Beginning our evening with this bottle, I had previously only gotten to taste examples of Pol Roger's Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill selections when it came to the maison's vintage offerings. Suffice to say, I was eager to check in on this bottle with some palpable excitement around the 2008 vintage. Immediately, the nose offered superb balance as peach, baking spices and brioche all came together, forming a lovely bouquet. The palate had some zippy acidity, boasting an upfront consisting of ripe melon and green apple notes before the mid-palate was dominated by a brioche note accompanied by some light flintiness. Signs of maturity emerged in the back end as a lemon rind note quickly transitioned into prominent nuttiness on the finish. As a whole, this was a treat and at the price, it's hard to find a bottle from 2008 you could want more from at this stage of its maturation.
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This is lovely, fresh and full of energy. Not as many nutty and toasty notes as I would like, but it’s clearly just at the start of a long drinking window. First of a case of 6 for me. The remainder are still in storage, and I think I might leave them there for a good while.
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Upon opening, a very fresh, lively, and round but balanced bubbly. Over the course of the dinner, mature notes of roasted nuts and caramel moved toward the front on both the nose and the palate.
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This is drinking quite well, with some mature notes of honey and hazelnuts. Not as yeasty, fresh, precise or "mineral" than the magnum that I had a few years ago.
Better to start drinking up now.
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A real beauty at an optimal age. Deep straw color with fine and persistent bubbles. Fruity nose dominated by red apples, some vanilla and a fine mature honey note. Some chalky tones at the back. Medium bodied attack, high acidity, medium fine mousse, lots of red apples and citrus on the mid-palate, high acidity on the finish and a honey tone on the long aftertaste. This is still very fresh and has no tones of pre-aging (as someone has noted for the 08 vintage). Drink now, but it will keep for at least a decade or more for those liking champagnes more nutty and earthy.
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Clear golden color. The mousse is limited at sight. Beautiful nose dominated by honey, yellow apples, and fine mineral tones. Medium to full bodied attack, finely grained mousse, perfect balance between acidity and sweet fruit. Long and fresh aftertaste with those fine hints of honey. This one has really travelled well across the years. Drink now, but will keep for many years.
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Felt like something cold and wet at the end of the night and this fit the bill nicely. Not as precise and defined as the 2008 BdB from Pol Roger, but shows the quality of the vintage.
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A Medlar lunch (Medlar, London): Magnum. Mid straw. Nicely rich with plenty of depth and a nicely preserved line through the finish. This is in a lovely spot. I’ve pretty much given up with Pol owing to it’s apparent premature aging, though I’ve been fortunate with my 96s against the odds, and also with the 90. Having sold the 02sand 08s in standard bottle, I kept the 08 mags, and on this showing very glad I did. They’re fully ready though. ****
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Youthful straw color; lemon curd, subtle nose; palate has noticeable dosage compared to the growers I tend to drink, but still good acid balance, lemon zest, lemon curd; finish is medium length. Still seems youthful but at this point not showing the depth I would hope for in a great vintage with a little age. 90, will try to age my last bottle a few more years. Day 2: a bit more golden, and a bit more brioche on the nose and palate. Better than yesterday, and this will improve with another 5 years in the cellar. 91
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Lovely. Great complexity and depth. Beads are small and pretty. It's fully ready to go and probably at its peak now. It would also likely continue to be great for some years more but we chose to pop this last bottle now. If I find it again I wouldn't hesitate buying again
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Pomerol, part 1 (67 Pall Mall): Magnum. A really charming wine, with appreciable finesse and plenty going on: pineapple, ginger, lime and smoke notes intermingling delightfully. Subtle length and power, and more creamy with air/warmth (but I slightly preferred the first glass, when the wine felt more streamlined). Lovely stuff.
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Nick A’s Pomerol @67 (67 Pall Mall, London): Mag. Mid to full straw. Nicely rich on the nose. Fresh attack, nicely mineral, mid weight, expansive on the mid palate but retaining line and a degree of cut. Broadening on the finish but in good shape. Time to drink. ****
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Houston Wine Merchant purchase. A bit overpriced but a lovely one off purchase. The nose and mouth feel are fantastic. All the toasted butter notes that I love. On the palate just a touch sweet for my palate but overall very enjoyable. No dosage information so I'm not sure exactly where this lands on sugars.
Would purchase again at better price point.
92
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Chef Don Saunder's food enticed 7 city dwellers to our place in the exurbs! 8 of us plus Nita & Joe enjoyed Don's magnificent food tonight 30 miles from downtown Minneapolis. What a night!! CV,KB,SS,CS,DM,DD,LI, & DS. My btl and one I've been waiting for to evolve based on a less than impressive first btl nearly 5yrs ago. Happily, tonight's showed very well with lovely fresh fruit and excellent minerality. This is in a good place, and I'd happily drink a glass of this again.
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Not a great 'pop'. Mid gold. Lovely nose, full bodied, brioche, bread, lemon, some honey, flowers, some complexity. Palette; orchard white fruits, dry (wonderful) quenching, some salt, balanced, so mineral. Palatte refecting nose. Delicious champagne. (Mine cellared professionally temperature/humidity controlled). I think the life/longevity of this champagne will be decided by closure and cellaring because the fruit and structure is excellent.
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not blind Baroque style and too sweet in the beginning, waffles, nut, powerful but good acidity structure. Starting to reach his top if you like it fresh. Later on more balanced. 92-93
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Goodness this was singing. Pale gold. Really almost fresh but with real depth. White bread, some toast, citrus,red apple, light hazlenuts, lovely acidity and long. Complexity yet fresh and clean. Very fine.
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Light gold color. Split bottle over 3 hours. Love the trajectory here as these are soaring now. Wow, a fantastic sea air nose with bread dough, yeast, pear, almond, and nougat. The palate is flat out delicious; elegant and lifted, pear, citrus zest, almond, patisserie cream, nougat, finishing with ocean ,limestone and chalk minerality. Fantastic! 94(+)pts.
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Off-putting struck match and sulphur dominated the flavour profile. Beneath the stink though, it was decidedly fresh and buttery with a strong mineral character. I loved the complexity and balance, so perhaps it could do with another 5 years. A real pity. CHP 85 pts
Very much exceeded my expectations. Much better than a bottle tried fall of 2021. This one was rich and flavorful and perfect with light appetizers. Good toastiness and PN fruit. Score: 4- (out of 5).
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Detailed nose - intense fruit, brioche, floral notes, chalky minerality. Very elegant and harmonious on the palate, good weight and concentration, quite intense. A fine mineral streak leading to a persistent finish. 92-94
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Good mousse and good grip, but not quite ready yet. Tart from about the middle of the taste curve, and bitter at the end. It needs more time to evolve and balance those astringent elements. (Note that I have amended my points giving to fit the original scale and take the inflation out. "86" means just into 'excellent' and more than very good. It may actually be a bit on the generous side, but it will have to do for now.)
