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1990: An extraordinary effort, Yquem’s 1990 is a rich and fabulously superb, sweet wine. This wine also possesses lots of elegance and finesse. The wine’s medium gold color is accompanied by an exceptionally sweet nose of honeyed tropical fruits, peaches, coconut, and apricots. High quality, subtle toasty oak is well-integrated. The wine is massive on the palate, with layers of intensely ripe botrytis-tinged, exceptionally sweet fruit. Surprisingly well-integrated acidity, and a seamless, full-bodied power and richness have created a wine of remarkable harmony and purity. Certainly it is one of the richest Yquems I have ever tasted, with 50-100 years of potential longevity. An awesome Yquem! Anticipated maturity: 2003-2050+.Robert Parker | 99 RPHard to contain this wine within the contours of the glass - this is exuberant, concentrated and luscious. Full of blood orange, nectarine, saffron, touches of caramelised ginger, truffle and crème brûlée. A see-saw of zesty acidity and luscious sweetness, this is a beautiful wine that still has decades ahead of it. Owned by the Lur Saluces family at the time, clearly showing why Yquem stands in its own category in the appellation. Drinking Window 2021 - 2050.Decanter | 98 DECTruly superb. Yellow with a gold hue. Intense spice, honey and dried orange peel aromas.Full-bodied, very sweet and very alive. Vibrant Sauternes that goes on and on on the palate. Doesn’t get much better than this. Beautiful now,but wait.--1990 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2010. 18,750 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSFull-blown aromas of caramel, toffee, honey, white chocolate and damp earth; slightly Tokaj-like. Hugely concentrated and layered in the mouth; extraordinary sweetness cut by harmonious acidity. As with the best vintages of Yquem, the finish goes on for a minute or more. Stains, and stuns, the palate. A huge wine, surprisingly extravagant on the nose (earlier bottles have been far more restrained) but completely unevolved and a bit musclebound on the palate. May ultimately merit a higher score.Vinous Media | 94+ VM

Unusually, the 1990 vintage produced grapes with high sugars and high acidity, which has led to this legendary Cristal which is so ripe, rich, limpid, and dazzlingly delicious on the nose and palate. Nearly thirty years of bottle age have mellowed and condensed the flavour spectrum to a beautiful melange of citrus, candied fruit, almond, pear, truffle and gingerbread. There’s also a lovely creamy, soft, silky texture which belies the length, depth and reach of this classically elegant and vibrant champagne. Beautifully mature and ready now, but no hurry to drink up because of the vein of life-giving acidity which gently cradles it. Pure nectar. Drinking Window 2017 - 2030.Decanter | 99 DECThe Louis Roederer 1990 Cristal is awesome! A classic of power and finesse, richness and delicacy, it may be the greatest Cristal I have ever tasted!Robert Parker | 97 RPThe 1990 Cristal is remarkable. Polished, nuanced and light on its feet, the 1990 is all class. Citrus, orchard fruit and floral notes are wonderfully lifted throughout. A slight reductive note adds character on the finely knit finish. I can’t think of a better way to start this tasting. Simply put, the 1990 is a total rock star. Moreover, it is much more delicate than most wines from this ripe vintage. Amazingly, the 1990 tastes like it is still not ready! “Nineteen ninety was my second vintage here,” says Chef de Caves Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon. “It was ideal. The fruit was just perfect. We blocked the malolactic fermentation completely and only fermented 6-7% of our lots in oak, as opposed to the more typical 20%, in order to preserve as much freshness as possible. The wine was made by my predecessor, Michel Pansu, but I was learning. This was the first year I started working with oxygen by reducing sulfites in vinification to pre-oxidize the Chardonnay musts, as I do know, which allows me to get rid of all the unstable, oxidative compounds. With Pinot, on the other hand, you need a little bit of sulfur at crush or you lose the brilliant fruit.Antonio Galloni | 97 AG(Louis Roederer Cristal Brut) I had not crossed paths with a bottle of the 1990 Cristal since all the way back in 2006, so I was absolutely delighted to see that Jean-Baptiste has selected this vintage to be included in our vertical at the maison in the spring of 2018. Having tasted this wine last in a large tasting of the 1990 vintage of Champagne in 2006, I was curious to see how the wine had evolved over the last dozen years and I was delighted to see that it had continued to blossom beautifully and that I had quite underrated it back in ’06. Today, the wine is into its apogee of peak maturity and is absolutely lovely, offering up a deep and complex nose of baked pears and peaches, a touch of white truffle, a beautiful blend of almond and walnut, limestone soil nuances, gentle smokiness and incipient notes in the upper register of the honey to come with further aging. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and utterly refined in profile, with a lovely core, still vibrant mousse, excellent complexity and grip, precise focus and a very long, poised and seamlessly balanced finish. When I last tasted this wine, the muscular nature of the 1990 vintage was quite evident in this wine, but the additional twelve years of bottle age has allowed the inherent elegance of Cristal to come to the fore and this wine is now quite classical in profile and an absolute joy to drink today. (Drink between 2018-2035).John Gilman | 95 JGYou won’t soon forget this vivid and expressive Champagne. It packs in compound layers of citrus, vanilla, pear and nutmeg that harmonize and linger on the finish. Bright acidity makes it extra refreshing and layered. It has really opened up since last year. Best from 2000 through 2010. 25,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

Like lemon curd on the nose, turning to honey and caramel. Full-bodied and very sweet, with fantastic concentration of ripe and botrytized fruit, yet balanced and refined. Electric acidity. Lasts for minutes on the palate. This is absolutely mind-blowing. This is the greatest young Sauternes I have ever tasted. Best after 2010. 12,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 100 WSThis is a crazy wine! It’s sweet, but not sugary. Mushrooms, furniture wax, spices then dried oranges, lemons, pineapples, and just a hint of vanilla. Full-bodied, with great density and power, yet balanced and refined. So amazing, but give this five to six years still. Pull the cork in 2016. 145 grams RS.James Suckling | 100 JSA monumental effort, the 2001 Rieussec boasts a light to medium gold color in addition to a fabulous perfume of honeysuckle, smoky oak, caramelized tropical fruits, creme brulee, and Grand Marnier. The wine is massive and full-bodied yet neither over the top nor heavy because of good acidity. With intense botrytis as well as a 70-75-second finish, this amazing Sauternes will be its apogee between 2010-2035.Robert Parker | 99 RPA magical Sauternes that shows how good the 2001 vintage was for the region, the 2001 Château Rieussec offers a spectacular nose of caramelized quince, honeyed flowers, crème brulée, and exotic spices. Wonderfully pure and precise, with good acidity, it still brings a monster of a mid-palate and has boatloads of fruit and opulence, flawless balance, and a brilliant finish.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDThe 2001 Rieussec is deeper in color than its peers, though this did come from a half-bottle. The bouquet features marmalade, peach and mango scents, though I aver that it does not deliver the mineralité of other, dare I say, more successful vintages. The palate is much better, offering harmonious honeyed fruit, marmalade, orange peel, apricot and light gingerbread notes. It feels long and tender on the finish. This is a great Rieussec that is slightly compromised by the aromatics.Vinous Media | 93 VM(Château Rieussec (Sauternes)) The 2001 Château Rieussec has reached a very good point in its evolution to start drinking the wine. The bouquet is fresh, wide open and quite beautiful in its constellation of toasted coconut, apricot, orange zest, honey, a lovely base of chalky soil tones and vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is full, deep and focused, with blossoming complexity, lovely acids and fine length and grip on the suave, refined and zesty finish. Good juice. (Drink between 2015-2050)John Gilman | 93 JG

