Midweek Addition 3-5-20

“This is a tiny domaine of scarcely more than three hectares, blessed with a small but enviable palette of parcels in choice appellations, largely planted with old vine Pinot Fin….The style is supple, fragrant and fruit-driven, the wines invariably succulent and satiny, drinking well young and old. Quite why Jouan remains so little known is hard to say—perhaps because there is so little wine?—but readers would do well to seek out this high-quality source, which has rendered an excellent set of 2017s.” – William Kelley, Wine Advocate

Philippe Jouan has vaulted himself into the top tier of Burgundy producers since taking over the family domaine (Henri Jouan).  Based in Morey-Saint-Denis, he’s producing Burgundy both ethereal and intense, in the style of his spiritual cousin (and fellow Weygandt import), Jacky Truchot. 

As you’d expect, these are wines that combine beautiful, crystalline fruit, gorgeous aromatics with a hidden power.  They’re the Burgundy equivalents of spider webs—delicate and intricate but with surprisingly strong and intense for their weight.  The village and premier cru wines all deliver enormous value, even as that category of wine seems to escalate in price by the day.

The top of his range is his Clos-St.-Denis.  The Clos was historically the most famous vineyard in the town (hence the appendage of Saint-Denis to Morey), though in recent years that honor has probably moved to its next door neighbor, Clos de la Roche.  Jouan makes some of the finest Clos-St.-Denis out there, and it’s definitely the best deal in this tier of Burgundy, at under $250/btl (under $220, even!). 

These arrive tomorrow in limited quantities: the most we could secure of a single bottling was 24 bottles.  As such, you’d better act quickly if there are bottlings you’re intrigued by.


Arriving Friday, March 6th:

Philippe Jouan Clos Saint Denis Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits 2017 750ML ($279.95) $219 pre-arrival special
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 92-94+ points “The king of the cellar, the 2017 Clos Saint-Denis Grand Cru wafts from the glass with expressive aromas of wild berries, dried rose petal, grilled game bird, rich soil and blood orange. On the palate, it’s full-bodied, ample and broad, with a deep core of succulent fruit that cloaks its elegantly satiny and supple structuring tannins, concluding with a long, fragrant finish. This is a lovely Clos Saint-Denis that will be well worth seeking out in bottle.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Philippe Jouan Clos Sorbe Vieilles Vignes, Morey-Saint-Denis Premier Cru 2017 750ML ($179.95) $149 pre-arrival special
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 92-94+ points “The 2017 Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru Clos Sorbé unfurls in the glass with a complex bouquet of cherries, raspberries, raw cocoa, candied peel and cinnamon. On the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, velvety and supple, with melting tannins, a succulent core of fruit and a long, sapid finish. From 80-year-old vines in what is arguably Morey’s finest premier cru, this wine is one of the Côte de Nuits’ best-kept secrets.”

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Philippe Jouan Gevrey-Chambertin Aux Echezeaux, Cote de Nuits 2017 750ML ($99.95) $77 pre-arrival special
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 89-91+ points “From a parcel of 80-year-old vines touching Chames-Chambertin, the 2017 Gevrey-Chambertin Aux Echézeaux is, as usual, Jouan’s finest village wine. Wafting from the glass with aromas of smoky plums, cassis, loamy soil and licorice, it’s medium to full-bodied, fleshy and richly structured, with good concentration and juicy acids.”

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Philippe Jouan Chambolle-Musigny, Cote de Nuits 2017 750ML ($89.95) $69 pre-arrival special
William Kelley – Wine Advocate 90 points “The 2017 Chambolle-Musigny Vieilles Vignes is showing well from bottle, unwinding to reveal aromas of cherries, raspberries and peonies mingled with sweet soil tones. Medium to full-bodied, deep and lively, it’s a characterful, nicely-balanced wine that is well worth seeking out.”

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Philippe Jouan Morey-Saint-Denis, Cote de Nuits 2017 750ML ($89.95) $69 pre-arrival special
William Kelley – Wine Advocate “Aromas of cherries, cassis, candied peel and plums introduce the 2017 Morey-Saint-Denis Village, a medium-bodied, sapid and satiny wine with a juicy core of fruit, melting tannins and a lingering finish. This cuvée derives from the lieux-dits Crais Gillon, Corvées, and Le Village.”

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This is the only listing in the USA today!