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A nice pschhit. Beautiful on the nose. The 2008 was more toffee, butter, syrup. Also a firm citrus grip showing the power of the vintage. Bubbles disappeard in 30-40 min.
Really nice bottle.
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Drunk with cheese canapes. It was a mistake to open this bottle - it is way too young. Bright, fresh, pale gold. Crisp, citrusy but evolved in the glass over 1 hour very slowly into something more interesting with hints of apple and biscuit. I will leave my next bottle for 10 years - it's going to take that long, at least! Based on its evolution in the glass this has great potential and I'm sure will just get better and better given sufficient time.
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Light gold color. Drank several glasses over 2.5 hours. Brought this to Oceanaire for my son Scott's birthday. I was a little apprehensive since bottles two ago were tight and youthful. Well time has served us well and I can report that the 08 was showing nicely. Floral, apple tart, chamomile, patisserie cream, cherry, toasty, full bodied, long, very nice tart apple palate, subtle almond.
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Drank over three nights, this never really gave excitement and the dosage stuck out. I'm confused by what is happening with this wine, as my numerous experiences with it have been all over the map.
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Compared to the 2002 and 2012 I recently had this one was really still quite tightly coiled, not revealing much aroma, even after a decant. Bright tell tale 2008 acidity, lemon, cider aromas in the forefront. Best to cellar this a few more years. 91-?+
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Lovely golden color with a bouquet and flavor of bread, and brioche with just a hint of dilute balsamic vinegar. Tiny if evanescent bubbles. Good balance and depth with pleasing acidity and a long finish. This is a wow. Second bottle similar.
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Served alongside NV Chartogne-Taillet Le Rosé, '12 Benoit Lahaye. Paired with caviar, oysters and tuna tartare. Half of the group (the women) picked this as the favorite. Much more open and creamy on the palate, with soft mousse and bread dough flavors and aromas. I thought this was delicious and paired really well with the caviar.
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Medium gold in the glass. Very fine bead. Bright in the glass.
On the nose - lemons, apples nuts, minerals, cream, caramel and yeast. Feels harmonious and together.
On the palate rich, sweet and sour notes, apples, lemons, limes and breads all wrapped in a nice mousse. Good mouthfeel - still has plenty of structure suggesting it will go on developing in the bottle
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MACDONALD Vertical Dinner (Saga): Always fun to start a meal with bubbles and this is no different. Drank next to the 2007 Billecart-Salmon Louis Salmon. This was more round, brioche, a bit buttery. Oddly starting to feel like there was some age on it.
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Light gold color with good shine and a confident mousse. Generous baked bread, Lemonheads, and melon balls in the bouquet and palate. A taut mineral spine and firm acidity assure that this is just a baby. The finish lingers for minutes with subtle elements of the bouquet. Another excellent Pol. 5+12+18+9= 94
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WSET Level 4, Unit D4: Sparkling Wines (Weinakademie Österreich, Rust, Austria): Wine 11: The wine has a medium lemon colour. The nose has medium intensity and shows primary characteristics of green fruit (e.g., ripe apple) and citrus fruit (e.g., ripe lemon) as well as secondary characteristics like lactic notes (butter) and autolysis notes (bread, biscuit).
On the palate the wine is dry, with medium(+) acidity, medium alcohol, and medium body. The flavour intensity is medium, flavours include primary characteristics of green fruit (e.g., apple), citrus fruit (e.g., lemon), and stone fruit (e.g., young peach) as well as secondary characteristics from autolysis (like biscuit, brioche, and light coffee), and lactic notes like butter that indicate malolactic conversion. The mousse is fine, the finish is long.
This wine is of outstanding quality since it is complex, has fine mousse, and is very long. Based on structure, concentration, and length, this wine is suitable for further aging in bottle.
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Onklers Champagne mai 21 (Anders): Nose with bakery, yeast, brioche, aged dusty paper, and hints of malt. Sea, shells, ebb and flow. Taste of yellow apple, apple carcass, and malt drops. Some light citrus notes. I think it lacks some complexity. High on acid still. Leave it for a few more years.
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This is lovely. Light young golden color, elegant bead of tiny bubbles. Very expressive nose, with aromas of biscuit, quince, apple, currant. Still young. Medium body, elegant with the acidity not completely mellowed. flavours of candied lemon, apple, currant. Very good persistance,savoury, elegant and very long. Excellent champagne. Still on the young side, doesn’t yet have the honeyed notes coming through, but already extremely enjoyable. Love it. Can’t stop drinking this.
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A very solid champagne and frankly pushes the envelope towards the Winston Churchill super cuvee. Energetic and bright and probably at its peak now on that front, soft rich feel and very welcoming. Soft on the palate, with soft feel of honey. Very solid. 91-92
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This was outstanding! Green apples, almonds, licorice and a touch of mineral. The finish goes on for minutes. Great mouthfeel. Really liked this. Would definitely buy again.
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Drunk with cheesey canapes. Pale bright gold with a really fine, gentle bead. Biscuity, leesey with citrus and a hint of green apple on the nose, all carried through onto the palate. Really nice balance, refreshing acidity and great length; smooth and lively. It is still a teenager - interesting but not fully engaging. While already drinking very nicely it doesn't quite feel fully rounded out, which I'm sure will come with further maturity and as it gains more tertiary flavours. I don't think this is anywhere near its peak and it will last for 2-3 decades more.
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A bit of golden apple colour, very fine bead leading to a rich full bodied champagne with creamy mousse and notes of apple and hints of peach. Hopefully it was just this bottle but I found it to be more wine like (less acid and fizz than I was expecting) though a fine chalky/slatiness is faint in the background and at the finish. May have to check in on another bottle to see if it is fresher.
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Good on day 1 but really fantastic with breakfast :) on day 2. I like this much more than how recent bottles of the 2002 and 1996 have showed, and so perhaps I am joining the "drink Pol black label young" bracket. This is getting close to ideal for me, although I did prefer the day 2 expression - so perhaps one to drink over the next 5 years.
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The flavours are rich in brioche, lemon zest and lemon tart. Wonderful layers of flavours, but not overpowering. Very harmonised, bordering stunning. It's very drinkable now, but will probably get better with further cellaring.