An assemblage of 57% Chardonnay, 29% Pinot Noir and 14% Pinot Meunier, the 2002 Millésime Prestige l’Étincelante (literally: the sparkling one) opens with an exciting bouquet that displays lovely matured yet precise fruit aromas along with brioche, stony and flinty notes. On the palate, the 2002 is intense, firm and vibrantly fresh, showing a juicy, chalky texture and stimulating salinity in the long yet still young finish. This is one of the best vintage Champagnes I have tasted here so far. Tasted in April 2018.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPThe 2002 Brut Nature L’Étincelante is one of the most restrained 2002 Champagnes readers will come across. And it is absolutely exquisite. Delicate scents of apricot, chamomile, pear, baked apple tart, brioche and yellow flowers all lift from the glass. Medium in body and super-refined, the 2002 has so much to recommend it. This is a tremendous showing from Benoit Tarlant.Vinous Media | 95 VMThe 2002 Champagne l’Etincelante Brut Nature is 57% Pinot Noir, 29%, Chardonnay, and the rest Meunier, and was aged for 15 years on the lees prior to disgorgement in September 2018. It comes from two terroirs of Campanian chalk and Lutetian limestone. A medium yellow hue, its nose is floral with pure red fruits of marasca cherry, rose petal, croissant dough, and chalk. The mousse is refined and adds richness where it is otherwise is driving with mineral persistence. It is quite remarkable in that the texture is so well rounded when it could feel mean. It is still youthful at this stage and will continue to improve over the coming 20 or so years.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDI last tasted the 2002 Tarlant “l’Etincelante” a year ago and the wine has continued to blossom beautifully since then. This is the family’s vintage-dated cuvée crafted from a mosaic of different grapes and vineyards, with the goal to try to craft a cuvée that captures the essence of a given vintage. The 2002 ended up being composed from a cépages of fifty-seven percent chardonnay, twenty-nine percent pinot noir and fourteen percent pinot meunier. The vins clairs are barrel-fermented and do not go through malolactic fermentation; the wine was bottled up for secondary fermentation in the spring of 2003. It was disgorged fifteen years later in 2018. The wine’s aromatic constellation is superb, wafting from the glass in a complex mix of apple, white peach, a complex foundation of chalky soil, a nice touch of buttery oak, hazelnuts and plenty of upper register smokiness. On the palate the wine is focused, complex and full-bodied, with a superb core of fruit, lovely soil signature, elegant mousse and impressive length and grip on the impeccably balanced finish. This wine is drinking beautifully today, but clearly has the potential to cruise along in bottle for at least a couple more decades. (Drink between 2025 - 2050)John Gilman | 95 JGComplex nose of hazelnuts, salted caramel, sourdough brioche, salted lemons and dried fruit. Medium-bodied with tangy acidity with very fine bubbles. Delicious, salty character. Long and persistently sharp. 57% chardonnay, 29% pinot noir and 14% pinot meunier. Dosage 0g/L dosage. Disgorged in September 2020. Drink now.James Suckling | 94 JS

From vines planted in 1962, the single-vineyard Jacquesson 2004 Extra Brut Avize Champ Cain leads with an utterly remarkable nose. A greenhouse-like profusion of leafing and flowering things is imposed over sea breeze, with jasmine; musky narcissus; nose-prickling spice as if from some exotic orchid; iodine-tinged toasted shrimp shells; and toasted grain all pungently present and anticipating the elusive complexity delivered on a caressingly polished yet consummately refreshing and almost ethereally delicate palate. Over time, the sense of creaminess and the refinement of bubbles became more evident, along with a contrasting impression of enhanced piquancy, suggesting hops and lentil sprouts, all in the context of remarkable poise and transparency to nuance. The endlessly fascinating finish remains infectiously juicy and subtly yet mouthwateringly saline. Lucky owners should plan to follow bottles for at least a decade. (And at around 10,000 bottles – twice the volume of the corresponding Corne Bautray and four times that of the Vauzelle Terme – there is at least a better chance you can get hold of some. I’m told, though, that only 118 bottles were allocated for the U.S., at least initially, which gives you an idea how regrettably few will have been shipped here of the other two Jacquesson single-vineyard gems.)Possessed of vines in a who’s-who of disparate Champagne villages supplemented by purchased fruit from a few equally renowned communes in which they do not have holdings, Laurent and Jean-Herve Chiquet have – particularly over the past decade – led their already successful house along some unusual not to mention unusually successful paths. Virtually all of their wines are bone-dry (and labeled “Extra Brut”) yet come off as admirably balanced, following cask fermentation and aging with malo-lactic transformation, and long stays in bottle pre-disgorgement. In lieu of a conventional non-vintage blend, there is a wine sequentially numbered (allegedly to coincide with the totality of cuvees in Jacquesson history), and dominated by as well as designed to express the character of a single vintage. The estate’s upper-tier (and alas, for those of us on any kind of budget, that’s spelled with a capital “U”) now features a trio of highly limited, vineyard-designated bottlings whose recently disgorged instantiations are already about as complex as young Champagne can be. I did not visit with the Chiquet brothers this year, and shall look forward to doing so – and to reporting on a wider range of their wines – next year.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThe 2004 Avize-Champ Gain comes across as intense and vertical in style, with plenty of mineral and savory notes pushed forward. With time in the glass, the fruit emerges, but only with great reluctance. Like all the 2004s, the Avize-Champ Gain has gone into a shell from which it will eventually emerge, but its going to take a few years.Vinous Media | 95+ VM(Jacquesson Brut - Avize Champ Cain Villages White) An ultra-elegant, pure and beautifully layered nose features notes of white flowers, green apple, spice and soft yeast nuances. The cool, pure and equally refined middle weight flavors are understated and impressively complex while being supported by a super fine mousse that is at once crisp yet delicate, all wrapped in a balanced and seriously long finish. This is so harmonious that it could easily be enjoyed now though if it was in my cellar I would hold it for another 3 to 4 years. In a word, terrific. (Drink starting 2016).Burghound | 95 BH