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

The sunshine of the past couple weeks here in Oregon has us daydreaming of springtime.  So, it’s probably no coincidence that our rosé section is once again catching our eyes.  Especially bottles from staff favorite producers like Charvin.

Best known for old-school reds from Châteauneuf-du-Pape, year in year out Charvin also produces one of our favorite rosés. This is classic Southern Rhone, with bright red fruit, fresh citrus notes, and a texture that can only be found in rosés from that part of the world.  And at pre-tariff pricing, just $16.60 a bottle, it would be difficult to get more bang for your rosé buck.


In Stock Now:

Domaine Charvin Cotes du Rhone Rose, Rhone 2018 750ML ($21.95) $16.60 special, 11 bottles available
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 90 points “Light glistening pink. High-pitched aromas of fresh strawberry and orange zest, along with hints of lavender and peach. Sappy and focused on the palate, offering nicely concentrated red berry and floral pastille flavors that deepen slowly on the back half. Finishes minerally and long, displaying noteworthy clarity and floral-tinged persistence.”

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The Alzinger style is one of restraint and balance, which yields wines that are impressively aromatic and reward focus and contemplation.  They aren’t so bombastic that they take up all of your attention, so they’re incredible wines to pair with food.  Both Gruner and Riesling are excellent, up and down the ripeness scale (they make some of our favorite Federspiel wines), and they age beautifully.  If you like old-school, old world wines (white Burgundy, or Alsatian wines before the planet turned into an oven), you should buy these.  They’re really something.


Arriving March 20th:

Alzinger Durnstein Gruner Veltliner Federspiel, Wachau 2018 750ML ($34.95) $28 pre-arrival special
Terry Theise note “This is the best Federspiel wine I’ve ever tasted, and was a candidate for wine-of-the-vintage. Honestly, it’s fabulous; one of those 3-class upgrades you sometimes get in `18 with the “small” wines. Only the best Hirtzberger Federspiels have ever shown this class and beauty of fruit. Every one of GVs prettiest and most winsome flavors is here.”

Alzinger Ried Hohereck Riesling Smaragd, Wachau 2018 750ML ($64.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Terry Theise note “How inconvenient that my usual-favorite of Alzinger’s Rieslings is the one they barely make. It’s a tiny plot and they get “around 800 bottles” in a good year. Yes—bottles. All I can say, after all these years, is—from this tiny place comes one of the earth’s great wines, the terminus of every great facet of Wachau Riesling, the herbs from this, the peaches and plums from that, the mangoes from another, the smoke from yet another—all there. This `18 has its spells and angles and salts and roasts and smokes and incenses. But my shaman-riesling is still waking up from his psilocybin dream. Patience….”

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Arriving ETA Late March:

Alzinger Loibner Steinertal Gruner Veltliner Smaragd, Wachau 2018 750ML ($79.95) $66 pre-arrival special
Grapelive 95 points “One of the most complex and serious Gruners I’ve tried in ages, the Alzinger Smaragd Ried Steinertal is one of Austria’s Grand Cru wines…[W]inemaker Leo Alzinger is getting a lot of attention and acclaim, and this wine especially shows why with its depth and richness of body and its long dry finish…. A fanatic about pristine fruit quality and severe selections in the vineyards, Leo’s wines deliver this commitment to quality in the bottle and shine in the glass with sublime detail, energy and glorious elegance, while still having a powerful presence on the palate and charming concentration. This 2018 has a full body and generously viscous with layers of lemon/lime, white peach, quince and spiced Asian pear fruits along with saline infused rock, delicate mineral tones, rosewater and a play between leesy texture and a bit of bitter almond.…The Ried Steinertal is in a hidden cool climate zone set between steep hills and holds on with the use of majestic terraces, it is a site that develops incredibly slowly and the hang time is extremely long allowing superior ripening without high sugars making for a good retention of natural acidity and gives this Smaragd a fine balance and extra level of class…2018 is an absolutely stunning Gruner that has a unique character, inner beauty and certainly looks like a classic example. “
Terry Theise note “Super high-toned and tarragon-like; juniper and Dragonwell; markedly cool, quivering, wintergreeny. There’s a quickening here, a rush of Spring melt and the new cress by the water, piercing and yet comforting, the ice cold water will gurgle and pool and splish again and the cress will be green and sweet—but back to the matter at hand; this is fiendishly long, and masterly.”

