Dosage 0 g/l, 50:50 2015 base Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and no sulphur. Disgorged September 2020 and happily still in good condition, even fresh. This is really interesting, with real tension between the intensity of the developed flavour profile, and the lack of dosage leading to a sort of underlying sharp nothingness. Mushroom and sharp citrus, incisive and intriguing: I can't get a handle on it, but I want to keep trying to.
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I like it but I do not love it. Frankly, I found the brut nature from Lahaye more intriguing. Quite a bit of acidity and oxidation, bruised apple. Some spices from the wood program bitter orange and tangerine, minerality. Very nice but not sure I would go for this one relative to the cheaper brut nature.
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New years eve dinner (At home): Tasted Marguet 2006 (disgorged autumn 2011) against Comtes de Champagne 2006 and Benoit Lahaye Violaine NV (disgorged 09/2016) Both Marguet and Benoit Lahaye are typical Grower style: Bone dry and oxidative style. Benoit Lahaye NV: Very complex but dominated by Extremely overripe apple and tons of hazelnut. Also toffee and coffee. Autolysis aromas are very subdued (almost no yeast aromas). The finish is extremely long and is highly dominated by the hazelnut. Delicate mousse. Fully developed. Drink now, nut suitable for further ageing I believe. 93+ Marguet 2006: Same style as Lahaye but less mature and still developing. Less oxidative notes at the moment. Slightly overripe apple, a little nutty (but not near Lahaye) and a little coffee. Creamy mousse. Can drink now but I would keep it another couple of years. 93+ Comtes de Champagne 2006: Completely different style. Usually Comtes is one of my favourites but as the 3. wine after Lahaye and Marguet Comtes was not a good experience. It seems like they work against each other in the same way as a wrong food/wine match. What a shame, Comtes de Champagne felt too rich, not complex and dominated by coffee. A lot more intense both in nose and palate. Creamy mousse. Can drink now but has further ageing potential. 91+
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Lovely layering here with delicious and slightly oxidized flavors with excellent depth and richness. Not as fine as the Laval but quite complex and concentrated.
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Some blue fruits, yeasty notes and a stony, austere finish. Respect that he can make bubbles without adding sulfites. Find a bit too harsh and the finish is a bit clipped. Tasted over 2 days.
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Pnp at 12 C, nose gives an almost chemical (in the most positive way) feel. bee wax, fruit stone, steel and hint of funks. Nose leans towards an aged Northern Rhône white. Initially palate screams lime and grape fruit - almost numbs palate. Intense and loong finish. Myriads of piercing bubbles. Does not go unnoticed in any way. Not for the faint hearted for sure. With more time edges smoothens out both on the nose and, particularly, the palate. More flowers and perhaps green grapes emerge. However, still saline and vibrant. The initial 30-40 mins, really put me in a corner. From then the wine calms down and presents itself in far more welcoming fashion. I will not forget this bottle. 90p on pleasure scale, 93p on impact scale - if that makes sense to anyone else but me :)
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Champagne découverte with Lei Meng at RVLT. Appearance is clear, pale intensity, lemon colour. Legs. Fine bubbles. Nose is clean, medium intensity, with aromas of wet stones minerality, almond nut, citrus lime, brioche, mild flowers. Developing. On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium- alcohol (12%), medium body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of citrus lemon-lime, fresh and crunchy red and green apples, stony minerality. Long finish. Very good quality. Damm fresh and pure is the initial incisive sensation, then some mysterious elemental feeling that something more is lurking and waiting to emerge with more bottle ageing. Should be worthwhile to give this some more time. Biodynamic. Zero dosage. 50% Pinot Noir and 50% Chardonnay. Partially from the vineyards Les Argentières and Les Monts de Tours, both in Bouzy in Montagne de Reims.
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Gresca: a pre-Xmas lunch (Gresca Restaurant - Barcelona): Very fresh, vigorous, feeling young (recent degorgement) with plenty of mousse, autolysis and pastry notes on palate. Excellent for aperitif althought a tad too young for my taste.
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Once you have developed a taste for non-dosage, non-sulphur champagne it is easy to get addicted. This one shows a ressemblance to the "Brut Nature".
Initially quite marked by perfect oak treatment on the nose conjuring up different notes of acidity and acidity-driven fruit. It is a beast that keeps changing the nature of the acidity and challenges you to seek deeper and deeper. It keeps on delivering. Raspberry acidity to balsamico acidity to cloudberry! As exciting as a wine/champagne can get. The thing is alive!!! 94+
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3/28/2024 - NickA Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dosage 0 g/l, 50:50 2015 base Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and no sulphur. Disgorged September 2020 and happily still in good condition, even fresh. This is really interesting, with real tension between the intensity of the developed flavour profile, and the lack of dosage leading to a sort of underlying sharp nothingness. Mushroom and sharp citrus, incisive and intriguing: I can't get a handle on it, but I want to keep trying to.
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3/6/2024 - brigcampbell wrote:
Yeast note appreciated. Apple, light oxidation, medium acidity, oak and nutty flavor.