This is a fabulous edition of Clos du Mesnil. The pure chardonnay is magnificent with density and agility at the same time. Apple and mineral notes with cream and biscuit character. Citrus and hints of mirabelle. Chalky, yet stony at the same time. Layered, yet linear and really long. But remains subtle. The acidity is so precise and focuses the flavors and nature. Lasts for minutes. Even better than the 2004. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 99 JSThis delicious, youthful wine opens with notes of ripe apple, hawthorn, and cream suffused with a bright minerality. The texture is hedonistically creamy and supple, yet there is backbone here as well and enough substance to last for decades. The Chardonnay for this superlative Blanc de Blancs was picked on 14-16 September before cask fermentation and ageing 12 years on the lees of the second fermentation. Disgorged with an extra-brut dosage in the summer of 2019.Decanter | 97 DEC(Krug “Clos du Mesnil” Blanc de Blancs Millésime (Reims)) In the summer of 2006, the Clos du Mesnil vineyard was picked between September 14th and 16th. The 2006 vintage of Clos du Mesnil was aged sur latte twelve years and was disgorged in the summer of 2019. The wine offers up a beautifully ripe and pure bouquet of pear, fresh apricot, hazelnut, chalky minerality, fresh-baked bread, delicate floral tones and a gently smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied, focused and still fairly youthful, with a rock solid core, lovely soil signature, zesty acids, utterly refined mousse and a very long, complex and perfectly balanced finish. The 2006 Clos du Mesnil is certainly approachable today, but there are more layers of complexity to unfold here and it will be an even better drink a decade down the road. This is stunning juice. (Drink between 2021 - 2075)John Gilman | 97 JGSlated for release later this year, Krug's 2006 Blanc de Blancs Clos du Mesnil unwinds in the glass with aromas of buttered citrus fruit, crisp green pear, warm pastry, freshly baked bread, apricot and licorice. Full-bodied, layered and concentrated, the 2006's comparatively extroverted and gourmand bouquet is in contrast to its deep, chiseled and tightly wound palate, and it's here that the site really dominates the vintage signature. Long, sapid and penetrating, complemented by a pillowy pinpoint mousse, this is a brilliant Blanc de Blancs that has been well worth the wait. By the standards of young Clos du Mesnil, it's already quite approachable and can already be drunk with considerable satisfaction.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThe 2006 Clos du Mesnil was harvested over three days, which is remarkable for a tiny parcel measuring 1.84 hectares divided into five blocks that are often picked over a wider timeframe. Soaring in the glass, the 2006 is stratospheric in its beauty. The richness of the year contrasts so beautifully with the flintiness and energy of Mesnil. With time in the glass the mousse softens, releasing layers of vinous intensity. Tangerine oil, pastry, lemon confit and marzipan all build effortlessly. The 2006 is sumptuous, racy and exotic to the core, with all of that richness supported by a phenolic, intense frame. This is Krug ID: 319030.Vinous Media | 97 VMA stunner, displaying all the lithe grace of a ballet dancer that belies the underlying powerful musculature. Sleek acidity creates a mouthwatering impression throughout, seamlessly knit with the fine, creamy texture. Expressive lime blossom and spice aromatics are layered with fruit flavors of poached apricot, dried cherry and a touch of passion fruit coulis. Long and minerally on the racy finish, echoing rich, savory notes of grilled nut and espresso. Disgorged summer 2019. Drink now through 2036. 1,381 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WS

The 2006 Comtes de Champagne is in a great spot. Baked apple tart, spice, chamomile, marzipan, slate and chalk confer tremendous vibrancy and power throughout. Bright saline notes play off the natural exuberance of the year. The 2006 was spectacular on release. It is all that today, too.Vinous Media | 98 VMTasted almost two years after disgorgement, the 2006 Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs shows a beautiful golden-citrus color and opens with a fascinating intense, floral, slightly reductive nose that develops enormously in the glass, offering lemon and lemon confit aromas along with flinty notes of crushed chalk and the iodine flavors of the Atlantic Ocean. This is an utterly complex and promising bouquet! The palate is terribly fresh but also rich, lush and intense, with the purity of the finest wines of the Côte de Blancs, the concentration of perfectly ripe Chardonnay and the suppleness of 2006. This has impeccable balance paired with high tension. The wine is very tight and still seems to be on its way right now. Although there is a first hint of aromatic ripeness, this should be a great Comtes de Champagne in a couple of years. The finish is tensioned, concentrated and mineral but keeps its talents in an almost bursting bubble. Disgorged September 2016; tasted May 2018 (lot L6316UM13600).Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThis is settling into a deeper presence. It has a freshness that really appeals, along with Taittinger’s signature toasty layer of autolysis, grilled nuts and praline. Plenty of flesh and weight on the palate. Acidity clasps ripe peach and mango fruits, finishing long, powerful and fine. Drink now.James Suckling | 96 JS(Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Brut (Reims)) The 2006 vintage of Taittinger’s iconic Comtes de Champagne bottling is a beautifully refined example of the vintage, offering up a pure and vibrant bouquet of apple, pear, brioche, complex, chalky soil tones, hazelnut, a touch of orange zest, white flowers and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and supremely elegant in profile, with outstanding mid-palate intensity, utterly refined mousse, bright acids and laser-like focus on the very long, nascently complex finish. Whereas many examples from the 2006 vintage are drinking very well at age ten, it is still very early days for this outstanding Comtes de Champagne and this wine will not peak for at least another decade, though it is already very, very easy to drink! I would be inclined to let it hibernate in the cellar for at least another five years, just to allow its secondary layers of complexity to start to emerge. (Drink between 2021-2060)John Gilman | 96 JGA cold winter and scattered frost were followed by a hot, dry July. August rains cleared in time for the two weeks of dry, warm weather before a harvest in near-perfect conditions from 11 September. The Comtes is softly rich and lush, with an elegant, approachable ripe apple fruit, a hint of buttered toast and a firm mineral underpinning. Although the texture is somewhat soft, this wine has plenty of extract and potential for ageing.Decanter | 95 DECTaittinger’s prestige cuvée epitomizes the Chardonnay predilection of this producer. This now-mature bottling is elegant and very stylish. Toast and a soft texture combine with great complexity to reveal a wine that is poised and ready to drink. But with the acidity in the background, it could still age, so drink now and until 2022.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEA vivacious Champagne, with fine integration of the racy acidity and chalky bead, rich mineral character and creamy palate of glazed apricot, ground anise, biscuit and passion fruit flavors. Offers a firm, focused finish. Drink now through 2030. 500 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSIn much the same fashion as the ’06 Rosé this is aromatically quite restrained with notably cool and elegant aromas that speak of citrus, floral, yeast and green apple nuances. The wonderfully refined mouth feel is enhanced by the beautifully fine effervescence that shapes the medium weight flavors that culminate in crisp, intense and gorgeously complex and persistent finish. This is not only a terrific effort but it’s an amazingly good 2006 as there are no exotic hints plus it offers exceptionally good verve. While this could certainly be enjoyed now I would be inclined to hold it for at least another 3 years and 5 will probably be the sweet spot.Burghound | 94 BH

