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Champagne Wines

Champagne Wines

Champagne Wines

Champagne Wines

The sharp, biting acidity, cutting through the richness; the explosive force that shatters the bubbles as they rise to the surface; the intense flavor and compelling, lively mouthfeel; these are all hallmarks of a good Champagne. Most wines are made from a combination of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier, but there are pure-Chardonnay variants and ones that blend only Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. As a result, most wines come with a feeling of familiarity, if not nostalgia. Each Champagne house has its own unique style, so different bottles of Champagne may not resemble each other outside of the core varietal strengths. The soil composition of the subregion is characterized by belemnite and chalk, which lets it absorb heat during the daytime and release it at night. This terroir helps create the feeling of airy, playful lightness of fine sparkling wine.

These wines were originally marketed towards royalty, and you can feel a hint of that elusive blue-blood elegance and confidence while drinking one. A good Champagne carries you away like a hurricane carries small debris, and you can feel the powerful life force in each sip, each bubble even. The characteristic Champagne “pop” has become a staple at parties and celebrations around the globe – when you hear it, good times are right around the corner.

If you’re looking to steal the show at a big party or you’re simply in a celebratory, cheerful mood, you can’t go wrong with a bottle of fine Champagne. Pair it with deviled eggs or grilled chicken breast for maximum effect, and create a memorable evening for yourself and your loved ones.

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1985 krug Champagne

(Krug Vintage Brut (served from magnum)) This magnum was sadly the last bottle of the 1985 Krug Vintage in my cellar, but it was shared at a tasting to celebrate my fiftieth birthday and a very good friend’s sixtieth birthday, so I surmised that this must have been the occasion I was saving this magnum for all these years. The wine is drinking splendidly out of magnum and seemed a tad more generous than the bottle of the ’85 I reported on a year ago, jumping from the glass in a deep, complex and very classy nose of pears, apples, beautiful minerality, a delicate touch of almond paste, rye toast and citrus peel. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and very light on its feet for such a broad-shouldered wine, with a superb core of fruit, fine, pinpoint bubbles, lovely acidity and superb length and grip on the complex and à point finish. A beautiful wine. (Drink between 2011-2035)John Gilman | 96 JG(Krug Brut Champagne/Sparkling) I have had a number of bottles, even from the same cellar, that have been showing plenty of age and even occasionally flirting with oxidative hints yet this most recent bottle (from my cellar) was among the freshest I’ve had in a while with its intensely yeasty and toasty aromas of white orchard fruit, citrus peel, marmalade and orange peel. This is arguably the most complex vintage of the 1980s (though not necessarily the most vibrant or the most complete) and in particular I like the way that the mousse has managed to maintain most of its original vigor on the sweet yet ultimately dry finale that delivers very fine persistence. While this bottle was admirably fresh it’s clear that it’s time to drink up sooner than later unless your taste runs to post-mature characters. (Drink starting 2015)Burghound | 94 BHThe 1985 Krug was delicate, perfumed and lithe on the palate, with superb freshness and a more compact frame than the 1988. I came back to it often and never failed to be seduced by its mesmerizing personality. The 1988 Krug was decidedly more intense and full-bodied. It had everything; gorgeous fruit, acidity, texture and loads of complexity. In short, it was stunning.Vinous Media | 93 VM

96
WS
As low as $4,295.00
1996 duval-leroy femme de champagne grand cru Champagne Blend

A sculpted Champagne, with a steely backbone of acidity swathed in a fine and silky texture, offering rich flavors of baked apple and plum fruit, almond financier, crème de cassis, honey and toasted coconut. Long and mouthwatering, and still very, very young. Drink now through 2090. 1,500 cases made, 200 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 97 WSCompared to the 2000, the 1996 Champagne Femme offers a touch more vibrancy and purity in a similarly rich, layered, complex style. Stone fruits, beautiful minerality, hints of charcoal, as well as a touch of brioche and nuttiness, all flow to a textured, balanced, beautifully long and layered Champagne that’s drinking brilliantly today.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JD(Duval-Leroy Femme de Champagne Brut) The 1996 Duval-Leroy Femme de Champagne is a stunning wine that is now reaching its apogee of peak drinkability and is wide open and absolutely superb on both the nose and palate. The deep, complex and toasty bouquet offers up a classy mélange of apple, tangerine, pain grillé, a beautifully complex base of soil and a topnote of orange peel. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and toasty, with a superb core of pure fruit, crisp acids, utterly refined mousse, laser-like focus and superb length and grip on the wide open, vibrant and very classy finish. This is just a stunning bottle of bubbly. (Drink between 2012-2035)John Gilman | 95 JGDeep yellow in color the 1996 Femme de Champagne offers a complex, superbly clear, multilayered and fresh bouquet of cooked and roasted apples, citrus flavors, brioche, apricots, a touch of caramel and a hint of farmyard smell. Medium-bodied but full-flavored, clear and complex on the palate this is a stimulatingly and persistently pure, fresh and minerally flavored Champagne with citrus flavors in the aftertaste. Impressively vital and young this delicate but expressive Champagne is lovely to drink today but can be stored for another decade.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe estate’s 1996 Brut Femme de Champagne is really quite pretty in the way it balances some of the more mature notes from extended lees aging with the freshness of the vintage. To be sure, this isn’t a blockbuster 1996, but the Femme de Champagne offers plenty of class and elegance in an approachable, delicate style for the vintage. The rich, radiant fruit flows effortlessly through to the long, satisfying finish. This is a terrific effort from Duval-Leroy. This is Lot L9250N. Disgorged September 7th, 2009.Antonio Galloni | 91 AG

97
WS
As low as $799.00
1999 Philipponnat Clos des Goisses, Champagne
95
RP
As low as $379.00
1999 taittinger comtes de champagne Champagne