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Well, this is just a stunning vintage nearing its apex. Light golden colour with streaks of green, small and persistent bubbles. Inviting nose dominated by green apples, peach, vanilla, and a hint of slate/chalk. Full bodied attack, extremely well defined mousse that is comparative to a DP from a good vintage. Fine acidity, lots of fruit on the mid palate (peach/apples), tones of lime and chalk at the end. Long and fresh with bubbles that just keep on coming. Maybe a bit too sweet on the final part of the aftertaste, I guess the dosage is quite high here. Wonderful to drink now, will only get older and different, so I guess it is at its apex right now.
Magnum. I drank all my bottles of this approx. a year ago - they were ready and were not going to improve for my palate. This is my first mag. Day 1, a bit tight, everything in place but not giving much. Day 2, opens up beautifully, plenty of breadth, old school Pol, something comforting about it, pipe and slippers. Such a shame the style has changed here - I still buy in mags but bottles are no longer safe to age. These mags need another 2-3 years but based on experience they will peak then so don't keep too long. ****
So very much in its youth, yet approachable by far - and it shines even more when paired with proper dishes which match. The lemony acidity, the green apples - the fruit is just fresh, but the acidity balances it very well. Good mousse, good length. Love the mineral footprint.
For me this is hold, or when you simply cannot resist to keep your hand off. But this will shine even more down the road - which in itself is a great argument for popping one every now and then, to join and enjoy the journey.
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Big blast of SO2 upon opening which attenuates within 20-30 min. Still quite young and slightly raw, but already quite lovely with plenty of developed notes due to the style. I enjoyed this very much. I have 6 bottles and a couple of magnums but it might not be enough - will try to hold these for another couple of years before sampling another.
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Very good bottle. A richer and creamier champagne. Maybe lacking a bit in the acidity department. Would like a little bit more zing....that said a very good bottle. Got better and better over the 30 min we drank it.
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A bit closed while poured in the glass, it did open up beautifully after few minutes, glazed orange notes, very subtle biscuit tones. Very elegant on the palate, sharp and rich at same time, a great vintage!
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Toast and green apple primarily on the nose, also lime zest and lime. Quite minerals or stone. Granny Smith Apple skin on the palette, with candied lime and lemon. Lovely delicate bubbles. Mega primary buy so drinkable.
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Grande cremositá, bollicine veramente molto fini. Agrumi, frutta bianca e gialla, ma anche piccoli frutti rossi, per un naso classico ed elegante, in cui i lieviti fanno da sottofondo mai protagonisti o sopra le righe. Al palato molto equilibrio, grande piacevolezza, e nessuna asperità, sia sotto il profilo tattile che gustativo. Dosaggio medio-alto, si direbbe. Non resta a lungo nel bicchiere.
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Rich and creamy and broad shouldered. Perhaps gets overwhelmed by 2008 dom p against it. Lots of apple and lemon and cream and deep yellow, just not as sharp as some other 2008. Big dosage or at least bigger than other recent champers I've had lately. Still a very nice wine and I have another and a 2006 too. Pop the other in a few years.
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Not my btl tonight and same btl as R&Rler. Continues to underwhelm me, for the price. I have one left of my 3 and hope it improves. Paid $70 drinks like $40.
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Three out of Five Ain't Bad (The Kenwood, Mpls, MN): Drank a glass next to the '08 Veuve Clicquot Brut. Very good, but not quite as giving. The nose is more introverted; on the palate tart citrus, lemon and lime, apple peel, more weight. I'm still expecting to this to show more.
Wine Flock Champagne Gala (Park Ridge CC): Rich and dense. Plenty of earth character. Energetic and vibrant. I prefer this now while the fruit and energy offset the earthiness.
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A private tasting and dinner (Champagne Pol Roger, Épernay, France): Tasted blind. Pale golden colour, pin-prick bubbles; expressive nose, creamy lemon and some nutty evolution, piercing chalky salinity, almost like a Blanc de Blancs at present, I am wondering whether the smokiness comes from the terroir or from Pinot Noir? Linear and long, great acidity and energy, youthful, impressive.
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Poured blind. This shows a piercing kind of lemony acid. Citrus, green apple with some bed berry underneath. Finishes with lime skin and what I thought was more of an EB style. When revealed, I was surprised as the gang said this runs a higher dosage of around 8 g/l/ Enjoyed this.
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Good. And really opens up after an hour so that’s where I’ll do the note.
Marzipan and lemon on the nose. Bright acidity hits immediately with green apple and fresh citrus that lingers for a full minute. Really good. Only have one more bottle, will hope to save for a few years, but I’d be happy drinking it next week.
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good rich champagne color, generous and rich nose dominated by roasted walnuts, rich and broad on the palate with sizeable acids well covered by the fruit, fine long finish, quite good and the first higher end 2008 champagne I have had that did not shut down, it certainly will age and improve- and I suspect it may sacrifice a bit of nuance in exchange for its unusually generous size- but it is drinking quite well right now.
**(**)+, now to 2040.
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A lovely minerally crisp, flavoursome, high class champagne with a beautiful mousse. This has changed into something much nicer than a year ago. Starting down a very good road I think.
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Lovely nose of mineral, shellfish, brine. Savoury and refined. Delicate and wonderful balance between high acid and creamy mousse. Green Apple character. This is a fantastic champagne.
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Yea, this has roared back from sheer disappointment of the first of 3 btls 10 months ago. Completely enjoyed this one. One left, I'll try to find more at $70 again, hopefully.
Champagne & Sushi (Masu, Mpls, MN): Light gold color. Drank a glass over 45 minutes. This is starting to come around now, but still not fully unwound though. Earthy, seashore aromas, minerals, red apple, cherry, stone fruit, medium full bodied, lightly yeasty. 92+ to 93pts.
BYO - Erik: Creamy and broad sweet red apple flavors. Tastes like sweet merinque and red apples with a good structure. Lovely but clearly a "house"-champagne with a good amount of dosage.
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This Champagne tastes like baked apples drizzled with fresh citrus and served on toasted bread and sprinkled with roasted nuts. The nose is spectacular and very complex and deep. The taste is smooth, fresh, silky with fine bubbles. 2008 is a killer vintage in Champagne. Could easily drink a hole bottle by myself :-)
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Riesling Freaks lazy afternoon lunch (Chez Hugo - Baltimore): Incredible fresh and energetic nose displaying fresh lemon and apple, a hint of honey, spicy spices and crushed rocks. Fresh and energetic balance, Chablis Les Clos like mineral and focus, generous very fine mousse, bright acidity, incredibly mineral and a long clean and energetic finish. Really refreshing and thirst quenching kinda Champagne. Really impressive and enjoyable.