The 2008 La Grande Année is another brilliant 2008 that delivers the goods. Straight-up awesome notes of stone fruits, white flowers, honeysuckle, and an incredible, liquid rock-like minerality all emerge from the glass, and it develops more nuance, spice, toasted bread, and an almost Alsatian Riesling-like petrol character over the course of the evening. It’s a full-bodied, rich, powerful Champagne, yet like the top 2008s, it has brilliant precision, purity, and focus. It’s unquestionably one of the finest versions of this cuvée ever produced, although it needs another 4-5 years of bottle age to hit prime time. It should keep for 3-4 decades. Bravo!Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDBollinger’s 2008 La Grande Année is superb, wafting from the glass with aromas of crisp orchard fruit, ripe lemons, honeycomb, warm biscuits, dried white flowers and a delicate top note of walnuts and fino sherry. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, broad and vinous, with a beautifully refined mousse, superb concentration at the tightly wound core, incisive acids and a supremely elegant intermingling of Bollinger’s oxidative stylistic signatures with fresh, vibrant fruit. The finish is long, precise and chalky. This is a Grande Année built for the cellar—the real excitement will come with a bit more bottle age—but this is already a thrilling Champagne in the making. Finished with eight grams per liter dosage, it was disgorged by hand in July 2018. This is also the first vintage of Grande Année to be bottled in Bollinger’s new narrower-necked 1846 bottle, which should make for a slower evolving wine.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97+ RPBollinger’s 2008 Grande Année is rich, ample and full-bodied, with all of the pedigree of the vintage on display. Dried pear, dried flowers, chamomile, red plum and mint develop as the 2008 shows the breadth and creaminess that are such signatures of the Bollinger house style. A whole range of brighter, more floral and chalky notes appear later, adding translucence and energy. The 2008 is 71% Pinot Noir and 29% Chardonnay taken across 18 crus, and it is the Pinot that very much informs the wine in both flavor and texture. More importantly, the 2008 is one of the best Grande Années I can remember tasting. Bollinger fans won’t want to miss it. Disgorged November 2018. Dosage is 8 grams per liter.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGGilles Descôtes blends this from 18 crus, pinot noir making up 71 percent of the blend (mostly from Aÿ and Verzenay), the balance from chardonnay (focused on Le Mesnil-sur-Oger and Cramant). The base wine ferments in oak barrels, adding to this Champagne’s concentrated power. Its dark intensity has the coolness of Bollinger’s deep aging cellars, even as the wine sustains delicate notes of wildflowers, morels and the perfumed grace of pinot noir. Massive and still youthful, the flavors rounded into a sphere, this is a wine to cellar. Vintus, Pleasantville, NYWine & Spirits | 97 W&SEnticing hints of toasted cumin, ground anise and graphite waft from the glass of this harmonious, mouthwatering version, accenting the finely meshed flavors of crushed black currant, poached apricot, grilled nut and lemon curd. The texture shows a lovely viscosity, extending the flavor range, which expands on the lasting finish. Disgorged June 2018. Drink now through 2033. 833 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSPinot Noir, mainly from Aÿ and Verzenay, dominates the blend here (71%). Only the free-run juice is used for the fermentation in cask. After ageing under cork for more than nine years, it was disgorged with a dosage of 8g/L. The impression is youthful and fresh, with bright apple and spice notes and a hint of buttered toast. The texture is creamy and dense but very lively and very long. This is superb wine that will age for decades to come. (Drink between 2021-2041)Decanter | 96 DECA wonderfully elegant, pure and airy nose is beautifully layered with its pretty array of green apple, pear, white flower, rose petal, yeast and plenty of citrus elements. The elegance continues on the racy and intense flavors that are supported by a very fine mousse that imparts a lilting mouth feel to the notably dry, crisp and strikingly complex finale. This is an absolute knockout and a wine that should age for a very long time but because the complexity is so impressive, it could actually be enjoyed now. Even so, I will stash my bottles away for at least another 4 to 5 years.Burghound | 95 BHThis is the producer’s equivalent of a Vintage Champagne. Fermented and aged in wood and then kept for nine years before release, this wine comes from an exceptional vintage that manages to combine ripe fruit and acidity, meaning the wine can age extraordinarily well. Although the wine is just ready, it will be much better from 2022 and for many years after.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WE

Easily the best Champagne I had all year, first tasted at a château lunch. I couldn’t stop thinking about it, and eventually bought a bottle for my husband’s 50th. Just so much power and precision, while still having the delicacy, easy glamour and the most moreish delivery of fresh acidities and fleshy citrus.Jane Anson (Formerly of Decanter) | 100 JAThe 2008 Dom Pérignon is a huge, powerful Champagne and also clearly one of the wines of the vintage. This is one of the most reticent bottles I have tasted. So much so that I am thinking about holding off opening any more bottles! The 2008 has always offered a striking interplay of fruit and structure. Today, the richness of the fruit is especially evident. Readers who own the 2008 should be thrilled, but patience is a must. (Originally published in May 2021)Vinous Media | 98 VMThe 2008 Dom Pérignon is the first time the estate has released a wine out of order (the 2009 was released before the 2008) but the estate loved the wine so much they felt it warranted additional aging. This is a rich, powerful wine that still shows incredible purity and elegance, with a stacked, concentrated feel on the palate. It’s rare to find such a mix of ripe, pure, concentrated fruit paired with this level of purity, focus, and precision. This is a legendary Dom that surpasses all the great vintages of Dom I have experience with, including the 1990, 1996, and 2002.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDDeep and generous, yet driven, with delicious salted-butter and salted-caramel notes underneath the initial lemon and chalk. Really expands on the palate in all directions. Lemon cream and shortcrust. Creamy, yet underpinned by a sharp backbone of acidity throughout. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 98 JSDom Perignon 2008 will leave memories in the minds of wine lovers. A powerful, toasted style, the bouquet expresses aromas of almonds, candied lemon and a slight smoky touch that gives it an additional richness. The palate is powerful with a vinous character and an almost fleshy texture. Of course, time in the cellar will allow it to express itself fully, but it’s still possible to enjoy this now.Decanter | 97 DECUnquestionably the finest Dom Pérignon of the decade, the 2008 Dom Pérignon is drinking brilliantly today, wafting from the glass with notes of citrus oil, ripe orchard fruit, peach, buttered toast, pastry cream, iodine and smoky reduction. Full-bodied, rich and fleshy, it’s vinous and layered, with a deep core of sweet fruit, racy acids and a long, saline finish. The 2008 is aging very gracefully.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThere’s power to this graceful Champagne, with the vivid acidity swathed in a fine, creamy mousse and flavors of toasted brioche, kumquat, pastry cream, candied ginger and poached plum that dance across the palate. An underpinning of smoky mineral gains momentum on the lasting finish. *No. 5 Top 100 Wines of 2018, CollectiblesWine Spectator | 96 WS(Dom Pérignon Brut Millésime (Épernay)) I had not tasted a bottle of the 2008 vintage of Dom Pérignon since my interview with Richard Geoffroy at the abbey in Hautvillers just a few months before Monsieur Geoffroy retired. I was very happy to see it generously added by John Chapman to our lineup for the second Vega Sicilia vertical that I reported on in the previous issue, as it is a wine of the same superb quality as all those great old Únicos. As I noted in my feature on Dom Pérignon, the 2008 is an absolutely classic vintage for this wine, which means it is structured, structured, structured, and at twelve years of age, still an absolute infant! The primary bouquet offers up a promising blend of apple, lime peel, menthol, superb minerality, a touch of young DP botanicals and tons of upper register smokiness. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and rock solid at the core, with brisk acids, refined mousse, bruising backend mineral drive and a very long, very pure and seamlessly balanced finish. I scored this a touch lower than the bottle in Hautvillers, but I suspect that this is just the result of context and the wine has not lost any of its luster- it has only hidden its essence even further behind its electric girdle of acidity. This is years away from its apogee, but has utterly brilliant potential. (Drink between 2030-2075).John Gilman | 96+ JG