Intensely Chardonnay, this beautiful wine, named after the ancient rulers of Champagne, is pure mineral, green and citrus fruits, a steely shaft of pure concentration. Now just with a light touch of toast, this still will mature for several years.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 1999 Brut Blanc de Blancs Comtes de Champagne is beautiful. Understated at first, and also, surprisingly accessible, the 1999 Comtes de Champagne backs up its open, inviting personality with considerable muscle married to vibrant, pure fruit. The long, polished finish bursts with Chardonnay character. As is often the case, Comtes is at its best when it has been opened for at least 1-2 hours, or, even better, with a decade or more of bottle age. This is going to be a fascinating Comtes to follow in the coming years and decades. This is Lot L8283UI00600, disgorged August/September, 2008 (not indicated on label). Anticipated maturity: 2012-2039. Taittinger is one of Champagne’s most consistent large brands. The flagship Comtes de Champagne and Comtes de Champagne Rose, two of the finest wines in the region, sometimes fly under the radar, but they are both super-pedigreed wines with brilliant track records for developing considerable complexity in bottle. Readers who want to learn more about the estate and Comtes in particular may want to take a look at my article on www.erobertparker.com published earlier in the year. Taittinger does so many things well, but it would be great to see the estate add disgorgement dates to its labels. Importer: Kobrand Corp., Purchase, NY; tel. (914) 253-7756Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe 1999 Brut Blanc de Blancs Comtes de Champagne is beautiful. Understated at first, and also, surprisingly accessible, the 1999 Comtes de Champagne backs up its open, inviting personality with considerable muscle married to vibrant, pure fruit. The long, polished finish bursts with Chardonnay character. As is often the case, Comtes is at its best when it has been opened for at least 1-2 hours, or, even better, with a decade or more of bottle age. This is going to be a fascinating Comtes to follow in the coming years and decades. This is Lot L8283UI00600, disgorged August/September, 2008 (not indicated on label).Vinous Media | 95 VMThis shows a gorgeous apple, cream and sliced pineapple character. Full and fresh and bright. Always one of my favorite Champers, especially Blanc de Blanc.James Suckling | 95 JS(Taittinger Comte de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut) The 1999 Comtes de Champagne is a lovely bottle of wine that is now drinking very well. Given how ripe the ’99 vintage was in Champagne, the elegance and structural integrity of this bottling is most impressive, as it offers up an utterly classic bouquet of pear, delicious apple, a touch of tangerine, crème patissière, incipient notes of nutskin, glorious chalkiness, brioche and a classically smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and beautifully balanced, with excellent mid-palate intensity, bright acids, excellent focus and mousse and lovely grip on the long, complex and wide open finish. This is a touch more broad-shouldered than the equally fine 2000 Comtes, and the two vintages make lovely bookends. (Drink between 2014 - 2035)John Gilman | 94 JGThis was quite an unusual year, with higher temperatures than normal but also more rainfall. The nose is quite sweet with the scent of honey, and layers of ripe fruit with a hint of vanilla. The palate is opulent, with some coconut oil and caramel characters balanced with subtle toasted oak. It has a long, rich finish and fine acidity.Decanter | 92 DECA fine 1999, this wine is saturated with fruit while still feeling constricted by its youthful structure. Complex scents of pineapple, flint and musk broaden out into a clean, juicy finish. With the pale elegance of a great blanc de blancs, this is developing complexity as it ages.Wine & Spirits Magazine | 92 W&SToasted brioche, mushroom, vanilla and candied citrus flavors mark this delicate Champagne. This is more compelling up front, but balanced and appealing for its poise and texture. Drink now through 2020.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

95
VM
As low as $345.00
2002 bollinger grande annee Champagne

A stunning edition of one of the great vintage Champagnes that sees immense power and freshness carry the inherent complexity that is the cornerstone of the Bollinger style. Lemon rind, chalk, lime juice and light-grilled nuts here, this has terrific freshness and fragrant lift, gently sweet biscuity complexity here too. The palate’s crisp, powerful, assertive and long, delivering a wealth of apple, melon and citrus fruit flavour amid lemon biscuit, almond nougat and a jousting savoury vs. cleansing finish. It’s superb now, but will grow and develop handsomely for some years if well cellared. Drink from 2016.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2002 Brut La Grande Annee is marvelous. The 2002 is an understated Grande Annee that caresses the palate with layers of effortless, weightless fruit. The mousse is exceptionally fine, which adds to the impression of total elegance. This is a relatively bright, floral Grande Annee with plenty of aromatic lift, inner perfume and no sense of heaviness at all. A rich, creamy finish adds the final note of complexity and pedigree. The 2002 is 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, 71% from Grand Cru villages and 29% from Premier Crus. Disgorged February 2011. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2022.Robert Parker | 94 RP(60% pint noir and 40% chardonnay; 71% of the fruit is from grand cru sites and rest from premier crus; disgorged February, 2011): Light gold. Ripe pear and honey on the explosively perfumed nose, with sexy floral and marzipan nuances expanding with air. Fat, full and palate-coating, boasting impressive power and thrust. Shows an intriguing blend of richness and energy and finishes long, with smoky and spicy nuances.Vinous Media | 94 VMRipe, appealing flavors of peach, Gala apple, toast and blood orange mix with a streak of minerality and notes of spice, all set on the fine-grained texture. Fresh and focused, with racy acidity and a long, mouthwatering, nut-tinged finish. Drink now through 2025. 1,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSIn contrast to the heightened expressiveness of the 2004 Grande Année Rosé this is actually quite restrained with discreet notes of green apple, pear and citrus peel. The delicious, intense and voluminous flavors enjoy a prominent effervescence that is almost foamy yet the bead is strikingly fine, all wrapped in a distinctly yeasty, dry and admirably complex finish that goes on and on. This too could be enjoyed now or held for a number of years to come depending on how much yeast character you like.Burghound | 93 BH(Bollinger Grande Année Brut Millésime (Aÿ) The 2002 Bollinger Grande Année is a lovely wine that is drinking very well today and shows plenty of structural integrity to keep on cruising at this fine level for another fifteen years or more. The bouquet wafts from the glass in a mature blend of apple, peach, lovely soil tones, a touch of honeycomb, warm biscuits and a fair bit of smokiness in the upper register. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and beautifully balanced, with a fine core, elegant mousse, crisp acids and lovely length and grip on the wide open and classy finish. (Drink between 2015-2030)John Gilman | 93 JG