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Alzinger Hollerin Riesling Smaragd, Wachau 2018 750ML ($69.95) $51.90 pre-arrival special
Terry Theise note “Essentially the lower slopes of Höhereck (and Kellerberg, obliquely) it usually gives the most stone-fruit driven among these Rieslings, appealing but not always complex. But wow, this `18. It’s a fluid dream of blossoming apricot trees; lapidary, as if it were fined with oxytocin. Sink safely into the flowering world, the bed is made of petals, and the evening birds will sing you to sleep. It’s a wine of delicious limbs, and a bed that was never so sweet.”

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Can’t wait? These are some in-stock highlights:

Alzinger Durnsteiner Riesling Smaragd, Wachau 2015 750ML ($44.95) $33 special, 14 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 91 points “From the bottom of the Loibenberg and preselections of the single-vineyard Rieslings, the 2015 Riesling Smaragd Dürnsteiner opens with a very clear, intense and aromatic bouquet of crushed stones, smoke, herbs and white fruits. Medium to full-bodied, cool and fresh on the palate, this is a very mineral but also aromatic and fruit-driven Riesling with great elegance and finesse and a long and salty finish with purity and stimulating grip.”

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Alzinger Ried Hohereck Riesling Smaragd, Wachau 2017 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 93 points “From steep, southeast-facing terraces with weathered gneiss soils, the 2017 Ried Höhereck Riesling Smaragd is concentrated, fresh and piquant on the nose, displaying ripe white fruit aromas but also some greenish fruits. Dense and piquant on the palate, this elegant, tightly woven Riesling has remarkable phenolic grip, freshness and a stimulating astringency on the salty finish. Stunningly fresh given this steep and warm terraced vineyard. Tasted in Unterloiben, Wachau, September 2018.”-SR
Terry Theise “[++] How inconvenient that my usual-favorite of Alzinger’s Rieslings is the one they barely make. It’s a tiny plot and they get “around 800 bottles” in a good year. Yes—bottles. All I can say, after all these years, is—from this tiny place comes one of the earth’s great wines, the terminus of every great facet of Wachau Riesling, the herbs from this, the peaches and plums from that, the mangoes from another, the smoke from yet another—all there. The ’17 is, typically, complete. It’s the flavor of fullness, as if nothing else could be anticipated. Herbs, rocks, roasted veggies, salts. But the overall level of Leo’s ’17 Rieslings is so high that this doesn’t soar above as it often does. It’s just marvelous.”

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Alzinger Hollerin Riesling Smaragd, Wachau 2017 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 9 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 95 points “Elegant yet richly flavored, with white cherry, blood orange and ripe melon notes. Very creamy midpalate, adding to the structure and texture, offering complexity and a broad, echoing finish of allspice, white chocolate and fleur de sel accents. This is all about texture and minerality for now, so give it some time. Best from 2021 through 2033.”
Terry Theise “[++] Essentially the lower slopes of Höhereck (and Kellerberg, obliquely), it gives the most apricot-driven Riesling among Alzinger’s Smaragds. This one starts out with greener flavors than usual until a Victoria-Falls of stone fruit overwhelms, generously and lovingly. But it’s not a soft love, glorious though it is. There’s also a rock slide Christmas-tree thing above (or below) the white peaches. I don’t recall a Hollerin this schizy, and I think it is wonderful.”

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Bouley’s Clos de Chene has been a top seller, but this might be his best value.
Pierrick Bouley Monthelie Aux Fournereaux, Cote De Beaune 2016 750ML ($47.95) $39 special, 25 bottles in stock now
Fine Wine Review 88-92 points “5.25 hl/ha here. The nose shows ripe crushed blackberry fruit. The mouth is dense and pure with good structure to support the wild blackberry fruit. If this wine were available in any quantity, it would be a no-brainer.”

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Ribera del Duero is a great end-of-winter wine and this wine seems to scratch the itch for many.
Abadia Retuerta Seleccion Especial Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y Leon 2014 750ML ($33.95) $24 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 93 points “This red shows density and structure, with firm, well-integrated tannins and balsamic acidity supporting plum, currant, dark chocolate and mineral flavors. Polished and harmonious. Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. Drink now through 2026. 30,000 cases made.”