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Color - Pale straw yellow Aromas - Appealing toasted and buttered brioche, white flower, roast hazelnut, citrus and baked stone fruit Body - Full-bodied and rich, yet fresh and elegant with a delicate creamy mousse Taste - Peach, strawberry, Meyer lemon cream, brioche, hazelnut and subtle spice Finish - Long
Blend of 60% Pinot Noir/40% Chardonnay
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Tightly wound, toasty and broody. The palate is all zips, zings and flashes but is not totally harmonious at this stage. Tremendous potential for 7+ years time.
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Always a "grande marque" amongst the best. The super 08 vintage is good evidence of the quality of this "maison". Deep straw colour with a greenish hue at the rim. Complex aromas of citrus, red apples, bread and yeast. Almost a bit too much? Full bodied, very smooth bubbles, high acidity, almost tones of tannins in the finish. A very serious champagne, more for the table than as an aperitif. Would be perfect with grilled shellfish or any other grilled fish (except fat fish like salmon). Could go well with poultry as well. Drink now or over the next 5 years unless you like your champagnes on the oxidized side.
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2018 K&L Annual Champagne Event (K&L San Francisco Store): K&L Champagne Event 2018, nose of lemon, citrus, baked bread, same on the palate, big body, very tasty, rich, lovely tasting, about 2 years to peak drinking window, and a long finish,
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Roasted and sweet fruit on the nose. Huge acidity and very fresh with lemon and passionfruit on the palate. After a while it feels a bit sour and i think it needs some 5+ years at least till the next bottle. It's very good but a bit onedimensional at the moment.
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Exotic fruits in the nose as pineapple and mango, just some roasted aromas. Is is lush and opulent. Ripe fruits. In my opinion too "sweet" because of the generous vintage. But after n half hour more balanced and you feel the salinity. A great acidity. I expected a little bit more from this vintage but there is lot to come in the next 20 years but in this stage the fruit is too domant. 91(93)
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IMW 2018 Champagne - Prestige Tasting (Hyatt, San Francisco): 60% pinot, 40% chardonnay. 8 years on lees. Full malo. $97 Medium minus yellow color. Reticent nose - slightly tight green apple. Some toasted brioche but quite dilute compared to the Winston Churchill. On the palate - it's not yielding much - a little green apple and a little toasted/developed brioche. 7g (actually 8g).
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Sunday dinner as part of wife's birthday celebrations with family. Ripe core fruit, touch of biscuit and mineral but essentially very fresh, crisp and still somewhat closed in my opinion. Enjoyable but with considerable future room for further improvement up the excellent end of the points scale. Hold a couple of years at least to open up to its full potential. 91+?+
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Palish straw yellow. Lots of red fruit on the nose, but also very biscuity. Mellow and assured. Rather sweet tasting is my first impression, but glittering acidity and good complexity follow. Lime and greengage, then apple, apricot, and a touch of orange. Finally lots of honeyed pastry. Ultimately quite lush with a savoury edge, but a little anonymous and unexciting. Still very good. [Cork + cage; 12.5% abv; Marks & Spencer, -1/3 @ £40].
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She said YES! So...we clearly enjoyed these bubbles very much. It is still quite youthful at 10 years and just beginning to show the rich complexity it has the potential to develop over the next five to ten years. It has fine structure and depth, and we suspect it will score even higher as time goes by.
At Adrian's Hermannshoehle tasting. Why the hell do I not buy this Champagne? Really impressive, with plenty of bready and creamy richness augmenting ripe fruit, and a faint chalky undercurrent. Plenty of bright acid and effervescence beneath gives it good lift, and I suddenly have another item on my "list of things to put in the cellar".
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Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Spätlese mini vertical (Chicago, IL): The gift of a master somm. What a stellar bottle of champagne. It's really well done in a slightly creamier, richer style, with generous dosage and a touch of rich fruit. Bready, but there's enough chalk and acidity to accompany that. I think the leaner vintage works very well with the house style, in that they serve to balance each other out.
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Very toasty, creamy nose. Narrow and acid driven palate at present with lemon drop fruit. Dosage is apparent but doesn't stick out too much, should integrate quickly. This went down pretty easy on day 1 but leftovers closed up a bit on day 2. Overall this seems more advanced than most 2008s and in a good place for early pleasure, but hard to say what the future will bring.
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Burgs with Kev: Pear, white florals, mineral and apple. Good expressiveness on the nose. Palate mixes the sweet fruit with the dosage and fine acidity. Very pleasing drinking from the ever reliable Pol.
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Noe innesluttet på duft med hint av epler og gjær. Nydelig og fersk delikat eplepreget frukt med en flott fylde og spenstig syre. Lang og delikat utgang. Fanatstisk balanse og kjellerpotensial.
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A Big Mix at Kenwood (The Kenwood, Mpls, MN): Light gold color. Drank 1 glass over 45 minutes. Tart red apple, slate, lighter body, tart citrus, tightly coiled, very good yeast and some toast shows later. This is very good, just not fully ready for prime time, but I 'm pretty confident this will ultimately show more depth and character with a couple more years. 91(+)pts.
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Brought to a restaurant, shared with friends. Didn't take detailed notes, going off memory. Red apple, citrus, wet rocks with just a bit of yeast. Bubbles seemed very energetic. Nice but not wowed and one could do better picking up the '06 if you can find it.
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Tonight, I slightly preferred my 08 Launois Special Club to this. This seemed rounder, softer ands more stone fruited to me. Good to be sure but I'm hoping I enjoy my two btls more when I get around to opening one.
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No formal notes. A good amount of bubbles (not too little, not too much). I remember some toasty notes with green apple bordering citrus mouth feel and acidity and a perfect amount of dosage to balance. Medium plus body and definitely pinot dominant. Finish was long. Very delicious but still has plenty more to give with age.
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Still very youthful, elegant nose. Ripe apple, citrus, and hint of autolytic yeast. Some wet stone. Balanced, elegant palate. Good grip. Medium-fullish with ripe apple, some toast, a lot of citrus and a wet stone hint. Clearly upside. Will be more rich in 5 years. Now, a perfect aperitif champagne.
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2008s tasting at Björkkulla. Young taste with lemon and green apples. Decent minerality. As good as the previous bottle we tried. I guess we will keep the remaining bottles for a good while in the cellar. Potential to increase in rating (92-93?).
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A rather generous mark. This is a £60 bottle. It was light, one dimensional with no complexity. Tasted as though the dosage could have been higher than it should. Average Champagne at best. I will not be buying Pol Roger again.
Very good, on the ligther spectra Pol Roger really is at the top. Probably the most bang for the buck from the house. A bit closed on the nose but quite a lot of green apple and a little spicy ending on the palate. Just an utter hint of autolytic character shows up so I believe it will evolve nicely and I would on these for 5+ years and it will be fantastic. Potential at about 93-94p?