96
DEC
As low as $529.00
2002 pol roger cuvee sir winston churchill Champagne

With its gold color and mature, toasty flavors, this is possibly the greatest Winston Churchill ever. It has weight and richness, with a dense, full and rich texture. It’s in perfect balance, bringing together maturity and crisper apple and green plum fruit flavors that are cut with lemon. A mineral edge gives a nervy character that will allow this magnificent wine to age further.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEThe 2002 Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill is developing superbly in bottle, and the wine is beginning to show wonderful complexity, wafting from the glass with scents of green apple, orange rind and pear that mingle with hints of warm biscuits, freshly baked bread and iodine. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, broad and fleshy, with ripe acids, appreciable structuring dry extract and concentration and a long, vinous and expansive finish. Readers with the 2002 Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill in their cellars should be very happy indeed.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThe 2002 Brut Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill is wonderfully open, expressive and resonant. The richness of the vintage comes through nicely, yet the more overt elements are very nicely balanced by a good deal of freshness. Baked apple, pastry, candied lemon, dried flowers and warm, toasty notes shape the generous, resonant finish. With time in the glass, the 2002 takes a on a striking, vinous character. Readers might want to consider opening the 2002 a few hours in advance, as it really blossoms with air.Vinous Media | 95 VMThere’s a sense of quiet elegance and grace to this harmonious Champagne. Refined and lacy in texture, with finely wrought acidity lending focus and length to the spice- and graphite-laced flavors of ripe apricot and blackberry, lemon meringue pie, chopped almond and briny mineral. Drink now through 2029. 500 cases imported. — ANWine Spectator | 95 WS(Pol Roger, Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill, Champagne, France, White) More about structural fascination than aromatic pleasure. With its high acidity and simultaneously rich and impressive depth, this is reminiscent of the heroic 1996, and is equipped to develop far into the future. (Drink between 2020-2040)Decanter | 95 DE(Pol Roger “Cuvée Winston Churchill” Brut Millésime (Épernay)) The 2002 Pol Roger “Cuvée Winston Churchill” is still a young wine, but it is showing lovely potential and is probably only four or five years from starting to really drink with some of the generosity of maturity. The deep and pure bouquet offers up a still quite primary blend of apple, fresh-baked bread, a complex base of soil, gentle leesiness and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, crisp and rock solid at the core, with a lovely girdle of acidity, pinpoint bubbles and lovely length and grip on the vibrant and very promising finish. Fine juice in the making. (Drink between 2019-2040)John Gilman | 94 JG

95
VM
As low as $349.00
2002 Jacquesson & Fils Champagne Ay Vauzelle Terme, Champagne

Jacquesson’s 2002 Brut Ay Vauzelle Terme oozes class. A big, intense wine, the Vauzelle Terme is endowed with stunning depth. Pinot Noir seems inherently better suited to vinification in oak, and it shows in this vivid, kaleidoscopic Champagne. Seemingly endless layers of fruit built to a huge, creamy finish that satisfies all of the senses. Even with all of its density, there is plenty of underlying energy and finesse to ensure many years of fine, highly pleasurable drinking. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2022.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPJacquesson’s 2002 BrutAy Vauzelle Terme oozes class. A big, intense wine, the Vauzelle Terme is endowed with stunning depth. Pinot Noir seems inherently better suited to vinification in oak, and it shows in this vivid, kaleidoscopic Champagne. Seemingly endless layers of fruit built to a huge, creamy finish that satisfies all of the senses. Even with all of its density, there is plenty of underlying energy and finesse to ensure many years of fine, highly pleasurable drinking.Vinous Media | 96 VMPale yellow with the barest hint of rosé, indeed it is not at all obvious that this is made from 100% pinot noir. Initially the nose seems unduly fruity and lacking in nuance but with just a few minutes of air it delivers one of the more remarkable transformations I have ever witnessed in that it takes on superb breadth and depth and this knockout complexity is entirely in keeping with the cool, pure, intense and utterly delicious flavors. There is excellent verve and a very fine bead to the gorgeously long and balanced finish where the stunning depth reinforces that found on the nose and mid-palate. To be sure, this is a very understated wine of finesse and not at all fashioned like some of the bigger and bolder luxury marque rosés. In terms of drinkability, it’s a tough call as this is already dazzlingly good but if one wanted to cellar this, it would certainly reward medium-term, and perhaps even long-term keeping. In sum, this is genuinely exquisite and its only fault is that there is so little of it available - if you can find it, don’t hesitate.Burghound | 96 BHA small plot of old Pinot Noir produces this superb wine. It has all the richness of wines from Aÿ, with its red fruits and hint of sweetness. But it is the structure, the complexity that sets it apart, the grapes ripe and concentrated from a great year. Age for at least another five years. Wine Enthusiast | 96 WE

96
VM
As low as $489.00
2004 Laurent Perrier Grand Cuvee Alexandra Rose, Champagne (Rose)

Disgorged in 2012 after eight years sur lattes, the 2004 Brut Alexandra Grande Cuvée Rosé has really begun to develop some complexity after seven years on cork. Salmon-pink in hue, the wine wafts from the glass with a beautiful bouquet of blood orange, iodine, dried rose petals, aromatic bitters and tangerine. On the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, pure and racy, with a delicate pinpoint mousse, good concentration at the core and a long, saline finish. Readers who have had the foresight to cellar a few bottles should pop a cork or two, as this rosé is showing brilliantly.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPAromas of peaches and light cherries with rust and hints of grapefruit. Earth and spice undertone. Full-bodied, fruity and spicy. Hints of black pepper. Extremely bright and creamy texture. Delicious and delicate finish. Drink now.James Suckling | 95 JSFirst produced in the 1987 vintage to celebrate the marriage of owner Bernard de Nonancourt’s eldest daughter, this bottling is now mature. Ripe, it still retains plenty of red fruits while also allowing the toasty character to show through. It’s a rosé that calls for food, a rich and balanced wine that is just perfect to drink now.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WE(80% pinot noir and 20% chardonnay): Light, bright orange-pink. High-pitched red berry, orange zest and floral scents are underscored by an intense mineral nuance. Taut, linear and strikingly pure, offering deeply concentrated redcurrant and strawberry scents and hints of allspice, smoky lees and jasmine. Powerful yet lithe rose with superb finishing power, focus and mineral-driven persistence.Vinous Media | 94 VMAromatic notes of smoke and mineral herald this rich rosé Champagne, leading to a finely meshed mix of dried white cherry, toasted almond, spring forest and orange peel, carried on a soft, pearled bead. Fresh, with lightly mouthwatering acidity firming the fruitcake-laced finish. Drink now through 2029. 25 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSA luscious Champagne, this bristles with tight red raspberry and fresh floral notes. The flavors last with finesse, a sophisticated integration achieved through macerating Pinot Noir (80 percent) and Chardonnay together, allowing the skins of the Pinot Noir to bleed their color into the juice. Chef de cave Michel Fauconnet produces this wine only in top vintages, when the varieties ripen at the same time.Wine & Spirits | 93 W&S