The 2008 Brut Grand Cru Millésime was eventually disgorged with only five grams per liter dosage, as Francis Egly and I had discussed last summer, and the wine has turned out just as magically as I anticipated. I have already drunk five or six bottles, and on every occasion, the 2008 has immensely rewarded time in the glass, as it’s as tightly wound as one would expect a great Ambonnay Champagne in a great vintage to be. Blossoming with inviting aromas of orchard fruit, citrus oil, pralines and freshly baked bread, much as I observed last year, it’s full-bodied, deep and layered, with immense depth and concentration, racy acids and elegantly muscular structuring dry extract. Long and penetrating, this will really reward further aging; indeed, Egly mentioned that he intends to keep back some of the 2008 for re-release at a later date, a decision which means more consumers will have the chance to experience the wine at the true peak of its powers. But even at this early stage, it is already a monument to what Champagne’s grower revolution has achieved over the last 30 or so years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RP(Egly-Ouriet, Montagne de Reims, Champagne, France, White) A timeless, benchmark expression of Ambonnay. Primary fermentation in barrique, no malolactic fermentation. Aged 10 years on its lees and bottled with 5g/l dosage. A stunning, complex nose of candied walnuts, cherry pits, nougat and red apples. The palate has boundless energy, leading with a punch of apricots, golden raisins, almonds and orange zest. The length of the finish is extraordinary, oscillating between airy weightlessness and muscular power. The combination of Francis Egly’s meticulous nature and the sturdy clarity of the 2008 vintage is a thing to behold. A wine to enjoy over the next four decades. (Drink between 2020-2060)Decanter | 99 DECJust being released now, the 2008 Brut Millésime Grand Cru is quite possibly the most elegant, most refined Champagne I have ever tasted at Egly-Ouriet. Francis Egly captures the freshness and verve of 2008 as expressed in his vineyards in Ambonnay. That interplay yields a Champagne that is deep, resonant and pulsing with tremendous energy. The Pinot really comes through on a finish that just expands with superb resonance. In a word: brilliant! Disgorged: July, 2019.Antonio Galloni | 96 AG

The 2013 Brut Blancs de Blancs Louis Salmon is an exceptional follow-up to the 2012. Naturally, the 2013 offers a bit more tension, cut and drive, all signatures of this late-ripening vintage. Chalk, slate, crushed rocks, citrus confit and hazelnut all race across the palate as the 2013 sizzles with tension from start to finish. This is still a baby. Give it time. Dosage is 4 grams per liter. Disgorged: January 2024.Vinous Media | 97 VMThis blanc de blancs is very pure and fresh, showing white flowers, light hazelnuts, peaches and grapefruit on the nose, with a hint of oyster shells. It’s sleek and chalky on the palate, linear and racy, with very fine bubbles and a bright acidic backbone. 100% stainless steel vinification. Chardonnay from Cramant, Chouilly, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger and some Oiry. 4 g/L dosage. Disgorged January 2024. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JS

Fantastic complexity here with aromas of toast, biscuit, lemon, almond, chalk and some fennel. It’s long, sleek and mineral, with tight, very fine bubbles and so much tension and precision. Very long and chalky finish. Disgorged end of 2023. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2013 Comtes de Champagne captures all the pedigree of this great vintage in its energy, depth and vibrancy. Lemon confit, dried flowers, chamomile, spice and crushed rocks all race across the palate. Passionfruit, ginger, marzipan and mint appear later, filling out the layers beautifully. Harvest took place in October in what has become the exception rather than the norm in Champagne.Vinous Media | 98 VMThe 2013 Brut Blanc de Blancs Comtes de Champagne’s bouquet is compellingly fresh and minty, revealing aromas of white fruit—notably pear and apple—marzipan and sweet spices, as well as a light touch of citrus mingled with classy autolytic notes. On the palate, this is a structured, tensile and ethereal Champagne with high acidity—a sign of a classic vintage—animated by a mousse of striking finesse and delicacy. Although already enjoyable, it should develop well for several decades.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RP

Bollinger’s 2015 Brut Grand Année is an intriguing wine in that is clearly reflects the decision to pick on the later side in order to avoid vegetal notes derived from the mismatch of alcoholic and phenolic ripeness. "Balance was hard to achieve in 2015," Chef de Cave Denis Bunner notes. "At 10% in sugar, the fruit was simply not ripe. We had to wait to reach the optimal window of ripeness." Bunner also opted to increase the Chardonnay, so the blend is 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, as opposed to the more typical 70/30 blend, with more Verzenay than Aÿ in the Pinots. Dried citrus peel, sage, menthol, sage, tangerine peel and spice build with some coaxing. Light tropical overtones develop with aeration. There’s real density and textural richness here. This will be a fascinating vintage to follow. Stylistically, it is the complete opposite from the much more linear 2014 that precedes it. Dosage is 8 grams per liter. Disgorged: May 2023.Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media | 96 VMEnticing, fragrant aromas of toast, lemon zest and an earthy-smoky nuance lead to a palate of subtle Bosc-pear, mango, papaya, even pineapple flavors. Lifted by fresh acidity on the medium-bodied palate, the wine keeps unfolding in toasted walnuts, honey and a dash of bitter marmalade. It’s mouth-filling, alive with acidity and full of finesse. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JSVelvety burnished gold in color with near imperceptible fine bubbles, the Grand Année 2015 is a 60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay blend of 11 crus, 79% Grands Cru and 21% Premiers Crus, that is 100% barrel fermented, aged 7 years on lees and finished with an 8 grams per liter dosage. It opens toasty and rich with red forest fruit aromas accented by bruised apple, warm spice, Acacia honey, and a refreshing whiff of chalk. Plush and generous, the medium-bodied palate fills out with a seamless depth of orchard fruit concentration lifted by buoyant, finely spun acid energy and a satiny, pinpoint mousse. This 2015 lingers long on the palate and has an attractive kiss of bitterness. Disgorged October 2023.The Wine Independent | 96+ TWIA forward vintage for La Grande Année, with warmth evident in its roasted orange, Comice pear and Mirabelle plum, all polished with a sense of savoury maturity that is very Bollinger at heart. There’s a little more oxygen influence seemingly at play than in the 2014, with brine, nuts and a little dried leaf character already taking this far beyond fruit. The food-friendly chewiness of 2015 is there, but the mousse is supple and the Chardonnay brings the wine to a close with a fine, cooked lemon snap. This will start to show its best integration from 2025 onwards, although it is open for business now. 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay from the Montagne de Reims, Grande Vallée de la Marne and Côte des Blancs, all fermented in small oak barrels and disgorged in May 2023 after seven years on lees.Decanter | 94 DEC