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(Disgorged in fall of 2016, 60% Pinot noir and 40% Chardonnay) Light yellow colour with a youthful nose showing gunpowder, minerals and lemon citrus notes and with some glass time showing nuttiness. Palate is very youthful dominated by lemon acidity and minerals with a lovely long lemon peel bitterness... Lots of potential for the future, but tonight it’s very tight and driven by a powerful and intense acidity! Best 2023-2038.
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Complex flavours (yeast, brioche, lemon, green apple, minerals) and good depth. Pretty bold flavours with sharp acidity. After 30 mins in the glass, the flavours become more well balanced. But the flavours fade away after another 30 minutes.
It's reasonably pleasant to drink now, but it's far more suitable for ageing. It will take time for flavours to become more harmonised and integrated.
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Highly aromatic nose is autolytic with bready, toasty, lime and pastry aromas. It's dry and lively on the palate with very fine mousse. Very nice aroma replays, plus hints of brioche, nutty, and floral notes adding complexity. Some orange notes mid-palate. Tart acids are very fresh and energetic. Crisp, long finish is excellent. Very special Champagne.
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Halpern Enterprises Portfolio Tasting (2017): The vintage reputation holds true here. This is clearly a good one to age. The nose is focused on primary and lean citrus fruit (lemon & lime peel). The palate is lean and linear with bracing acid. Not all that pleasurable for me today, but lots of future potential.
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Straw yellow colour. Red apples and raisins on the nose. Taste of raisins, dried plums, brioche and chalk minerals. Soft mouthfeel with a creamy and well balanced structure. Small bubbles and a long acidic finish. May be stored up to eight years. A superb vintage champagne that goes well as an aperitif or with lobster, shellfish, grilled fish or rich fish with creamy sauces.
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IMW 2017 Champagne - Walk-Around Tasting (Hyatt, San Francisco): Aromatic cinnamon apple iced pastry. More autolytic than the white foil (Brut NV Réserve). Slightly sweet - 8-10g dosage? Great acid. Long finish. Bright - chard dominant? (Actually 60-40 Pinot-Chard).
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Negociants Australia Portfolio Tasting 2017: Earthy, vanilla, white florals and pear. Bright on the palate with good lifting acidity. Very youthful but has very good balance and length. Potential to improve evident.
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Kantig i början men växlar upp allt eftersom kvällen går.
Doft av äpple, päron vanilj.
Smak av äpple, grädde, kakao, choklad.
Känns ung men redan nu väldigt lik 2004 som jag drack 2015. Den spontana känslan är att 2008 har en högre potential än 2004, men det är ren spekulation.
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Already moderate development in colour and nose, full and forward Sud-Epernay characters of bread and apricot. Enjoyable, but seems almost too ready and less complex than expected for a 2008. I am not sure this bottle is representative.
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(Disgorged in January 2017) Light yellow colour with a very wild mousse that shows raspberries, chalk and yeast. Youthful and acidic, filled an intensive and fruitful palate with lots of minerals. This particular bottle was feeling a bit disjointed, but hopefully that was just a glitch as all other bottles I've had of this vintage have been very nice...
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Complex aromatics of wheat biscuit, green apple, toast and preserved lemon. There's a rigid spine of minerally acidity and rich orchard fruits in the mouth. For now it is compact and linear but there's so much material here that time will unfurl. A great Pol vintage.
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I remember having a bottle of the 2002 when it was just released. It was very tight, acidic and closed. This 2008 was open for business immediately after opening. Extremely enjoyable, long, complex, smooth and complete. Surprising for a young 2008 with such a pedigree.
Lovely nose, bursting fruits, autolysis and minerals. Phenomenal and lovely, bold fruit. Great backbone. Long. This wine need to come together - at least 5 years I can imagine - but no shame drinking it now for the experience. Definitively one to cellar, as upside potential seems great. Day 2 update: not much change. Date 4 update: saved one glass in bottle - still fruit is holding up so well. impressive. More biscuity notes and that mature PR feeling has emerged. Love it! 92-93p for now.
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Flott nese med moden frukt, og en anelse fruktyouhurt. Tenkte umiddelbart på malo, men usikker. I munnen fremstår ikke frukten like moden, faktisk noe bitterhet i retning av grapefrukt. Lekende syre, sitter lenge. Med luft kommer toner av nøtter og honning. Bra anslag og flott vin. Mulig litt hul i mellompartiet, som sannsynligvis vil endres med kjellertid. Bra vin. 91-92
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(Disgorged in fall of 2016) This is showing lots of potential, but feels like it should get some more post-disgorgement time and will probably feel better in 3-4 months from now. The nose is youthful and typical of Pol Roger with hazelnuts, fresh bread and minerals in a lovely combination. Palate is still very acidic, but showing lots of potential with its fruitiness and tutti-frutti taste. Turns into a lasting lovely finish. Feels like a great journey ahead over the next decade or so.
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Good bubbles. Not on the level with 2002, my favorite post millennial Pol Roger vintage, but very nice. A bit edgy still and a slight white grapefruit bitterness at the end but it think it will come together with some bottle time. Much better than the 2008 rosé.
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Second time I drink the vintage cuvee. This time it's -08.
Elegant, smooth on the nose. Dominant pear and white flowers with some hazelnuts a further back. Deep down in the background I find salvia and chilli as well.
Palate is as smooth as the nose but is built up with clean, lingering acid. Lime and grapefruit are present with pear sorbet.
Not as complex and deep as I can remember. The rosé from the same vintage did not meet the expectations either. What is happening at Pol Roger? Used to be my favorite house champagne but I might need to reconsider that.
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Tried this at a party last night so not a detailed note but tasting really spectacular, lots of richness already, very long nutty finish. Has delicious weight to it, like creme brulee. But also vibrant and moreish with brown apples and a floral quality. Power and delicacy! Excellent, I want more.
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5/11/2024 - Puteljen! wrote: 89 Points
Lemon, chalk, acids. Not much else. The 2008 Pol Roger is either too young or not very good. Too hard for my taste presently at least.
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5/2/2024 - ankitmehra Likes this wine: 94 Points
Beginning our evening with this bottle, I had previously only gotten to taste examples of Pol Roger's Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill selections when it came to the maison's vintage offerings. Suffice to say, I was eager to check in on this bottle with some palpable excitement around the 2008 vintage. Immediately, the nose offered superb balance as peach, baking spices and brioche all came together, forming a lovely bouquet. The palate had some zippy acidity, boasting an upfront consisting of ripe melon and green apple notes before the mid-palate was dominated by a brioche note accompanied by some light flintiness. Signs of maturity emerged in the back end as a lemon rind note quickly transitioned into prominent nuttiness on the finish. As a whole, this was a treat and at the price, it's hard to find a bottle from 2008 you could want more from at this stage of its maturation.