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4/29/2023 - atbarbar Likes this wine: 90 Points
I like it but I do not love it. Frankly, I found the brut nature from Lahaye more intriguing. Quite a bit of acidity and oxidation, bruised apple. Some spices from the wood program bitter orange and tangerine, minerality. Very nice but not sure I would go for this one relative to the cheaper brut nature.
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3/10/2023 - mtowle182 Likes this wine:
Drinks great
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12/31/2021 - Kim Gerner wrote: 93 Points
New years eve dinner (At home): Tasted Marguet 2006 (disgorged autumn 2011) against Comtes de Champagne 2006 and Benoit Lahaye Violaine NV (disgorged 09/2016)
Both Marguet and Benoit Lahaye are typical Grower style: Bone dry and oxidative style.
Benoit Lahaye NV: Very complex but dominated by Extremely overripe apple and tons of hazelnut. Also toffee and coffee. Autolysis aromas are very subdued (almost no yeast aromas). The finish is extremely long and is highly dominated by the hazelnut. Delicate mousse. Fully developed. Drink now, nut suitable for further ageing I believe. 93+
Marguet 2006: Same style as Lahaye but less mature and still developing. Less oxidative notes at the moment. Slightly overripe apple, a little nutty (but not near Lahaye) and a little coffee. Creamy mousse. Can drink now but I would keep it another couple of years. 93+
Comtes de Champagne 2006: Completely different style. Usually Comtes is one of my favourites but as the 3. wine after Lahaye and Marguet Comtes was not a good experience. It seems like they work against each other in the same way as a wrong food/wine match. What a shame, Comtes de Champagne felt too rich, not complex and dominated by coffee. A lot more intense both in nose and palate. Creamy mousse. Can drink now but has further ageing potential. 91+
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10/24/2021 - dream Likes this wine: 91 Points
Lovely layering here with delicious and slightly oxidized flavors with excellent depth and richness. Not as fine as the Laval but quite complex and concentrated.
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1/23/2021 - Bathtub58 wrote: 88 Points
Almost entirely dough/yeast. No note taken.
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9/5/2020 - dandiephouse wrote: 89 Points
Some blue fruits, yeasty notes and a stony, austere finish. Respect that he can make bubbles without adding sulfites. Find a bit too harsh and the finish is a bit clipped. Tasted over 2 days.
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6/6/2020 - BSA Likes this wine: 90 Points
Pnp at 12 C, nose gives an almost chemical (in the most positive way) feel. bee wax, fruit stone, steel and hint of funks. Nose leans towards an aged Northern Rhône white. Initially palate screams lime and grape fruit - almost numbs palate. Intense and loong finish. Myriads of piercing bubbles. Does not go unnoticed in any way. Not for the faint hearted for sure. With more time edges smoothens out both on the nose and, particularly, the palate. More flowers and perhaps green grapes emerge. However, still saline and vibrant. The initial 30-40 mins, really put me in a corner. From then the wine calms down and presents itself in far more welcoming fashion. I will not forget this bottle. 90p on pleasure scale, 93p on impact scale - if that makes sense to anyone else but me :)
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3/24/2018 - Derek Darth Taster wrote: 91 Points
Champagne découverte with Lei Meng at RVLT.
Appearance is clear, pale intensity, lemon colour. Legs. Fine bubbles.
Nose is clean, medium intensity, with aromas of wet stones minerality, almond nut, citrus lime, brioche, mild flowers. Developing.
On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium- alcohol (12%), medium body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of citrus lemon-lime, fresh and crunchy red and green apples, stony minerality. Long finish.
Very good quality. Damm fresh and pure is the initial incisive sensation, then some mysterious elemental feeling that something more is lurking and waiting to emerge with more bottle ageing. Should be worthwhile to give this some more time.
Biodynamic. Zero dosage. 50% Pinot Noir and 50% Chardonnay. Partially from the vineyards Les Argentières and Les Monts de Tours, both in Bouzy in Montagne de Reims.
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2/15/2017 - Lype Likes this wine:
No formal notes, quite nice.
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12/11/2015 - Periko Likes this wine: 92 Points
Gresca: a pre-Xmas lunch (Gresca Restaurant - Barcelona): Very fresh, vigorous, feeling young (recent degorgement) with plenty of mousse, autolysis and pastry notes on palate. Excellent for aperitif althought a tad too young for my taste.
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10/9/2015 - chrishsh Does not like this wine: 82 Points
Very mild aroma and pale/flat palette. Very disappointed by this special cuvée. (1,800 bottles only)
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7/22/2014 - AtoZ wrote: 89 Points
Based on 2009 but marketed as NV. Fun. Big. I get bandaid or really ripe fruit. Again not for laying down.
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12/4/2013 - Bisty Likes this wine: 94 Points
Once you have developed a taste for non-dosage, non-sulphur champagne it is easy to get addicted. This one shows a ressemblance to the "Brut Nature".
Initially quite marked by perfect oak treatment on the nose conjuring up different notes of acidity and acidity-driven fruit. It is a beast that keeps changing the nature of the acidity and challenges you to seek deeper and deeper. It keeps on delivering. Raspberry acidity to balsamico acidity to cloudberry! As exciting as a wine/champagne can get. The thing is alive!!! 94+
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