Saturday, November 2, 2013 - Champagne and Sushi (Megumi, Sentosa Golf Club): This was a very good bottle of Initiale, one of the best I have had. I unfortunately did not note down the disgorgement date, but it clearly had quite a bit of age on it. Served blind, I do not think anyone had any doubts it was a Selosse. From first pour, it had a beautiful telltale nose of red apple flesh with slightly oxidative, ciderish aromas, along with wafts of manuka honey, some mandarin oranges and a sprinkle of exotic spice. Glorious stuff - a world away from the more classic aromas of the first two champagnes, but beautiful in its own style. The palate was power-packed – very rich and generous, with round and fleshy flavours of apple cider and white melons, yet it was also wonderfully structured and effortlessly balanced, having a very fresh, clean feel lent to it by nicely integrated acidity and a really fine, lively mousse. I find that this sense of cleanness and purity sometimes makes the Initiale a more enjoyable drink than either of Selosse’s grander (and more expensive) non-vintage Substance or VO Champagnes. This was no pushover though. It had real depth and breadth to it, all the way into a tremendous finish that rippled through the back-palate with a lush linger of ripe lemons in a long glide of saline mineral. Really lovely, complex stuff, and at a nice place on the night.
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Comment posted by Seth Rosenberg:
12/7/2013 10:46:00 AM - Paul - this is great review on a wine that I often have trouble describing. Thanks.