96
VM
As low as $599.00
2004 Bollinger Grande Annee Rose, Champagne

The 2004 Brut Rosé La Grande Année is a beautifully focused, vibrant wine endowed with striking minerality and fabulous overall balance. Clean veins of chalkiness run through the fruit in this energetic, taut Rosé, while seductive floral notes linger on the finish. The 2004 is 68% Pinot Noir (including 5% still Pinot) and 32% Chardonnay, 89% from Grand Cru villages and 11% from Premier Crus. The 2004 is very young, but it is going to be nearly impossible to resist. It is a dazzling effort from Bollinger...Vinous Media | 96 VM(Bollinger “La Grande Année” Brut Rosé Millésime (Aÿ) Disgorged July 2014) The 2004 Bollinger “La Grande Année” Brut Rosé was disgorged only a couple of months prior to my tasting the wine, after spending fully nine and a half years aging sur latte in the maison’s cellars in Aÿ. The wine is comprised of a blend of seventy-two percent pinot noir and twenty-eight percent chardonnay and was finished off with a dosage of seven grams per liter. Five percent of the pinot noir in the blend is still wine to give its lovely salmon color. The wine offers up a superb and very refined bouquet of blood orange, white cherry, rye toast, chalky minerality, lovely spice tones and a gentle topnote of citrus blossoms. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, crisp and complex, with outstanding mid-palate concentration, bright, seamless acids, elegant mousse and exceptional focus and grip on the long, complex and very energetic finish. This is a stellar bottle of vintage Rosé and perhaps the finest I have ever tasted of this cuvée from Bollinger! (Drink between 2015-2030)John Gilman | 95 JGThis grand rosé is rich and rounded. Its red fruit flavors are layered with toast and spice notes, with depth that gives the wine another dimension of complexity. It could age in the bottle for at least 3–4 years.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEFramed by firm acidity and a minerally character, this harmonious rosé Champagne offers expressive flavors of raspberry pâte de fruit, ripe black cherry, brioche and lemon curd. Chalky in texture, with an elegant finish of ripe spice, graphite and ground coffee. Disgorged July 2014. Drink now through 2024. 300 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS(Bollinger Brut - La Grande Année Rosé Villages Rosé) A gorgeously complex, pure and refined nose of delicate red berry fruit, yeast and brioche aromas introduce delicious, fresh and strikingly intense flavors that are supported by an extravagant mousse that imparts a real sense of vibrancy to the dry, yeasty and again impressively complex finish. This is a really impressive rosé that is drinking well now though depending on your taste preferences could also just as easily be held for another 5 to 10 years. (Drink starting 2012)Burghound | 93 BHThe 2004 La Grande Année Rosé is based on 68% Pinot Noir and 32% Chardonnay, 89% from Grand Cru villages and 11% from Premier Crus. Disgorged in July 2013, this salmon colored rosé champagne displays fine red berry and floral flavors on the nose, whereas the palate is vibrant, taut and linear; it is full of tension, power and minerality, and extremely refreshing but not as elegant and refined as the white twin. The finish is a little bit stringent.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RP

96
VM
As low as $199.00
2004 Jacquesson Avize Champ Cain, Champagne
96
RP
As low as $689.00
2004 tarlant champagne cuvee louis brut nature Champagne

What a grand champagne this is! Stunning depth of savory character, married to concentrated candied-citrus and dried-apricot notes, plus a slew of delicate spicy notes. Very long, driving finish. Still has so much life in it! A single-vineyard wine from the Les Crayons site of Oeuilly that’s a blend of 50% chardonnay and 50% pinot noir ,wild-fermented in wooden casks without malolactic. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JSA blend of equal parts Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, the 2004 Cuvee Louis Tarlant is fabulous. Hints of orange peel, tangerine oil, mint, cinnamon, chamomile and dried flowers all grace the 2004. There is a gorgeous sense of transparency to the 2004, a Champagne that is at once vibrant, but also mellowed by the passage of time.Vinous Media | 94 VMBegun by the Tarlant family’s great grandfather, the first release of this cuvée was in 1982. The 2004 Champagne Cuvée Louis Tarlant Brut is equal parts Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, from the bottom of the hillside with more impact from the river. The nose has rich notes of honeyed and fresh orchard fruits of apricot, yellow flowers, and sweet citrus, and there is a balance and interplay between power and elegance. The palate has the most concentration and length of the range, and it is structured and has a long finish. It unfolds with fresh brioche, smoke, and Mirabel plum. It is open and drinking well now, although it will certainly continue to develop over the next two decades. Disgorged November 2021.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JD(Champagne Tarlant “Cuvée Louis Tarlant” Brut Nature Millésime (Oeuilly)) As I have said before, I love how the Tarlant family is willing to age their non-dosé bottlings for an extended period sur latte prior to disgorgement, which allows for the acids in the wines to relax prior to their being released into the market. Case in point, the 2004 Cuvée Louis Tarlant was disgorged in February of 2021, after more than fifteen and a half years aging on its fine lees! The wine is composed from its customary fifty-fifty blend of chardonnay and pinot noir from the family’s more than seventy year-old vines in the lieu à dit of les Crayons in the village of Oeuilly. The vins clairs are barrel-fermented and aged in cask for an extended period prior to bottling up for secondary fermentation. The 2004 Cuvée Louis Tarlant delivers a superb aromatic constellation of apple, white peach, warm bread, a complex base of soil tones, hazelnut, a touch of buttery oak and plenty of upper register smokiness. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied, focused and rock solid at the core, with beautiful soil signature, refined mousse and a long, complex and impeccably balanced finish. This is outstanding Champagne! (Drink between 2022 - 2050)John Gilman | 94+ JG