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One of the top Syrah bottlings produced in the US.
Pax Griffin’s Lair Syrah, Sonoma Coast 2015 750ML ($69.95) $59 special, 18 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 95 points “One of the many highlights of this range, Pax’s 2015 Syrah Griffin’s Lair Vineyard is powerful and explosive in the glass, conveying a compelling sense of vertical energy. Dried flowers, tobacco, menthol, licorice, spice and leather add myriad shades of nuance to a beautifully delineated, expressive Syrah. This cool site in the Petaluma Gap gracefully handled the rigors of the warm vintage while yielding a wine endowed with terrific freshness and structure.”
Winery Note “Our 14th vintage working with this incredible site that introduced us to the Petaluma Wind Gap. Also, the first wine we have released from this site since Jim Griffin has passed and Joan Griffin has sold the property. Two people that we and all other Syrah lovers owe a tremendous debt of gratitude.  Black fruit, iodine, tar and a floral display of violets and white flowers frame this exotic Syrah. The palate weight is huge but lifted by the cool breezes that keep the acidity naturally high in this coastal vineyard. Iodine and salt air components ground the wine in coastal California, but the leather, tar and violets hint at a different landscape across the Atlantic. A wine that drinks very young and probably will for another 5+ years, drink one this spring with some lamb and squirrel the rest away for another occasion down the road.”

“Noble and expressive” indeed.  Rotlay always seems to fire on all cylinders.
Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Rotlay Riesling, Mosel 2014 750ML ($59.95) $39 special, 24 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 94+ points “The 2014 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Rotlay offers a superbly clear and concentrated bouquet with tropical fruit aromas (mango, pineapples) and fine botrytis. Picked with 110° Oechsle, this is a sweet, piquant, highly elegant and refined Riesling with a lingering purity and salinity, as well as the repetition of the tropical fruit aromas of the nose. With great finesse and concentration, this is quite noble and expressive Riesling.”

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The big boy cab is certainly catnip for collectors, but this is a great bottle for under $200.
Eisele Vineyard ‘Altagracia’ Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2016 750ML ($169.95) $149 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
James Suckling 96 points “Lots of violets and dark berries with sweet underbrush and fresh mushrooms, following through to a medium to full body, soft and silky tannins and a succulent and refined finish. It remains supple and beautiful. Hard not to drink now. Better after 2023.”
Wine Advocate 95 points “The Altagracia is produced almost exclusively from estate fruit this year and was bottled at the end of June 2018. Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Altagracia comes bursting forth with vivacious black cherries, blackberries, wild blueberries and cassis notes with touches of cinnamon stick, cloves, forest floor, violets and dusty earth with a waft of violets. The palate is medium to full-bodied, firm and grainy with loads of iron and mineral accents, finishing long and perfumed.”

From a vineyard planted in the 1880’s, this Zin based blend is powerful and ageworthy.
Bedrock Wine Co. ‘Old Hill Ranch Heritage’, Sonoma Valley 2018 750ML ($69.95) $59 special, 9 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 96 points “The 2018 Old Hill Heritage Wine is one of the many drop-dead gorgeous wines in the Bedrock range this year. The field blend of 30 varieties confers unusual complexity and nuance. Lavender, mint and sweet red cherry fruit develop, but it is the balance of power and finesse that I find most compelling. There are just so many layers of the Old Hill. Readers lucky enough to find it are in for a real treat.”
Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2018 Old Hill Ranch Heritage comes from a vineyard planted to a field blend of over 30 varieties, with a good amount of Grenache, that has been farmed organically since the 1960s. Medium ruby-purple, it has a bright, open nose of stone fruit salad, blueberries, black cherries, Earl Grey tea leaves, dried citrus peel and tree bark with oodles of exotic spices and dried flowers. Medium to full bodied, it’s tightly coiled but intense in the mouth, with a chewy frame and wicked juicy acidity, finishing very long and technicolor. Yes!-EB”
Winery Note “Yikes, I cannot believe we are actually releasing this wine!  Few vineyards are so closely associated with my childhood as Old Hill Ranch—I remember picking blackberries while my father sampled the vineyard in the 80s.  I remember hanging around in the cellar, hearing the reverence with which my dad talked about this place and its 1880s-planted vines.  What is amazing is that under the careful oversight of our friend Will Bucklin, the vineyard has only gotten healthier as it has aged.  The vineyard lies just .85 miles north of the ancient vines at Bedrock Vineyard, planted on soils derived from the next alluvial fan north.  Though the soils are a similar iron-tinged red, there is less cobble at Old Hill.  Here, over 30 different varieties are field-blended, though Old Hill is unique in that the second most planted grape here is Grenache—a variety of which we have two vines at Bedrock and none at Pagani or Monte Rosso.  In addition, there is small cabal of extremely rare Savoie varieties—Mollard, Etraire de la Dui and Persan—along with a spotted grape that has no matching genetic fingerprint. What surprises me most about the 2018 though is that over all of the power lies an alluring murmur of ethereal violet and pepper-tinged perfume—something that I would associate more with the Alps than a vineyard planted in the heart of Sonoma Valley.  This is one of my favorite wines we have ever made, and thanks to the relatively generous 2018 vintage, there will hopefully be enough to go around. “