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3/22/2024 - mikelikewine Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is lovely, fresh and full of energy. Not as many nutty and toasty notes as I would like, but it’s clearly just at the start of a long drinking window. First of a case of 6 for me. The remainder are still in storage, and I think I might leave them there for a good while.
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2/7/2024 - Terroir59 wrote: 92 Points
Upon opening, a very fresh, lively, and round but balanced bubbly. Over the course of the dinner, mature notes of roasted nuts and caramel moved toward the front on both the nose and the palate.
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2/3/2024 - jens.thogersen Likes this wine: 95 Points
Fantastisk, bland det bästa jag druckit. Lite nötig, utvecklad, frisk, lång smak. Kraftig mouss.klarar lätt många
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12/28/2023 - Proletaren Likes this wine: 91 Points
Feels quite young and fresh, I was suspecting more nutty and developed character. No hurry to drink this.
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12/20/2023 - vinhslee Likes this wine: 92 Points
Magnum.
This is drinking quite well, with some mature notes of honey and hazelnuts. Not as yeasty, fresh, precise or "mineral" than the magnum that I had a few years ago.
Better to start drinking up now.
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12/10/2023 - dagij Likes this wine: 92 Points
A real beauty at an optimal age. Deep straw color with fine and persistent bubbles. Fruity nose dominated by red apples, some vanilla and a fine mature honey note. Some chalky tones at the back. Medium bodied attack, high acidity, medium fine mousse, lots of red apples and citrus on the mid-palate, high acidity on the finish and a honey tone on the long aftertaste. This is still very fresh and has no tones of pre-aging (as someone has noted for the 08 vintage). Drink now, but it will keep for at least a decade or more for those liking champagnes more nutty and earthy.
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12/2/2023 - dagij Likes this wine: 93 Points
Clear golden color. The mousse is limited at sight. Beautiful nose dominated by honey, yellow apples, and fine mineral tones. Medium to full bodied attack, finely grained mousse, perfect balance between acidity and sweet fruit. Long and fresh aftertaste with those fine hints of honey. This one has really travelled well across the years. Drink now, but will keep for many years.
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10/27/2023 - godx wrote: 91 Points
Felt like something cold and wet at the end of the night and this fit the bill nicely. Not as precise and defined as the 2008 BdB from Pol Roger, but shows the quality of the vintage.
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10/6/2023 - SimonG wrote: 93 Points
A Medlar lunch (Medlar, London): Magnum. Mid straw. Nicely rich with plenty of depth and a nicely preserved line through the finish. This is in a lovely spot. I’ve pretty much given up with Pol owing to it’s apparent premature aging, though I’ve been fortunate with my 96s against the odds, and also with the 90. Having sold the 02sand 08s in standard bottle, I kept the 08 mags, and on this showing very glad I did. They’re fully ready though. ****
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9/11/2023 - aagrawal wrote: 91 Points
Youthful straw color; lemon curd, subtle nose; palate has noticeable dosage compared to the growers I tend to drink, but still good acid balance, lemon zest, lemon curd; finish is medium length. Still seems youthful but at this point not showing the depth I would hope for in a great vintage with a little age. 90, will try to age my last bottle a few more years.
Day 2: a bit more golden, and a bit more brioche on the nose and palate. Better than yesterday, and this will improve with another 5 years in the cellar. 91
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8/19/2023 - Alex Barbera Likes this wine: 93 Points
Guter Stoff. Fresh ist jetzt vorbei - jetzt kommt die geile Reife nach vorne. Barockes Trinkvergnügen
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8/11/2023 - NCWW Likes this wine: 92 Points
Lovely. Great complexity and depth. Beads are small and pretty. It's fully ready to go and probably at its peak now. It would also likely continue to be great for some years more but we chose to pop this last bottle now. If I find it again I wouldn't hesitate buying again
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8/5/2023 - empire80 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Concentrated and taut, very good now, but hoping this will get even better.
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3/19/2023 - derrock Likes this wine: 93 Points
In a really good spot now.
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3/7/2023 - NickA Likes this wine: 92 Points
Pomerol, part 1 (67 Pall Mall): Magnum. A really charming wine, with appreciable finesse and plenty going on: pineapple, ginger, lime and smoke notes intermingling delightfully. Subtle length and power, and more creamy with air/warmth (but I slightly preferred the first glass, when the wine felt more streamlined). Lovely stuff.
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3/7/2023 - SimonG wrote: 92 Points
Nick A’s Pomerol @67 (67 Pall Mall, London): Mag. Mid to full straw. Nicely rich on the nose. Fresh attack, nicely mineral, mid weight, expansive on the mid palate but retaining line and a degree of cut. Broadening on the finish but in good shape. Time to drink. ****
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2/11/2023 - MJP Hou TX Likes this wine: 92 Points
Houston Wine Merchant purchase. A bit overpriced but a lovely one off purchase. The nose and mouth feel are fantastic. All the toasted butter notes that I love. On the palate just a touch sweet for my palate but overall very enjoyable. No dosage information so I'm not sure exactly where this lands on sugars.
Would purchase again at better price point.
92
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2/9/2023 - chablis28 wrote: 93 Points
Chef Don Saunder's food enticed 7 city dwellers to our place in the exurbs! 8 of us plus Nita & Joe enjoyed Don's magnificent food tonight 30 miles from downtown Minneapolis. What a night!! CV,KB,SS,CS,DM,DD,LI, & DS. My btl and one I've been waiting for to evolve based on a less than impressive first btl nearly 5yrs ago. Happily, tonight's showed very well with lovely fresh fruit and excellent minerality. This is in a good place, and I'd happily drink a glass of this again.
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2/9/2023 - rocknroller wrote: 93 Points
Going Up The Country: Suburban Bliss & Wines to Match (Craig & Nita's Place): Drank a glass during social time. Didn't take any notes on it. Very enjoyable, a bit warm when I got it. Not as compelling as the last couple I've had. 92+ to 93pts.
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1/21/2023 - Wintermute Karlskoga wrote: 89 Points
Powerful and intense, lemon with orange and passionfruit in the background. Zesty and quite long ending. Will benefit from further cellar time.
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1/5/2023 - Vintage1961 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Not a great 'pop'. Mid gold. Lovely nose, full bodied, brioche, bread, lemon, some honey, flowers, some complexity.
Palette; orchard white fruits, dry (wonderful) quenching, some salt, balanced, so mineral. Palatte refecting nose.
Delicious champagne. (Mine cellared professionally temperature/humidity controlled).