95
VM
As low as $159.00
2006 louis roederer cristal Champagne

Broad, ample and resonant on the palate, the 2006 Cristal dazzles with its pure richness and volume. Readers need to give the 2006 another 4-5 years in bottle, perhaps longer, as the wine appears to be shutting down a bit. Tasted next to the 2002, today the 2006 is a bit less opulent but just as intense, layered and deep. This is a fabulous showing. 10,000 cases imported in the US.Vinous Media | 97 VM(Louis Roederer, Cristal, Champagne, France, White) Fantastic from the start. A colossal power of beautiful rumbling Pinot maturity. It’s like chewing on the ripest grapes from Aÿ and Verzenay. At the same time ultra stylish: unmistakable Cristal essence of peach and mango sweetness, pineapple, coconut, vanilla, sprightly acidity and citrus blossom. Many similarities with 2002 but with a clearer Pinot touch. (Drink between 2016-2030)Decanter | 97 DECDeep pinot-driven presence is the first and lasting impression. Power with control. Superfine bead, bread and spiced biscuits, candied ripe red fruits and a sense of tight-knit complexity. Some grapefruit, lemon pith & gently flinty notes too - impressive nose. In the mouth it is rich, powerful, mouth-filling and flavorsome with a core of the same biscuity red fruit flavor, savory nutty notes and a wrap of assertive, persistent acidity that holds rich powerful flavor deep and focused whilst maintaining a polished, gently creamy texture. Long chalky bread and biscuit finish. A superb pinot-driven vintage.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2006 Cristal shows rich and ripe (tropical) fruit on the nose along with delicate brioche notes. Round and textured on the palate, this is a generous but fresh, fine and salty Cristal with a very long and greatly finessed finish. Tasted in New York, November 2018.Robert Parker | 95 RPThis elegant version shows beautiful texture and a sense of finesse despite the underlying power of vibrant acidity and smoky minerality. The palate offers a finely layered mesh of blackberry, poached pear, almond pastry, lemon zest and pickled ginger flavors. Drink now through 2028. 20,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WS(Louis Roederer Cristal Brut) The 2006 Cristal is comprised of a blend of fifty-five percent pinot noir and forty-five percent chardonnay, with twenty percent of the vins clairs having been barrel-fermented for this vintage. Despite the 2006 vintage’s predilection towards precociousness, there is no sign of this character in this beautiful rendition of Cristal, which offers up a deep, youthful and very serious bouquet of apple, delicate tangerine, brioche, fresh almond, very classy limestone minerality, incipient smokiness, a touch of orange peel and a floral topnote redolent of white lilies. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and impeccably balanced, with a great core of fruit, laser-like focus, utterly refined mousse, crisp acids and superb length and grip on the very pure and primary finish. Structurally, the 2006 Cristal is decidedly more open than its 2005 counterpart, but aromatically the wine is certainly not more developed and remains a young and very beautiful bottle of Champagne. I really love the background influence from the barrel fermentation here, which gives the wine a hint of roundness out of the blocks, but which does not intrude on the classically racy style of young Cristal. The 2006 Cristal will certainly reach its apogee earlier than the 2005, but this is still a young wine and deserves at least a handful of years in the cellar prior to drinking. (Drink between 2018-2040)John Gilman | 95 JGAlthough it is still young, this vintage of Cristal promises great things. There’s an impressive balance between ripe fruit and crisp acidity, rich and food friendly, but also a fine apéritif. Apricot and grapefruit flavors are round and rich, but with considerable minerality as well. This is a beautiful wine that can improve with age, at least through 2030. Wine Enthusiast | 95 WE(Louis Roederer Brut - Cristal (magnum) Champagne/Sparkling) Like the wine from 750 ml format, there is an ever-so-vaguely tropical element present on the yeasty, ripe and citrus-suffused nose. I like the solid mid-palate density exhibited by the rich and relatively round medium weight flavors that possess a fine but not especially firm effervescence; indeed the mouth feel of the finish is almost soft. In sum, this stylish effort is certainly complex and classy and the larger format preserves some of the vibrancy that the 750 ml version lacks. Note that this is drinking quite well even in the larger format though it will certainly live for years. (Drink starting 2017)Burghound | 92 BH

97
DEC
As low as $259.00
2006 Moet Chandon Dom Perignon, Champagne

This is very lively and vibrant with a dense and rich center palate. Lots of complexity and balance with pastry, sliced lemon and light dried mango. Full yet racy and intense. A beautiful center palate. Linear. Shows potential for aging but so good right now.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2006 Dom Pérignon is a beautifully balanced, harmonious Dom Pérignon that strikes an incredibly appealing stylistic middle ground. Rich, voluptuous and creamy, the 2006 shows off fabulous intensity in a style that brings together the ripeness of 2002 with the greater sense of verve and overall freshness that is such a signature of the 2004. Bass notes and a feeling of phenolic grip on the finish recall the 2003, as the Pinot Noir is particularly expressive today. After an irregular summer that saw elevated temperatures in July followed by cooler, damp conditions in August, more favorable weather returned in September, pushing maturation ahead and leading to a long, protracted harvest. The 2006 falls into the family of riper, more voluptuous Dom Pérignons, but without veering into the level of opulence seen in vintages such as 2002.Vinous Media | 97 VMA wine that surpassing the 2000, the 2006 Dom Perignon offers beautiful stone fruits, toasted hazelnuts, citrus blossom, and brioche. It shows the richer side of the 2006 vintage with plenty of richness, yet it has bright acidity, a tight, reserved style, and a great finish, it just needs time.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThe 2006 Dom Pérignon comes from a very rich vintage with an early ripeness that brought a lot of aromatic maturity. The white-golden prestige cuvée contains a bit more Chardonnay than Pinot Noir and opens with a deep and seductive, pretty accessible nose with intense yet fresh fruit aromas of pineapples, with peaches and tangerines. Lively and elegant on the palate, this is a full-bodied, unusually aromatic and fruity DP with a long and tension-filled expression.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPA graceful, minerally version, featuring rich notes of smoke, mandarin orange peel and chalk that lead to subtle accents of crème de cassis, toasted almond, espresso and star anise on the fine, creamy mousse. Seamlessly knit, with citrusy acidity leaving a mouthwatering impression on the finish. Drink now through 2031.Wine Spectator | 95 WS(Dom Pérignon Brut (Moët et Chandon)) The 2006 version of Dom Pérignon is another wine that probably owes its existence to the very real success that Richard Geoffroy realized with the 2003 vintage and the willingness to more fully explore each vintage as a possible release of this bottling. 2006 is not a great vintage in Champagne, but the ’06 Dom Pérignon has turned out beautifully, offering up an almost exotic nose of peach, mirabelle, chalky soil tones, a touch of menthol, saline mineral elements and again, a topnote of dried flowers. On the palate the wine is full-bodied and already wide open in personality, with a good core, a lovely synthesis of fruit and minerality, sound acids and impressive length and grip on the frothy and complex finish. Not a classic DP in the traditional sense, but a very, very worthy DP that beautifully captures the potential of 2006 with precise selection and a great blending palate. It will not prove to be a particularly long-lived vintage of this wine, but it is drinking beautifully already and will provide plenty of pleasure during its plateau of maturity. (Drink between 2018-2035)John Gilman | 94 JGA noticeably reduced nose still manages to reveal the underlying yeast characters. This is clearly very young and tight (and particularly so in mag format) as the effervescence is fine but still quite compact and the flavors are equally backward before culminating in a powerful, focused and lingering finish. This is a vintage of Dom that is indisputably built-to-age and it's going to need plenty of it as it's not really all that pleasurable at the moment. This isn't to say no pleasure but the 2006 reminds me a bit of the 1988 at the same juncture and for those among you who remember that great wine in its youth, you'll know that it was almost 20 years before it fully blossomed. I suspect that the 2006 is going to follow a similar path in its evolution which is to say that plenty of patience is going to be required before it's fully ready.Burghound | 93 BHContrary to received wisdom, 2006 is presented as a more difficult vintage than 2005, with low acidity and a high pH provoking doubts as to the harmony and integrity of the wine’s finish. The lengthy yeast maturation proved redemptive however. The wine is a touch milky, with butterscotch then mango and a gentle hint of brioche, its acidity bright, linear and poised. The autolytic legacy informs the finish and leaves an enigmatic savoury note, itself underwriting inherent complexity. A charming flirt, happy to give the spittoons a night off.Decanter | 93 DEC