This is in a new bottle, like the stout ones used for the rosé and blanc de blancs. This is very structured with a density and richness with hints of strawberry to the apple character. Bubbles turn fine textured at the end. Delicious flavors of biscuits and dried apple in the finish. Special character to this because of the very ripe vintage. Disgorged in November 2021. This is half chardonnay and half pinot noir. This can age well due to the phenolics. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSAs usual, this latest release of the 2015 Brut Millésimé is a blend of equal parts Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Offering up aromas of confit citrus, blanched almonds, spices and a delicate smoky reduction, it’s medium to full-bodied, layered and enrobing, with good depth at the core and a slightly smoky, phenolic finish. Dosage: eight grams per liter.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe 2015 Brut Millésimé, a blend of half Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs and half Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims, spent at least seven years on lees. Supple smokiness and a sense of rye bread with distant plum create a subtle nose. The palate continues with that lovely smokiness, wrapping it around aromatic plum and taut lemon, which are delicious counter poles in this elegant wine. The bubbles are a little frothy, but it acquits itself well for a 2015 vintage with all its freshness. Dosage is 6 grams per liter. (Lot LP33UK01624E) - Anne Krebiehl MWVinous Media | 93 VMThis is just the 30th vintage made at Laurent-Perrier since 1952, and it’s a slightly unusual one in manifesting plenty of the heat, dryness and structure of 2015. Drinkers accustomed to Laurent-Perrier’s usual delicacy and brightness will still find it in this 50:50 split of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, but the year’s up-front firmness plays clearly through bittersweet citrus, yellow apple and pithy, peppery grip, the fruit headed towards golden and tropical nuances rather than classical citrus and gentle red fruits. The body remains fairly compact rather than heavy or viscous, though, as most 2015s do. It’s a punchy, food-friendly vintage for Laurent-Perrier that marks quite a contrast from both the more classical 2012 and 2008 that preceded it.Decanter Magazine | 92 DEC

A smooth, gently round and nicely balanced Champagne dominant in pinot meunier, pinot noir and chardonnay to boot. It has attractive lemon citrus flavors and is really punchy, refined and gently nutty. A smooth, pastry-like texture comes to the fore on the finish. Drink now.James Suckling | 92 JSThis tastes of pure, pale white limestone transformed into crisp yellow apple. It’s appetite inducing in its zesty freshness, bright white floral notes and clean, lively length of flavor, especially if there are oysters nearby. The Aubry brothers maintain a reserve wine blend composed of vintages going back to 1998; that blend provides 50 percent of this Brut, with the other half from 2013. The varietal composition is also distinctive: pinot meunier makes up 45 percent, with chardonnay and pinot noir each providing 25 percent and the remaining five percent made up of traditional local varieties including arbanne, petit meslier and fromenteau.Wine & Spirits | 92 W&SA creamy viscosity complements the texture of this harmonious version. An accessible crowd-pleaser, with lightly juicy acidity and delicate flavors of chopped almond, baked pear, saline and citrus. Disgorged January 2019. Drink now through 2022.Wine Spectator | 91 WSThe NV Brut from Aubry is such a pretty wine. Medium in body and understated, the Brut captures all the sophistication that is typical of these Champagnes. Hints of orchard fruit, spice, chamomile, tangerine oil and almond develop over time, but it is the wine’s balance that comes through. The heavy presence of red grapes is felt in both the flavor profile and overall weight. Best of all, the Brut is a fabulous value. Disgorged: November, 2019.Vinous Media | 90 VM

A fine straw-gold colour with great finesse of bubble flow and mousse. Joyful aromas of apple blossom and ripe pear. A full, defined palate demonstrates richness that will help to give this a long life in the cellar.Decanter | 95 DEC(NV Billecart-Salmon Brut Réserve NV (2008 Release)) This particular bottle of Brut Réserve had been in my cellar since 2008, and it has aged beautifully and was drinking very well when opened this past spring. The excellent nose wafts from the glass in a mélange of apple, peach, warm bread, a touch of ginger, a lovely base of soil and plenty of upper register smokiness. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bdoied, complex and still rock solid at the core, with fine mousse, bright acids and lovely length and grip on the wide open, complex and classy finish. This particular release of Brut Réserve had been particularly steely out of the blocks, which is why I tucked some away to see how it evolved with bottle age. Yet again, a pretty strong argument for treating non-vintage Brut bottlings like other fine wines and cellar them for some time before starting to drink them! (Drink between 2014-2025).John Gilman | 92 JGA harmonious Champagne that’s satiny in texture, framing flavors of Asian pear, star fruit, pastry and honey with mouthwatering acidity. Offers a fine and creamy finish. Drink now through 2021.Wine Spectator | 91 WSPlenty of ripe strawberries and wild raspberries on the nose here. Really attractive and vibrant in the mouth with fresh wild strawberries. It also shows a fleshy, fresh-fruit texture. Drink now.James Suckling | 91 JSBased on the 2015 vintage and disgorged with nine grams per liter dosage, the latest release of Billecart’s NV Brut Réserve contains fully 55% reserve wines and is showing very well, offering up complex aromas of warm bread, crisp green orchard fruit and citrus oil. On the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied and charming but lively, with an elegantly textural attack, a fleshy core of fruit and lively balancing acids.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP(40% pinot meunier, 30% pinot noir and 30% chardonnay; L200352): Light, bright gold. Fresh red berries, orange zest and white flowers on the perfumed nose. Juicy and precise, offering energetic redcurrant and blood orange flavors that show good concentration and a supple texture. A mineral nuance adds bite to the finish, with the floral note echoing.Vinous Media | 90 VMThis producer’s nonvintage cuvée showcases a blend of grapes from all the regions of Champagne. Rich with white stone fruit, it balances ripe acidity and a taut texture. This complex wine is ready to drink.Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE

The NV Extra Brut Sous Bois (base 2017) is creamy and quite generous in the glass. Dried pear, chamomile, passion fruit, spice and crushed flowers build nicely in the glass. There is a very slight suggestion of botrytis that adds character. I would choose to serve this at the dinner table with suitably rich fare, given its body and slightly phenolic edge. This release is based on 2017, with 34% reserve wines. Dosage is 5 grams per liter. Disgorged: June 2023.Vinous Media | 92 VMCrafted around the 2018 vintage, the NV Champagne Le Sous Bois is a blend of 33% Meunier, 39% Chardonnay, and the remainder Pinot Noir, with 37% reserve wine, the oldest part from 2006. A copper straw color, entirely barrel-fermented in cask, it reveals notes of smoky wet stones, toasted croissant, orange citrus, baked peach, almond, frangipane, and salty earth. Full-bodied yet savory, it offers a mouthwatering and brothy character while remaining fresh and youthful, without transitioning into oxidation. It’s very appealing now but should have no problem showing its best over the coming 10 years. 3 grams per liter dosage.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDHeavily based on the 2017 vintage (with 34% reserve wines dating back to 2006), fermented at low temperatures and entirely vinified in oak, the NV Le Sous Bois blends fruit from vast areas of Montagne de Reims, Vallée de la Marne and Côte des Blancs (notably Oger, Chouilly and Cramant). Disgorged with a dosage of five grams per liter in spring 2023, after five years of lees aging, it reveals aromas of green apple, vanilla, peach and toasted nuts, mingling with hints of caramelized sugar. On the palate, it is medium to full-bodied, precise and fine-boned, featuring a youthful fruit core supported by vibrant acidity, with subtle bitter phenolics asserting themselves on the finish. Given the challenges of the growing season, it incorporates a higher proportion of Chardonnay than usual.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RP