I think the life/longevity of this champagne will be decided by closure and cellaring because the fruit and structure is excellent.
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12/28/2022 - aquacongas wrote: 93 Points
not blind
Baroque style and too sweet in the beginning, waffles, nut, powerful but good acidity structure. Starting to reach his top if you like it fresh. Later on more balanced. 92-93
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12/9/2022 - DAN BAILEY Likes this wine:
Golden coloured and 100% ready to go. Lovely balance to this and incredibly drinkable. No point in holding much longer imho.
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11/24/2022 - NCWW Likes this wine: 91 Points
This is great and still some way to go. Keep the last bottle for a couple of years or so
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10/27/2022 - StainedGlass Likes this wine: 93 Points
Vibrant, toasty, citrus, creamy, great acidity. Very good now but lots of life ahead of it.
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10/27/2022 - StainedGlass Likes this wine: 93 Points
Delicious. Sharp, bright acidity and minerality. At the early side of the drinking window but still in the zone.
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10/21/2022 - cannym Likes this wine: 94 Points
Goodness this was singing. Pale gold. Really almost fresh but with real depth. White bread, some toast, citrus,red apple, light hazlenuts, lovely acidity and long. Complexity yet fresh and clean. Very fine.
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9/2/2022 - rocknroller wrote: 94 Points
Light gold color. Split bottle over 3 hours. Love the trajectory here as these are soaring now. Wow, a fantastic sea air nose with bread dough, yeast, pear, almond, and nougat. The palate is flat out delicious; elegant and lifted, pear, citrus zest, almond, patisserie cream, nougat, finishing with ocean ,limestone and chalk minerality. Fantastic! 94(+)pts.
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7/12/2022 - platpeeps wrote: 85 Points
Off-putting struck match and sulphur dominated the flavour profile. Beneath the stink though, it was decidedly fresh and buttery with a strong mineral character. I loved the complexity and balance, so perhaps it could do with another 5 years. A real pity. CHP 85 pts
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7/10/2022 - NMSteve Likes this wine:
Very much exceeded my expectations. Much better than a bottle tried fall of 2021. This one was rich and flavorful and perfect with light appetizers. Good toastiness and PN fruit. Score: 4- (out of 5).
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6/25/2022 - Bonesetter Likes this wine: 96 Points
Soft acidity. Toasty brioche nose. Persistent bead. Smooth, gentle acidity. Lovely champagne!
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6/23/2022 - rossi.wine wrote: 93 Points
Detailed nose - intense fruit, brioche, floral notes, chalky minerality. Very elegant and harmonious on the palate, good weight and concentration, quite intense. A fine mineral streak leading to a persistent finish. 92-94
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2/6/2022 - olemski wrote: 86 Points
Good mousse and good grip, but not quite ready yet. Tart from about the middle of the taste curve, and bitter at the end. It needs more time to evolve and balance those astringent elements. (Note that I have amended my points giving to fit the original scale and take the inflation out. "86" means just into 'excellent' and more than very good. It may actually be a bit on the generous side, but it will have to do for now.)
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1/29/2022 - Shiraz_1155 wrote: 92 Points
Started with Pol Roger Brut.
Kept in wine fridge since purchase 2017.
A nice pschhit. Beautiful on the nose. The 2008 was more toffee, butter, syrup. Also a firm citrus grip showing the power of the vintage. Bubbles disappeard in 30-40 min.
Really nice bottle.
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1/22/2022 - KB_001 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Bästa skumpan på länge, mycket god. En balanserad och mycket fin upplevelse. Härliga citrustoner och viss mognad.
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1/15/2022 - Mon.Maultiere Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drunk with cheese canapes. It was a mistake to open this bottle - it is way too young. Bright, fresh, pale gold. Crisp, citrusy but evolved in the glass over 1 hour very slowly into something more interesting with hints of apple and biscuit. I will leave my next bottle for 10 years - it's going to take that long, at least! Based on its evolution in the glass this has great potential and I'm sure will just get better and better given sufficient time.
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1/7/2022 - rocknroller wrote: 94 Points
Light gold color. Drank several glasses over 2.5 hours. Brought this to Oceanaire for my son Scott's birthday. I was a little apprehensive since bottles two ago were tight and youthful. Well time has served us well and I can report that the 08 was showing nicely. Floral, apple tart, chamomile, patisserie cream, cherry, toasty, full bodied, long, very nice tart apple palate, subtle almond.
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11/23/2021 - 5laton wrote:
Drank over three nights, this never really gave excitement and the dosage stuck out. I'm confused by what is happening with this wine, as my numerous experiences with it have been all over the map.
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11/14/2021 - Collector1855 wrote: 91 Points
Compared to the 2002 and 2012 I recently had this one was really still quite tightly coiled, not revealing much aroma, even after a decant. Bright tell tale 2008 acidity, lemon, cider aromas in the forefront. Best to cellar this a few more years. 91-?+
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11/13/2021 - tcosgriff Likes this wine: 95 Points
Lovely golden color with a bouquet and flavor of bread, and brioche with just a hint of dilute balsamic vinegar. Tiny if evanescent bubbles. Good balance and depth with pleasing acidity and a long finish. This is a wow. Second bottle similar.
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11/12/2021 - retired_and_roving Likes this wine:
Served alongside NV Chartogne-Taillet Le Rosé, '12 Benoit Lahaye. Paired with caviar, oysters and tuna tartare. Half of the group (the women) picked this as the favorite. Much more open and creamy on the palate, with soft mousse and bread dough flavors and aromas. I thought this was delicious and paired really well with the caviar.
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11/12/2021 - AudunG wrote: 92 Points
Nice creamy mousse. Citrus and green apple like aromas, with some toast. Open and generous. Good concentration and length. Lovely Champagne.
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11/7/2021 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Similar to prior note after PNP; delicious, drink or hold
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11/6/2021 - Butty wrote: 92 Points
Medium gold in the glass. Very fine bead. Bright in the glass.
On the nose - lemons, apples nuts, minerals, cream, caramel and yeast. Feels harmonious and together.
On the palate rich, sweet and sour notes, apples, lemons, limes and breads all wrapped in a nice mousse. Good mouthfeel - still has plenty of structure suggesting it will go on developing in the bottle
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10/20/2021 - MC2 Wines wrote:
MACDONALD Vertical Dinner (Saga): Always fun to start a meal with bubbles and this is no different. Drank next to the 2007 Billecart-Salmon Louis Salmon. This was more round, brioche, a bit buttery. Oddly starting to feel like there was some age on it.