Stealing all of Beaux Freres’ thunder, Mike Etzel’s second project is en fuego.
Sequitur Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge 2016 750ML ($119.95) $79 special, 36 bottles in stock now
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 96 points “Glimmering red. A hugely aromatic bouquet evokes fresh red fruits, Asian spices and potpourri, along with a bright mineral overtone and a touch of smokiness. Juicy, seamless and precise on the palate, offering potent, mineral-laced raspberry preserve, rose pastille and spicecake flavors that deepen and spread out steadily on the back half. Delivers a compelling blend of power and finesse and finishes with silky tannins, outstanding clarity and floral- and mineral-driven persistence.”
Wine Advocate 94+ points “Pale to medium ruby-purple in color, the 2016 Sequitur Pinot Noir has a lovely, open nose of black and red cherries and blackberries with notions of wood smoke, turned earth, autumn leaves, cardamom and potpourri. Medium-bodied, it floods the mouth with ripe black and red fruits with wonderful earthy/spicy accents, very fine, grainy tannins and mouthwatering acidity, finishing long with spice and floral layers. 480 cases produced.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $89.99
The average listed price is $94

 

William Kelley asks the question we’ve all been seriously considering: “Is Louis Roederer today the greatest of Champagne’s Grandes Marques?”

In a recently published overview in the Wine Advocate, Kelley goes on today to state that the quality of  Roederer’s wines, along with their “unparalleled commitment to organic and biodynamic farming” put the venerable estate “two decades ahead of many of their rivals.” Indeed, Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon, Roederer’s chef des caves, asserts that this obsession over farming (already a hallmark for Selosse and every top producer in Burgundy) produces better wines “what he likes to call ‘the pursuit of taste.'”

Looking at his new reviews (along with the scores of other major critics), it looks as though Roederer might have a lead even over Krug—especially with the debut of the new Cristal Vinotheque program.

Roederer’s Cristal is one of the premier bottlings in Champagne—a tete du cuvee that always lives up to the hype.  Even better than Cristal? Cristal Vinotheque—a late released bottling that represents the absolute pinnacle of what Roederer is capable of.

We’re pleased to offer two stunning vintages of Cristal Vinotheque: 1995 and 1996. The pair may represent the best back to back vintages in Champagne’s history—certainly we can’t think of a better duo off the top of our heads (we weren’t around to taste the ’61/’62 combo when they were young, but if you want to argue that, go for it).  Cristal excelled in both years and the newly released Vinotheques are anything you could ever want in Champagne.

Kelley goes into plenty of detail about how much care and effort went into these two releases in his article (the two vintages aged both sur latte and sur pointe for different periods of time based on how Lecaillon felt they were evolving) and we’d heartily recommend a read.  We’d also suggest you grab one of our last remaining bottles/magnums—these aren’t going to be around for long.