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.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDRestrained and very pretty aromas include those of yeast, Meyer lemon, petrol and green apple where the latter element is picked up by the utterly delicious, vibrant and detailed flavors that possess fine complexity on the agreeably dry but not austere finish. The supporting mousse is dense but fine and overall, this is a wine that could be enjoyed now or held for up to a decade. Excellent. (Drink starting 2024)Burghound | 93 BHOne of Bollinger’s great assets is a massive stock of reserve wine, including 600,000 magnums held under cork. Gilles Descôtes tends those reserves, working with the blending team to subsume the variations of the current vintage into Bollinger’s Special Cuvée by using a majority of reserve wines in the blend. The result is a rich and harmonious Champagne with deep reserves of flavor. Its substantial, formal structure feels polished, its flavors balancing the cool earthiness of a limestone cave and the sunnier, bright floral notes of fresh cream. Built for food, whether emphasizing the freshness with lobster bisque, or the depth with beef Wellington and chanterelles.Terlato Wines Int’l., Lake Bluff, ILWine & Spirits | 93 W&S Like its rosé counterpart, the latest release of Bollinger’s NV Brut Special Cuvée is showing especially well, bursting from the glass with aromas of honeyed apples, crisp stone fruit, buttery pastry, ripe lemons and fresh walnuts. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and vinous, with a deep core of beautifully ripe fruit, racy acids and a pillowy mousse, it’s a charming, characterful wine that proves that Special Cuvée is firmly back where it belongs.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPThere’s a pleasing, snappy quality to the acidity framing this elegant Champagne, enlivening accessible flavors of currant, Marcona almond and orchard blossom, with a minerally touch of saline-laced oyster shell that lingers on the finish. Drink now through 2022. 11,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WSLots of biscuit aromas and a wide spectrum of fresh-citrus, candied-citrus, red-apple and red-berry notes. Mouth-filling creaminess, plus quite an imposing presence and powerful structure for an NV Brut. Long, citrus and chalky finish that’s very clean and properly dry. 60% pinot noir, 30% chardonnay, 10% pinot meunier. Almost 20% barrel fermented and 62% reserve wines. Based on the 2017 vintage and disgorged July 2021. Drink now.James Suckling | 92 JSDominated, as always, by Pinot Noir and with wood fermentation and aging, this Champagne has a great poise between freshness and richness. It is intense and ripe, with apple and minerality coming together. The bottling is ready to drink.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE (60% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay and 15% Pinot Meunier; 8 g/l dosage; L1403801): Pale yellow. Toasty aromas of apple and pear nectar are complemented by hints of toffee, honey and orange zest. Full and expansive on the palate, offering ripe orchard and pit fruit flavors and an undercurrent of smoky minerals and buttered toast. Smooth and gently spicy on the clinging, nicely focusd finish.Antonio Galloni | 91 AG(NV Bollinger “Special Cuvée” Brut NV (Aÿ)) The current release of Bollinger “Special Cuvée” is composed of its customary blend of sixty percent pinot noir, twenty-five percent chardonnay and fifteen percent pinot meunier. It was finished with a dosage of eight grams per liter and offers up is classic pinot-shaded bouquet of white peach, apple, bread dough, a beautiful base of soil tones, a touch of hazelnut and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and complex, with a fine core of fruit, a good spine of acidity, elegant mousse and a long, well-balanced and classy finish. This is still a young wine and I would tuck it away in the cellar for at least a few years and let its acids relax a bit and its secondary layers of complexity emerge. (Drink between 2020-2040).John Gilman | 91+ JGNotes of flowery beeswax, white fruit, and quince on the nose. The palate has a flinty austerity with Braeburn, white pepper and subtle spice followed by yeasty richness and brisk finish. Drinking Window 2020 - 2025.Decanter | 90 DEC

If it’s good enough for James Bond, it’s good enough for you. Bollinger Champagne has made a number of cameos in James Bond films over the year. This non-vintage Special Cuvée is an example of a classic Champagne done well. Notes of marzipan on the nose and the palate give toastiness and leesy notes, specifically sourdough. It’s classic for a reason and would only elevate any table it finds itself on.Decanter Magazine | 95 DECFine and seamless, with mouthwatering acidity well-meshed with a rich range of crème de cassis, poached apricot, gingerbread and almond extract flavors, plus accents of fleur de sel, Meyer lemon peel and star anise. Long and lively on the creamy finish. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. Drink now through 2028. 14,257 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThe NV Champagne Special Cuvée (60% Pinot Noir and based on the 2021 harvest) pours a bright yellow/silver hue on opening and reveals a fresh and actually more mineral-driven profile on the nose than I was expecting, revealing layers of fresh raspberries, brioche, wet stone, and orange blossoms. The palate is medium to full-bodied and classically rounded, as you would come to expect from this house, but it retains good tension and a silky, chalky texture, with an ultra-fine mousse, salinity in its notes of grapefruit zest and almond, and a creamy texture through the finish. It’s very well-styled and is going to drink well over the next 10 years. They always try to have 8-10 vintages the blend, the oldest being 18 years (15 years when it goes into the bottle). 8 grams per liter dosage.Jeb Dunnuck | 93+ JDRestrained and very pretty aromas include those of yeast, Meyer lemon, petrol and green apple where the latter element is picked up by the utterly delicious, vibrant and detailed flavors that possess fine complexity on the agreeably dry but not austere finish. The supporting mousse is dense but fine and overall, this is a wine that could be enjoyed now or held for up to a decade. Excellent.Burghound | 93 BHBollinger’s NV Special Cuvée 007 is not a re-release of the 1969, which James Bond famously mentions in the film ’Moonraker,’ but it is a pretty wine that captures the essence of the house style nicely, attractively packaged to coincide with the latest Bond movie. It offers up scents of orchard fruit, baked apple tart, brioche, spice and dried floral notes, all in a profile that holds plenty of near term appeal.James Suckling | 93 JSLike its rosé counterpart, the latest release of Bollinger’s NV Brut Special Cuvée is showing especially well, bursting from the glass with aromas of honeyed apples, crisp stone fruit, buttery pastry, ripe lemons and fresh walnuts. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and vinous, with a deep core of beautifully ripe fruit, racy acids and a pillowy mousse, it’s a charming, characterful wine that proves that Special Cuvée is firmly back where it belongs.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPThe new release of Bollinger’s “Cuvée Spéciale” non-vintage Brut is crafted from its customary cépages of sixty percent pinot noir, twenty-five percent chardonnay and fifteen percent pinot meunier, with thirty percent of the vins clairs fermented in casks for this bottling. As is typical for this bottling, it was aged thirty to thirty-six months sur lattes and the final blend includes fifty percent reserve wines. It offers up a refined bouquet of apple, peach, fresh-baked bread, chalky soil tones, gentle smokiness and a topnote of dried flowers. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied, focused and complex, with a lovely core of fruit, good mineral undertow, elegant mousse and a long, crisp and beautifully balanced finish. Fine juice that will age gracefully and be an even more interesting drink five to ten years down the road. (Drink between 2024 - 2045)John Gilman | 91+ JG