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As low as $225.00
2006 Tarlant Champagne Blanc De Blancs La Vigne D'Antan Brut Nature, Proprietary Blend

From ungrafted vines and one of the truly exceptional wines from Tarlant, the 2006 Champagne Blanc de Blancs La Vigne d’Antan Brut Nature is expressive in its bouquet of honeysuckle, toasted brioche, lemon curd, and white peach. Full-bodied, it fills the palate with wonderful depth and purity, offering ripe fruit and fantastic freshness. A complete wine, it has a refined mousse with refreshing acidity and wonderful salinity on the finish. This exceptional wine is my favorite from Tarlant once again, and it will be a treat to revisit over the coming decades. Drink 2023-2043. Disgorged June 2022.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDA dense and almost chewy Champagne with a richness and length with cooked apple and hints of strawberry character. Lots of pie crust and savory cookie undertones. Some mineral and iron, too. From a single vineyard of chardonnay, ungrafted vines. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JS

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As low as $379.00
2006 Cedric Bouchard Roses de Jeanne La Haut Lemblee, Champagne

Is there a better way to start lunch than with Cedric Bouchard’s 2006 Blanc de Blancs La Haute-Lemblée and a dozen oysters? I doubt it. The wine was absolutely beautiful, even a touch reserved, but the trademark Bouchard elegance was on full display. Bouchard’s Champagnes remain some of my very favorite wines on the planet. This bottle was stunning.Vinous Media | 96 VM

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As low as $499.00
2006 Cedric Bouchard Roses de Jeanne Noirs Ursules, Champagne

The Roses de Jeanne Blanc de Noirs Les Ursules may very well be one of the finest Pinot Noir wines of Champagne. Stunning aromatics meld into a finessed, layered expression of Pinot fruit, all wrapped into a silky-textured frame of profound beauty. The wine possesses striking clarity and detail, a fine mousse and an eternal finish. This too is 100% 2006 juice that spent 28 months on its lees and was bottled with no dosage. This bottle was disgorged in July, 2008. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2018.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThis vineyard is located in Celles. Bouchard has 0.97 hectares under vine. Les Ursules is the only Roses de Jeanne vineyard that Bouchard does not own, but rather farms through a long-term lease arrangement. Bouchard believes that Pinot Noir from this site is particularly well-suited to aging in magnums and it is likely that in the future the entire production from Les Ursules will be bottled in large formats. Recently Bouchard has begun to make some of his Coteaux Champenoise wines from this site.The 2006 Roses de Jeanne Blanc de Noirs Les Ursules combines elements of the 2002 and 2005. The explosive bouquet recalls the boisterous, super-rich 2002, but then the wine turns quite a bit more linear on the palate, with a layers of minerality that invite a comparison with the shy, introspective 2005. The development in the glass is nothing short of spectacular. Over time, the mousse becomes imperceptibly fine as the bubbles virtually disappear, revealing a moving, intensely satisfying wine. Hints of Mirabelle plums, red berries, mint, spices and flowers linger on the sublime finish. This is a magnificent, towering Champagne from Cédric Bouchard. A small number of magnums will go on sale later in 2010. Readers should do whatever they can to snap them up. Although the 2006 will only get better in bottle I frankly find it impossible not to drink today.Vinous Media | 95 VM

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As low as $1,299.00
2006 billecart salmon cuvee nicolas francois vintage brut Champagne

Created in 1964 as a tribute to the house’s founder, the youngest release is the 2006 Millésime Brut Cuvée Nicolas François, a blend of 60% Pinot Noir from premier and grand crus from the Montagne de Reims and the Grande Vallée de la Marne and 40% Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs. Almost entirely fermented in stainless steel (only 5% was vinified in oak barrels) and aged for 11 years on the lees, this is a beautifully ripe and rich yet pure champagne with ripe fruit flavors intermixed with chalky notes and brioche/nougat flavors. The palate is intense and concentrated in its rich fruit and substantial depth but also tight, highly elegant and perfectly balanced. The typical finesse of Billecart-Salmon is palatable as well as amazingly pure, with the persistent structure of a great Champagne. The 2006 already drinks dangerously well, but there is no need to hurry, this will go a long way.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThe 2006 Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart is shaping up to be a jewel of a wine, but it needs time to be at its best. I am surprised by how tightly wound it is. But that only makes me think what it might develop into with time in the cellar. Lemon confit, white flowers, mint, crushed rocks and sage meld together in a bright, crystalline Champagne endowed with terrific purity. The 2006 is 60% Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims and the Vallée de la Marne and 40% Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs, mostly done in steel, with just a touch of oak, around 5%. Dosage is 6 grams per liter.Vinous Media | 97 VMThis wine has always been a blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay since its inception in 1964, honouring the house’s co-founder. Like the other founder’s cuvées, 5% of the wine is vinified in old oak barrels and it then spends 11 years on its lees with partial malolactic fermentation. It has a beautiful mousse and fine, fast-streaming bubbles, and is very tight and reserved at first, opening in the glass to reveal refined sous bois, pastry, tart red apple, rich yellow plum and lifted floral notes. Elegant, complex, long and zesty, it’s still very young with its full potential yet to show.Decanter | 96 DECA rounded vintage, with very attractive white peach, apricot and nectarine fruits as well as lemon and yellow grapefruit, dried flowers, orange rind and some clotted cream. The palate has an assertive, sturdy and punchy feel to it. Bright acidity that’s lime sorbet-like. Good length and plenty of fresh stone fruit flavors. Fleshy and lively. Drink this now.James Suckling | 96 JSNamed after the founder of the house, Nicolas François Billecart (who married Elisabeth Salmon), this wine is now at its peak. It is poised between fresh apple fruits and broader, riper maturity. This balance gives a ripe wine hinting at toast and almonds while still with a dry aftertaste.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEFine and creamy, this harmonious Champagne layers a firm backbone of bright acidity with a lovely range of orange pâte de fruit, marzipan, lime blossom and toasted brioche notes. Tightly meshed and racy, with a long, lightly spiced finish. Drink now through 2030.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

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As low as $369.00
2008 veuve clicquot la grande dame Champagne

