmonious, with an open-knit, spiced finish. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Disgorged July 2021. Drink now through 2029.
    93 Points
    Alison Napjus - Wine Spectator (December 2022)

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    2009 Billecart-Salmon Cuvee Elisabeth Salmon Vintage Rose Champagne Magnum (1500ml)
    Champagne, FRANCE
    $999. 00
    Bottle
    $11988.00 Dozen
    ABV: 12.5%
    Closure: Cork

    Other Reviews....
    Copper-orange color with aromas of grapefruit pith, cherry stones, dried roses, white pepper, pastries, walnuts and oyster shells. Refined and elegant with pretty, dried red and citrus fruit, layered with subtle spice and toast. Fine bubbles. Dry. 55% pinot noir from Mareuil-sur-Ay and Ay, and 45% Grand Cru chardonnay from Cote des Blancs, with 10% of pinot noir red wine. Dosage 7g/L. Disgorged in July 2021. Drink or hold.
    96 Points
    JamesSuckling.com (August 2022)

    Incorporating fully 10% still red wine, Billecart's 2009 Brut Rosé Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon is showing beautifully, delivering fragrant aromas of plums, stone fruits, petals, sweet spices and marzipan. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and elegant, it's seamless and pillowy, with bright acids and a pure, precise profile, concluding with a bright, saline finish. In 2009, it was vinified entirely in stainless steel. Drink 2022 - 2035.
    96 Points
    William Kelley - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (September 2022)

    An elegant rosé Champagne that seamlessly knits juicy acidity and fine-grained texture with a subtle, smoke-laced underpinning and a delicate mesh of wild strawberry, kirsch, mandarin orange peel and toasted brioche flavors. Harmonious, with an open-knit, spiced finish. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Disgorged July 2021. Drink now through 2029.
    93 Points
    Alison Napjus - Wine Spectator (December 2022)

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    2008 Billecart-Salmon Cuvee Louis Blanc de Blancs Champagne
    Champagne, FRANCE
    $399. 00
    Bottle
    $4788.00 Dozen
    ABV: 12.5%
    Closure: Cork

    Other Reviews....
    Disgorged in October 2020 with seven grams per liter dosage, the 2008 Brut Blanc de Blancs Cuvée Louis Salmon is showing beautifully, unfurling in the glass with scents of crisp yellow apple and stone fruits mingled with dried white flowers, freshly baked bread, buttery pasty and mandarin oil. Full-bodied, ample and fleshy, it's a textural, racy, penetrating wine endowed with considerable cut and concentration. It's derived from the villages of Cramant, Mesnil-sur-Oger and Chouilly, with the latter accounting for some 40% of the blend. Drink 2022 - 2042.
    96 points
    William Kelley - Wine Advocate (Sep 2022)

    The 2008 Brut Blanc de Blancs Louis Salmon (formerly the vintage Blanc de Blancs) and named after the maison’s first cellar master, is fabulous. Rich and ample, the 2008 is beautifully resonant in the glass. It offers up an enticing mélange of lemon confit, marzipan, dried flowers and spice. It’s a terrific 2008, especially for readers looking for a relatively affordable option to some of the super high-flyers in this celebrated vintage. The blend is 40% Chouilly, 33% Cramant, 20% Mesnil and 7% Avize, done 1/3rd in oak and 2/3rds in steel. Dosage is 7 grams per liter. Disgorged: October, 2020. Drink 2024-2038.
    95 points
    Antonio Galloni - Vinous

    Complex and rich nose of dried apricot, lemon pith, dried pineapple, praline, hazelnut, white cocoa, chalk and nutmeg. Creamy and delicious fruit here, yet it’s mineral and refined with very fine, precise bubbles. Structured, with a sharp, persistent backbone of acidity. Long and very focused. Chardonnay from 40% Chouilly, 33% Cramant, 21% Mesnil-Sur Oger, 7% Avize. 67% vinified in stainless steel tank, 33% in oak barrels. Disgorged October 2020. 7g/l dosage. Drink or hold.
    96 points
    JamesSuckling.com