An enticing version, with richly toasted brioche and roasted hazelnut on the nose transitioning to underscore flavors of ripe black cherry, crème de cassis, gingerbread, lime blossoms and crystallized honey. This is long, creamy and harmonious, integrating the expressive profile with vibrant acidity and a fine, satin-like texture. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. Disgorged 2022. Drink now through 2029.Wine Spectator | 93 WSA creamy and silky champagne that has notes of lemons, pastries and apple compote on the nose. It’s medium-bodied and layered with fine bubbles and tasty pastry notes on the fresh, balanced finish. Drink now.James Suckling | 93 JS(NV Charles Heidsieck “Brut Réserve” NV (Reims)) The new release of Charles Heidsieck noon-vintage “Brut Réserve” is a blend of one-third each chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier- for the base year wines, which hail from 2008. However, forty percent of the cuvée is made up of reserve wines, with these being an equal blend of chardonnay and pinot noir, as the maison does not hold back meunier for its reserves. The wine spent eight years aging sur latte and was finished with a dosage of eleven grams per liter after its disgorgement in 2017. The wine is absolutely superb and clearly one of the best bargains out there in the world of non-vintage Brut from the Grandes Marques, as it offers up a pure and complex nose of pear, white peach, brioche, a touch of fresh almond, complex, chalky soil tones and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and refined, with excellent mid-palate depth, frothy mousse, lovely acidity and grip and a very long, complex and classy finish. This is terrific bubbly. (Drink between 2018-2045)John Gilman | 93 JGEven the nonvintage cuvée from this top producer has bottle age, so the yeasty edge and touches of almonds balance with the Champagne’s acidity and fruitiness of white fruits and citrus flavors. This fine poised wine is ready to drink. Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThe NV Brut Réserve, a combination of more than 60 different crus and 150 wines, evokes aromas of brioche, pastry, ripe orchard fruits, beeswax and spices. Medium to full-bodied, enrobing and charming, it has a fleshy core of fruit, a pinpoint mousse and delicate acids, making it a charming, delicate Champagne. This blend consists of 40% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Meunier, with 50% vins de réserve, and was disgorged with a dosage of nine grams per liter.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPThe NV Champagne Reserve Brut is sunny with aromas of golden orchard fruits, pineapple, yellow apple, and fresh pastry dough. The palate is matched with ripe peach, buttered orange citrus, and yellow flowers and is rounded, with a silky mouthfeel, although it is fully dry. Classic in style, it is charming and leans towards opulence. Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JD

OMG, this one stunned me. An elegant, golden-colored, dry Rancio-style wine, the NV Vin De France Rancio Sec Mémoire D’Automnes Blanc is a 50/50 blend of Grenache Blanc and Grenache Gris, left on its own for five years in oak barrels to let it slowly oxidize. The result is otherworldly: salty, with notes of marzipan, dried apricot, fresh walnut, mentholated and iodine saltiness. Intense, expressive, and profoundly unique, this type of wine style may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but for those who love or want to explore it, it’s a must try. Harmonious, light, timeless, and indestructible, it’s like a short story with a very long finish and, like a good author, uses contradictions with great skill. Magnificent, intellectual, and yet completely open and accessible. Wow. Drink 2025-2050.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JD

The NV Champagne Grand Cru Blanc De Blancs Substance is the only wine in the range from Selosse that is produced in a true solera system, with criadera, and this release has the addition of the 2016 vintage going into the cuvée. The nose offers fantastic layered depth framed by a minty freshness lifting from the glass, along with notes of fresh apricot, marzipan, citrus oils, and wet stones. The palate is textural with a core of rich sapidity and buoyant acidity that creates a weightless and impeccably balanced feel throughout. The mousse is fine, but the wine’s savory texture takes the lead. It’s going to drink well now or over the coming 20 years. Disgorged in February 2024.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JD

30 Jul, 2019 – This is only in magnums and jeroboams and is stunning, with the sensibility of a red Burgundy, yet fresh and bright, due to the Chardonnay. Wild aromas of brioche, white pepper and rosemary. Maybe even some lavender. Full-bodied, yet always agile and vivid in the mouth. Stunning finish. Minerally and vivid. Only few bottles made. A blend of 1995, 1993, and 1990. Drink now. | 99 JSThis is a blend of wines from 1995, 1993 and 1990. That has given it a golden glow of toastiness, maturity and wisdom. Even now, there is some freshness and plenty of acidity to give the wine a lift. It is a great Champagne, produced in tiny quantities and only in magnum. Drink now. ROGER VOSS | 99 WEOne of my favorite renditions of this cuvée is the striking NV Brut Grand Siècle #17, a blend of the 1995, 1993 and 1990 vintages. Tasted from magnum, the wine offers up a complex bouquet of candied peel, pear and peach complemented by suggestions of wheat toast, iodine and beeswax. Full-bodied, textural and concentrated, the wine is deep and serious, built around racy acids and structuring dry extract—it exemplifies this cuvée’s elegant, seamless style. Readers lucky enough to find a bottle are in for a treat. | 96 RPThe NV Brut Grand Siècle Les Réserves Cuvée No. 17 (Magnum) is in a beautiful place where it offers a good deal of flavor complexity and yet remains light on its feet. An exotic mélange of orange confit, petrol, dried flowers, baked apple tart and hazelnut give the No. 17 striking aromatic nuance. Bright floral and citrus notes, along with a hint of reduction, add freshness. It’s a terrific choice for readers who enjoy Champagne with a good deal of mature nuances. The No. 17 is a blend of vintages 1995 (60%), 1993 (20%) and 1990 (20%). Disgorged May 27, 2019. | 95 VM

(roughly 55% chardonnay and 45% pinot noir, from three different vintages that the producer won’t disclose; L13PZ109360): Bright yellow-gold. A heady, mineral-tinged bouquet evokes dried pear, buttery brioche, lemon curd and anise, plus a smoky topnote. Chewy and expansive on the palate, offering concentrated orchard and pit fruit flavors and a touch of bitter quinine. The smoky note repeats on the finish, which shows impressive clarity and mineral-driven persistence.Vinous Media | 93 VMThe brioche and cooked-apple and cream character really comes through here. Full-bodied and round with fine bubbles. Flavorful and intense. Vivid, bread-dough finish. This is four years on lees. 55% chardonnay and the rest pinot.James Suckling | 93 JSThe latest rendition of Laurent-Perrier’s NV Brut is showing nicely, wafting from the glass with scents of almond paste, iodine, white peach, warm biscuits and mandarin. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, with an elegant, lively profile, displaying a youthfully frothy mousse, good tension at the core and an attractively chalky finish. This is an excellent non-vintage wine that seems to reflect the maison’s efforts to improve their grape sourcing over the last few years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RPA delicate Champagne, with a refined mousse and finely honed acidity, this offers a subtle range of black currant, lemon zest, toast and chalk flavors that linger on the lightly spiced finish. Drink now through 2020.Wine Spectator | 91 WSThis is smooth and softly textured wine. With its relatively high dosage and creamy texture, this standard nonvintage cuvée is immediately accessible and delicious. Great fruit makes it a great aperitif style of Champagne.Wine Enthusiast | 90 WEThis wine’s fresh fruit and firm structure match bright lemon zest flavors with limestone severity. The fine bubbles add to the clean sensation of the finish. It’s spicy, tight and formidable, a wine to kick-start a dinner party. Best Buy.Wine & Spirits | 90 W&S