Now almost blanc de noirs, boasting 92% Pinot Noir and just 8% Chardonnay from 60%-70% estate vineyards. La Grande Dame is one of the most affordable of Champagne’s elite prestige set, and the stunning 2008 vintage was intricately engineered by the masterful Dominique Demarville for the long haul. It unites all of the enduring potential of its thundering grands crus with the tension and energy of this legendary season, colliding high-tensile acidity with deep, fine, powdery chalk minerality, bringing its finish into stark focus. Drinking Window 2020 - 2048.Decanter | 97 DECThis is a sunny and delicious 2008, with brightness infusing the wine, from its platinum color to its mineral intensity, transforming its richness and power into cool elegance. Notes of agave and cassia bark add depth, suggesting the complexity this will develop with further bottle age.Wine & Spirits | 95 W&SAn elegant Champagne, powered by a sculpted frame of acidity and minerality, this wears the refined, lacy mousse and well-meshed flavors of black currant, lemon curd, toast and marzipan like finely tailored clothing. Fresh and lasting, with hints of spice and smoke on the finish. Disgorged August 2016. Drink now through 2033.Wine Spectator | 95 WSExhibiting aromas of pear, toasted brad, confit citrus and smoke, the 2008 Brut La Grande Dame is full-bodied, rich and textural, with a deep and layered core, ripe but racy acids and a saline finish. A blend dominated by fully 92% Pinot Noir, this is true to the cuvée’s rich and muscular style, but the vintage lends it welcome additional cut and precision. It’s showing a lot better than the bottles I tasted in the United States last year.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThis rich Champagne is dominated, as usual, by Pinot Noir. Its ripe fruit is approaching maturity, the hints of toast and croissant becoming more apparent. It is balanced, rich but textured and with an opulent, ripe aftertaste. Drink now.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

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As low as $170.00
2008 piper-heidsieck cuvee rare Champagne

Like a stallion out of the gate, this shows an initial explosion of power, in the form of mouthwatering flavors and fine texture, before quickly settling into an elegant gait. The racy acidity is seamlessly knit, buoying the lacy mousse and flavors of cassis, toasted brioche and tangerine, with accents of candied ginger, hazelnut and fleur de sel lingering on the long, creamy finish. Drink now through 2035. 2,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 97 WSThe 2008 Champagne Rare is luxurious with aromas of graham cracker, honeysuckle, quince, and orange zest. It is round and opulent, with a fine and pillowy mousse, and retains freshness throughout, with apricot and yellow flowers. It is impressive and long, and fully luxurious. Drinking well now, it is sure to hold its own for years to come. Drink 2022-2044.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDA lively first nose of candied lemon, guava, also a hint of lime. With aeration, notes of almonds and almond flowers come to the fore. On the palate, there is a nervy tension that energises its fine, crystalline texture. This is an upright and elegant Champagne whose long, airy finish is mouthwatering. After some time in the glass, it evolves towards notes of smoke, flint and vanilla. A sumptuous Champagne. Disgorged: November 2019. Dosage: 9g/L. Drinking Window 2021 - 2040.Decanter | 95 DECThe newly released 2008 Brut Cuvée Rare is very promising, unwinding in the glass with a youthfully reserved nose of citrus oil, crisp green apple, freshly baked bread, iodine and oyster shell, as well as some rather herbaceous characteristics that depress my score a little, even if I suspect that they will resolve with a bit more bottle age. Medium to full-bodied, incisive and tightly wound, if the 2006 vintage was gourmand and demonstrative, the 2008 is slower to show all its cards. Built around racy acids and complemented by a pillowy mousse, this rendition of Cuvée Rare will reward a few years more on cork.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93+ RP

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As low as $195.00
2008 Perrier Jouet Belle Epoque
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As low as $419.00
2009 dom ruinart brut blanc de blancs Champagne

The 2009 Dom Ruinart has been absolutely fabulous on two separate occasions. Chef de Caves Frédéric Panaïotis turned out a brilliant edition of this tête de cuvée that offers a compelling balance of richness and vibrancy. Citrus, mineral, spice and dried flowers are all beautifully delineated throughout. In 2009 Dom Ruinart has a bit less fruit from the Montagne de Reims and more from the Côte des Blancs (specifically Cramant, Avize, Chouilly and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger) than has often been the case. This approach gives the wine more tension and steeliness than readers might expect in a vintage known for generally forthcoming Champagnes. I would not be in any rush to open the 2009, as it very clearly needs time. The only question is how much. Superb. (Originally published in May 2021)Antonio Galloni | 97 AGAn expansive and luxurious blanc de blancs Champagne with incredible depth of toasty and creamy character from long contact with the yeast. Flows over the palate in a single, great wave that extends into the enveloping and energetic finish, making you forget all the troubles of the world. Subtle floral, peach, candied-citrus and spicy notes. Spot-on balance and so lively, it surely has many years ahead of it. 80% of the cuvée is from Avize, Chouilly, Oger and Le Mesnil, plus 20% Montagne de Reims. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 97 JSIt was monk Dom Thierry Ruinart who, three centuries ago, inspired his nephew Nicolas to create what is widely held to be the oldest Champagne company. This cuvée is a creation inspired by only the most exceptional vintages of Chardonnay. The first Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs was created in 1959. Simon Field MW: Bright and persistent mousse. Has finely grained acidic structure, deferential to the ripe and generous fruit, holding everything together with real gusto. Alan Bednarski: Marvellous, crisp and still fresh, getting into slightly ripe and dry stone fruits with a scent of dry herbs, orange peel and yoghurt pie. Tim Hall: A struck-match style but nevertheless crowd-winning appeal here. A triumph of pure and well-wrought texture, spice, developed fruit and length. Very good in its style. Drinking Window 2021 - 2027.Decanter | 95 DECThe 2009 Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs is showing very well out of the gates, wafting from the glass with aromas of stone fruits, wheat toast, blanched almonds and white flowers. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and incisive, with an ample core of fruit, bright acids and chalky grip, it's complemented by a pretty pinpoint mousse. This is a charming, generous Dom Ruinart, yet it's also quite structured for the vintage and should enjoy a long life.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThere's a lovely, buoyant vibrancy to this round and harmonious blanc de blancs, with well-honed acidity wrapped in the fine mousse. Flavors of baked pineapple, ripe apricot, candied ginger and lemon thyme expand on the palate through to the minerally finish of chalk and smoke. Disgorged March 2018. Drink now through 2031.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

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As low as $199.00
2009 Billecart Salmon Cuvee Louis Salmon Brut Blanc de Blancs