    100% Chardonnay from the grand cru villages of the Côte des Blancs: 40% Chouilly, 33% Cramant, 20% Mesnil-sur-Oger, 7% Avize with 33% of the base wines vinified at low temperature in oak casks that are 15 years old on average. It was disgorged in May 2021 with a dosage of 7 g/l after 11 years' ageing on lees. (Information given on the back label.)
    Surprisingly meaty and broad for a Blanc de Blancs – a very serious, mature wine with real savour – a white burgundy sort of Blanc de Blancs. Tastes pretty dry – a food wine? Certainly a champagne connoisseur's wine… Really opens out on the finish.
    17.5/20 points
    Jancis Robinson MW

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    2006 Billecart-Salmon Le Clos Saint-Hilaire Champagne
    Champagne, FRANCE
    $1250. 00
    Bottle
    $15000.00 Dozen
    ABV: 12.5%
    Closure: Cork

    Other Reviews....
    Disgorged in November 2020 with two grams per liter dosage, Billecart-Salmon's newly released 2006 Brut Le Clos Saint-Hilaire is showing well, unwinding in the glass with aromas of pear, mirabelle plum, dried fruits, walnuts, bee pollen and spices. Full-bodied, layered and vinous, it's a concentrated, muscular young wine, allying maturing flavors with broad structural shoulders and racy acids and concluding with a long, resonant and slightly mordant finish. From a parcel planted in 1964 and vinified entirely in oak, this is a powerful Champagne of considerable presence that needs some more time on cork to unwind and round out. Drink 2023 - 2036.
    95+ points
    William Kelley - Wine Advocate (Sep 2022)

    Although it was disgorged in November 2020, Mathieu Roland Billecart has been keen to delay the release. The ageing post disgorgement is just as important as that before it and sometimes overlooked, he maintains. The wine has an attractive Welsh gold colour, a lively and persistent mousse, and seductive aromas of nectarine, greengage and Victoria plum. I even noted a hint of spearmint. The palate maintains a youthful nervosité; behind that generous fruit, including red fruit (cherry mainly), hints of brioche and hazelnut and then an authoritative finish. Great potential. Drink 2022 - 2036.
    93 Points
    Simon Field MW - Decanter (October 2021)

    Baked raspberries, salted yellow plums, figs, walnuts, orange zest, mahogany and some toasted vanilla on the nose. Medium-to full-bodied with beautifully integrated, very fine bubbles. Dry, with exciting and unique white-pepper and sea-salt notes. Seamless. So harmonious. Salty and spicy clove notes evolving at the end. Amazing precision. Single parcel pinot noir, 100% vinified in oak barrels. No malo. 2g/l dosage. Disgorged November 2020. 6,750 bottles. Drink or hold.
    99 Points
    JamesSuckling.com (April 2022)

    Rich nose, yeasty and so alive. The oak shows even more as the wine opens up, giving a cedar spice. Such underlying depth and richness with such a surprising mineral and acidic backbone with a verbena note, mandarin – the most citric of the lot. There is a subtler nuttiness here that is almost creamy, like a Belgian chocolate, almost oily on the finish yet with such direction. Drink 2025 – 2045.
    18.5 / 20 Points
    Alistair Cooper MW - JancisRobinson.com (October 2021)

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    • Reduced
    Billecart-Salmon Brut Nature Champagne Magnum (1500ml)
    Champagne, FRANCE
    Reduced from $275.00
    $260. 00
    Bottle
    $3120.00 Dozen
    Cellar: Drink now - 4 Years (2021-2025)
    ABV: 12%
    Closure: Cork

    An exuberant mousse holds well over a pale straw, pale gold tinged base that’s threaded by an ultra fine and very persistent bead. Heady baked bread and yeast lees aromas fill the nostrils with hints of citrus and pear fruits also present. Subtle oily toast and roasted almond like notes ensue. Racy yeasty baked bread and citrus flavours are both sculptured and tense. Oily toast like characters, chalky oyster shell and roasted almond characters fill out on the back half. Finishes very dry and crisp with a chiselled feel to the long aftertaste.
    Drink over the next 3-4 years.
    Alc 12%