Arriving March 20th

Louis Roederer Cristal Vinotheque Edition Brut, Champagne 1995 750ML ($1,299.95) $1,199 pre-arrival special, 1 bottles remaining
Louis Roederer Cristal Vinotheque Edition Brut, Champagne 1995 1.5L ($2,699.95) $2,499 pre-arrival special, 1 magnum remaining
Decanter 99 points “This Vinothèque version hasn’t moved from Roederer’s cellars in Reims until now. During its long evolution, it has spent ten years on its lees and then another ten on cork. Significantly, it also receives a lower dosage than the original Cristal release. Supremely seductive and endlessly complex, it has a generous, supple texture and intense yet delicate filigree flavours of sweet yellow fruits, quince, nougat, cream, patisserie and savoury hazelnut. Still remarkably young and fresh, this dances across your palate and has a long, savoury, autolytic finish. Charming beyond compare.”
Wine Enthusiast 98 points “This amazing wine is timeless. Just hinting a golden hue, the nose offers layers of toastiness balanced by an impressive amount of fruit and freshness. At 23 years old, it still has some life in it, showing bright citrus and minerality. Let it breathe before drinking to bring out all the subtleties.”
James Suckling 98 points “A very different style to the 1996, this has much more savory, autolytic influence. Fresh, chalky aromas with hazelnuts and grilled lemons, as well as a super fine, toasty thread. There’s roasted coffee, smoky grilled lemons and a big mouthful of fresh white peaches and truffles. Gently nutty. Pulls into chalk at the finish. Eight years sur latte and seven years sur pointe. Disgorged with 7g dosage of the same wine. Drink now to 2025.”
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 96+ points “Disgorged in 2010 and re-launched in September 2017, Roederer’s low dosed 1995 Cristal Vinotheque (dosage: six to seven grams per liter) is very intense on the nose and shows lovely maturity. Due to the vintage, which saw some rain in the summer, the Chardonnay part is a bit higher than usual (43% instead of 40%), with just 57% Pinot Noir (from Aÿ). Five percent of the wine was fermented in oak, and 15% underwent malolactic fermentation (only the Pinot Noir though). The palate is rich and vinous but also pure, straight and fresh, finishing with a tight structure, persistent minerality and a yeasty character. Tasted in Reims in May 2018.”

Louis Roederer Cristal Vinotheque Edition Brut, Champagne 1996 1.5L ($2,999.95) $2,799 pre-arrival special, 1 magnum remaining
Antonio Galloni 100 points “One of the many highlights of the afternoon, the 1996 Cristal Vinothèque (magnum) exudes a level of richness and intensity that is simply breathtaking. That extra kick of richness the 1996 has developed in magnum and over extended time on the lees is pure magic in balancing some of the natural austerity of the year. What comes through is a Champagne of unforgettable profoundness. Smoke, crushed rocks, white flowers, mint and finely sculpted citrus confit/orchard fruit add striking layers of dimensions. The 1996 is so bright and so alive in the glass. A whole range of Chardonnay inflections punctuate the finish…” [Review is for a late disgorgement from 2009]
Wine Enthusiast 100 points “A re-release from one of the legendary vintages of the last 30 years, this Champagne still shows some of the intense acidity that marked that year. It has gained maturity, but it’s an ageless, magnificent wine. Although it is ready to drink, it will hold well through 2029.”
James Suckling 99 points “The wine starts with attractive, reductive, toasty aromas, then freshens with air to offer fresh flowers and very fine lime peel and lemon pith, as well as grapefruit and yellow plums. The palate has an intense, fine and fresh feel with super long, lemon and lime flavors, together with subtle, nutty moments that will build with time on cork. Then, a late, spicy edge and super tart, mouthwatering grapefruit. Seemingly endless length and potential. Kept on the lees for its entire life and disgorged in 2012. Dosage of 7g using 1996 wine – as pure as possible. A must for every collector of great Champagne.”
Decanter 98 points “A blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, this is a truly remarkable champagne offering pure, unalloyed pleasure now and for many years yet. It has a fabulous nose showing freshness and fruit with supple, savoury aromas of brioche and cox’s apple. The acidity is vibrant, light and taut yet somehow also exhibits lovely roundness and a gorgeous satin-like texture. The palate spectrum is mind-boggling, with flavours ranging from cashew, cream, nougat and toast to white pear, citrus and crystallised fruits. Supremely balanced and refined, it finishes with a sumptuously long, savoury-umami finish.”
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 96 points “The 1996 Cristal Vinothéque spent 10 years sur lattes and four years sur pointe (for an explanation of those terms, readers are directed to the accompanying article) before disgorgement. Opening in the glass with a complex bouquet of dried fruits, honeycomb, fresh butter, lemon oil, spices and smoke, it’s medium to full-bodied, ample and integrated, its racy spine of vintage-typical acidity elegantly cloaked in crisp but fleshy fruit, with terrific concentration and a long, precise finish. Incisive and powerful, this is a 1996 Champagne that has turned out very well indeed.”