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.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe 2009 Brut Blancs de Blancs Louis Salmon is a rich, heady wine. In 2009, Billecart-Salmon opted not to use lots aged in oak, which, along with partially blocked malolactic fermentation, helps explain the wine’s freshness and verve. Lemon peel, white flowers, white pepper and chalk are all beautifully delineated. There’s gorgeous density and power here, along with a good bit of vintage 2009 radiance. What a gorgeous Champagne this is. The Louis Salmon is a blend from Mesnil-sur-Oger, Chouilly and Cramant. Dosage is 3.75 grams per liter. Disgorged: second trimester 2022.Vinous Media | 96 VMThis 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.James Suckling | 96 JSDisgorged 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.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPChardonnay from Grand Cru vineyards in the Côte des Blancs presents its mineral texture and impressively fresh white fruits. Its taut character gives the Champagne a nervy character that helps keep its surprising youthfulness. Drink now.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEFreshness and finesse define the Louis Salmon Brut Blanc de Blancs 2009 Grand Cru from the Côte des Blancs, a cuvée that pays homage to the first Chef de Cave at Billecart-Salmon. Cold fermented in stainless steel and aged on fine lees until the third quarter of 2022, it was finished Extra Brut with a 3.75 grams per liter dosage. Expressive and alluring aromas of citrus confit, pear tart, freshly baked brioche, clover honey and a whiff of verbena blossoms open onto a light to medium-bodied, creamy palate brimming with ripe citrus and stone fruits that are amplified by exhilarating acid tension, perceptible salinity and a lengthy finish with a chalky grip. Lot: L84146The Wine Independent | 95+ TWIA vivid Champagne, with a fine mouse acting as a creamy swath around well-honed acidity, which defines this wine and carries flavors of poached apricot and ripe green apple, toast point and roasted nuts, preserved lemon and saffron. Salt-tinged finish. Disgorged summer 2022. Drink now through 2029.Wine Spectator | 93 WSNo written review provided. | 93 W&S

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As low as $215.00
2011 taittinger comtes de champagne Champagne

A firm, fresh Comtes with a tight and composed palate. It’s full-bodied with a racy mid-palate. Long and persistent. Very structured with phenolics and acidity. Minerally. Floral, too. Refreshing and energetic. September 2021 release. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 97 JSAfter the tightly coiled, hyper-concentrated 2008, Taittinger’s 2011 Brut Blanc de Blancs Comtes de Champagne represents a more immediate, charming rendition of this cuvée. Bursting from the glass with aromas of orchard and stone fruit mingled with notions of pastry cream, blanched almonds and mandarin, it’s medium to full-bodied, pillowy and fleshy, with a soft and enveloping profile, lively acids and a pretty pinpoint mousse. Readers might think of the 2011 as a somewhat less reductive and less intense stylistic sibling of the 2006, and as it takes on more toasty complexity with bottle age, it will make for immensely seductive drinking.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RP100% Chardonnay sourced from five grand cru villages: Avize, Chouilly, Cramant, Mesnil-sur-Oger and Oger. Superb bouquet revealing scents of mirabelle plums, orchard fruits, brioche, pastry, and liquorice, complicated by classy autolytic notes. On the palate, this remarkable 2011 has a tauter and more fine-boned texture than usual, which is enhanced by bubbles of striking finesse and delicacy. This is indeed a very refined, chamber-music-like Comtes de Champagne that ends ethereally with airy harmonics and chalky notes infused with candied lemon. Dosage: 9g/L. Disgorged: April 2021. Drinking Window 2021 - 2040.Decanter | 94 DECA minerally version, with smoke and saline notes deftly meshed with flavors of glazed apple, lemon-infused pastry cream and marzipan. This is fine and softly creamy in texture, with lemony acidity providing good definition through to the lightly toasty finish. Elegant. Drink now through 2030. 2,800 cases imported. Wine Spectator | 93 WS

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As low as $215.00
2012 Billecart Salmon Cuvee Louis Salmon Brut Blanc de Blancs

The 2012 Brut Blancs de Blancs Louis Salmon is a gorgeous Champagne. Lemon confit, spice, baked apple tart, chamomile and dried flowers are all nicely amplified. The 2012 was done 75% in tank and 25% in oak, with most of the lots undergoing malolactic fermentation. There’s a feeling of reserve in the 2012 that is quite appealing. This edition is terrific, but it also needs time to be at its best. I would be in no rush to open this. Low yields and a year beset by frost, hail, heavy rain, mildew and sunburn at various times produced a rich Champagne. The blend of sites in Mesnil-sur-Oger, Chouilly, Cramant and Oiry works so well. Dosage is 3.9 grams per liter. Disgorged: first trimester 2023.Vinous Media | 97 VMTasted from magnum. Alongside the main release in 75cl, a limited number of magnums of 2012 Louis Salmon have been released simultaneously. Aged under cork during its second fermentation, these reframe the 2012’s already expressive aromatics in explosive charry, flinty energy and an extra degree of fluid freshness on the palate, representing an irresistible supercharging of the beautifully ripe lemon syrup, apricot and sweet spice flavours present in this fine release, nimble and transparent with a beautifully precise palate unmarked by dosage or some of the heavier, more concentrated fruit the year can bring. 60% from Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, with the remainder from Cramant, Chouilly and Oiry, with 25% barrel fermentation and 115 months on lees. Dosage 3.9g/L.Decanter | 96 DECPrecise and sensual blanc de blancs with notes of pie crust, grapefruit, white peaches, chalk and hazelnuts. Driven, mouth-watering and with fantastic structure, yet it’s so balanced and creamy. Very fine and silky bubbles. 3.9g/L dosage. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JS

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As low as $215.00
2012 Billecart Salmon Elisabeth Salmon Brut Rose

This has a lovely copper color with aromas of cloves, spiced apples, raspberries, gingerbread and pastries. Delicious yeasty and spicy undertones. Excellent density and focus, with fine and firm bubbles, yet it’s light on its feet and so fresh. Long, chalky and salty at the end. Chardonnay and pinot noir. 3.8g/L dosage. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2012 Brut Rosé Cuvée Elizabeth Salmon offers up hints of red berry fruit, ginger, spice, rosewater, mint and crushed flowers. There is a feeling of classic austerity that runs through the 2012. I would prefer to cellar this for at least a few years, as it is quite reticent at this stage. Chalk, mint, white pepper and bright saline accents linger on the pointed finish. Dosage is 3.8 grams per liter. Disgorged: first trimester 2023.Vinous Media | 96 VMElisabeth Salmon 2012 shows all the signs of being a true classic for Billecart-Salmon, beautifully balanced between the most alluring Pinot aromatics – black cherry juice, peach melba and fresh raspberry – and an engine of pure, persistent Chardonnay energy of bright clementine and zesty length, all lifted with subtle details of allspice, rose petal and nougat and delivered on an effortlessly silky mousse. Open for business, yet without the showiness that the wines of this vintage can sometimes display, it’s a rosé of assured refinement and quiet intensity that seems set for a long future. 55% Chardonnay from Chouilly, Avize, Cramant and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger with 45% Pinot Noir from Mareuil-sur-Aÿ and Ambonnay, with 8.3% red wine addition from Mareuil-sur-Aÿ. 2.9% fermented in barrel, and released after 115 months on lees with a dosage of 3.8g/L.Decanter | 95 DEC

96+
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As low as $219.00

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