    Other Reviews….
    A dense, layered Champagne with a full body and lots of creamy texture. Lovely cooked apple and pie crust. 40% pinot meunier, 30% chardonnay and 30% pinot noir. The base was 2015, but in total it contains 10 harvests. It was bottled at the beginning of 2016 and disgorged in March 2020. Four years on lees. Fantastic release. Drink or hold.
    94 points
    JamesSuckling.com

    • 95
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    Billecart-Salmon Reserve Brut Champagne Jeroboam (3000ml)
    Champagne, FRANCE
    $550. 00
    Bottle
    $6600.00 Dozen
    Cellar: Drink now - 4 Years (2020-2024)
    ABV: 12%
    Closure: Cork

    Billecart-Salmon’s ever reliable Reserve Brut is made from a blend of 30% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Meunier and spends 30 months ageing on its lees. 50-60% of the blend is made up of reserve wines.
    Buoyant and frothy upon pouring, the mousse fades into a pale straw coloured base that has flecks of pale gold to the edges and an extremely fine and persistent bead flowing through its core. A classic sniff of yeasty baked bread characters is followed by pear, cashew, hints of dried honey and brioche. The delicious palate has a satiny and airy like feel to it and features a flavour profile of baked bread, pear, yeast lees, subtle cashew, citrus and brioche. Dry crisp chalked tinged finish with a long and delicately creamy aftertaste.
    Drink over the next 3-4 years.
    Alc. 12%

    Other Reviews...
    An uncommon blend of 40% pinot meunier and 30% each of pinot noir and chardonnay, with 40% reserve wines, fermented in a mix of tank and use of aged oak barrels. Deliberate choice of meunier is the key to its drink any time soon style, combining elegance, finesse and great length.
    95 points
    James Halliday - Top 100 Wines of the Year 2019

    • 96
    2008 Billecart-Salmon Vintage Champagne Jeroboam (3000ml)
    Champagne, FRANCE
    $999. 00
    Bottle
    $11988.00 Dozen
    ABV: 12%
    Closure: Cork

    Other Reviews....
    A stunningly pure nose with aromas of apples, pears, grapefruit, dried flowers and fresh bread dough, all intermingled. The palate has a super fresh, sleek and vibrant feel with elegance, length and precision. The finish is so long and so precise. A stunning Champagne.
    96 points
    jamessuckling.com

    Categorically the finest Extra Brut ever conceived, this is a cuvee of laser line and immortal structure that rejoices in the lightning energy of 2008 and the exacting precision engineering that is Billecart. A glowing, medium straw hue is a dazzling prelude to its scintillating purity and drive, cut with magnificent acid line and high-tensile chalk structure. The distinguished, north-east facing slopes of Verzy and Verzenay take a delightfully fragrant and pure lead, presenting white cherry and strawberry hull that ring out in clear peals like church bells. Age has done nothing to evolve its pitch-perfect high notes, lending just the most subtle nuance of fresh almond. A cuvée to age for another 20 years at least – and it will live effortlessly for 50. In sheer, breathtaking purity, monumental chalk minerality, endless longevity – not to mention ludicrous affordability – Extra Brut 2008 is one of the champagne buys of the decade.
    97 points
    Tyson Stelzer - 2021 Champagne Guide

    A blend of 65% Pinot Noir consisting of Premier and Grand Crus from the Montagne de Reims and the Vallee de la Marne and 35% Chardonnay from the Cote des Blancs. Significantly, this has nine years ageing on its lees (longer than some Prestige Cuvees), the 2008 was first released onto the global market back in March 2019. With an Extra Brut dosage of 4g/l, this is a highly expressive, confident and convincing interpretation of the vintage. Right now, it is youthfully sharp and focused with fine salinity, depth, acidity and balance, and as such is already extremely approachable. The flavour spectrum encompasses toast, oyster shell, citrus, cream and a flinty, mineral depth. There’s supreme balance and elegance here, combined with a hidden underlying power that will continue to emerge and broaden with time. The finish is dry and long.
    97 points
    Decanter

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