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10/18/2021 - Anton_Wallin Likes this wine:
Geting there. Not quite ready though
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10/1/2021 - fingers Likes this wine: 94 Points
Light gold color with good shine and a confident mousse. Generous baked bread, Lemonheads, and melon balls in the bouquet and palate. A taut mineral spine and firm acidity assure that this is just a baby. The finish lingers for minutes with subtle elements of the bouquet. Another excellent Pol.
5+12+18+9= 94
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9/3/2021 - PSPatrick wrote: 91 Points
WSET Level 4, Unit D4: Sparkling Wines (Weinakademie Österreich, Rust, Austria): Wine 11: The wine has a medium lemon colour. The nose has medium intensity and shows primary characteristics of green fruit (e.g., ripe apple) and citrus fruit (e.g., ripe lemon) as well as secondary characteristics like lactic notes (butter) and autolysis notes (bread, biscuit).
On the palate the wine is dry, with medium(+) acidity, medium alcohol, and medium body. The flavour intensity is medium, flavours include primary characteristics of green fruit (e.g., apple), citrus fruit (e.g., lemon), and stone fruit (e.g., young peach) as well as secondary characteristics from autolysis (like biscuit, brioche, and light coffee), and lactic notes like butter that indicate malolactic conversion. The mousse is fine, the finish is long.
This wine is of outstanding quality since it is complex, has fine mousse, and is very long. Based on structure, concentration, and length, this wine is suitable for further aging in bottle.
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6/26/2021 - NCWW Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very good but still on the young side
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5/29/2021 - Torchy wrote: 91 Points
Onklers Champagne mai 21 (Anders): Nose with bakery, yeast, brioche, aged dusty paper, and hints of malt. Sea, shells, ebb and flow. Taste of yellow apple, apple carcass, and malt drops. Some light citrus notes. I think it lacks some complexity. High on acid still. Leave it for a few more years.
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5/29/2021 - Chekib m. Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is lovely.
Light young golden color, elegant bead of tiny bubbles.
Very expressive nose, with aromas of biscuit, quince, apple, currant. Still young.
Medium body, elegant with the acidity not completely mellowed. flavours of candied lemon, apple, currant. Very good persistance,savoury, elegant and very long.
Excellent champagne. Still on the young side, doesn’t yet have the honeyed notes coming through, but already extremely enjoyable.
Love it. Can’t stop drinking this.
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4/10/2021 - AudunG wrote: 92 Points
Nice creamy mousse. Smooth and elegant Champagne with good concentration and length. Citrus and green apple like aromas, with just hints of autolysis.
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4/10/2021 - Papies wrote: 91 Points
A very solid champagne and frankly pushes the envelope towards the Winston Churchill super cuvee. Energetic and bright and probably at its peak now on that front, soft rich feel and very welcoming. Soft on the palate, with soft feel of honey. Very solid. 91-92
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4/4/2021 - americanstorm Likes this wine: 95 Points
This was outstanding! Green apples, almonds, licorice and a touch of mineral. The finish goes on for minutes. Great mouthfeel. Really liked this. Would definitely buy again.
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3/19/2021 - Mon.Maultiere Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drunk with cheesey canapes. Pale bright gold with a really fine, gentle bead. Biscuity, leesey with citrus and a hint of green apple on the nose, all carried through onto the palate. Really nice balance, refreshing acidity and great length; smooth and lively. It is still a teenager - interesting but not fully engaging. While already drinking very nicely it doesn't quite feel fully rounded out, which I'm sure will come with further maturity and as it gains more tertiary flavours. I don't think this is anywhere near its peak and it will last for 2-3 decades more.
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3/13/2021 - jsmorris707 wrote: 95 Points
Similar to prior note after a 1 hour SO; delicious, but outshone by the 02 Feuillatte Palmes d'Or that was outstanding, drink or hold
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3/13/2021 - wineian Likes this wine: 91 Points
A bit of golden apple colour, very fine bead leading to a rich full bodied champagne with creamy mousse and notes of apple and hints of peach. Hopefully it was just this bottle but I found it to be more wine like (less acid and fizz than I was expecting) though a fine chalky/slatiness is faint in the background and at the finish. May have to check in on another bottle to see if it is fresher.
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2/19/2021 - 5laton wrote:
Good on day 1 but really fantastic with breakfast :) on day 2. I like this much more than how recent bottles of the 2002 and 1996 have showed, and so perhaps I am joining the "drink Pol black label young" bracket. This is getting close to ideal for me, although I did prefer the day 2 expression - so perhaps one to drink over the next 5 years.
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2/18/2021 - vinhslee Likes this wine: 95 Points
From magnum.
The flavours are rich in brioche, lemon zest and lemon tart. Wonderful layers of flavours, but not overpowering. Very harmonised, bordering stunning. It's very drinkable now, but will probably get better with further cellaring.
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2/14/2021 - dagij Likes this wine: 92 Points
Well, this is just a stunning vintage nearing its apex. Light golden colour with streaks of green, small and persistent bubbles. Inviting nose dominated by green apples, peach, vanilla, and a hint of slate/chalk. Full bodied attack, extremely well defined mousse that is comparative to a DP from a good vintage. Fine acidity, lots of fruit on the mid palate (peach/apples), tones of lime and chalk at the end. Long and fresh with bubbles that just keep on coming. Maybe a bit too sweet on the final part of the aftertaste, I guess the dosage is quite high here. Wonderful to drink now, will only get older and different, so I guess it is at its apex right now.
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2/6/2021 - SimonPh Likes this wine: 94 Points
Fantastic, complex and fascinating champagne with great balance of brioche, depth of flavour and long finish.
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12/25/2020 - benhalton wrote:
Magnum. I drank all my bottles of this approx. a year ago - they were ready and were not going to improve for my palate. This is my first mag. Day 1, a bit tight, everything in place but not giving much. Day 2, opens up beautifully, plenty of breadth, old school Pol, something comforting about it, pipe and slippers. Such a shame the style has changed here - I still buy in mags but bottles are no longer safe to age. These mags need another 2-3 years but based on experience they will peak then so don't keep too long. ****
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12/13/2020 - hajoha wrote:
Meget pen, men for ung å drikke nå.
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10/24/2020 - rSyver wrote: 92 Points
So very much in its youth, yet approachable by far - and it shines even more when paired with proper dishes which match. The lemony acidity, the green apples - the fruit is just fresh, but the acidity balances it very well. Good mousse, good length. Love the mineral footprint.
For me this is hold, or when you simply cannot resist to keep your hand off. But this will shine even more down the road - which in itself is a great argument for popping one every now and then, to join and enjoy the journey.
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10/8/2020 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Showed beautifully last night after a 1 hour SO; delicious, drink or hold
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6/30/2020 - 5laton wrote:
Big blast of SO2 upon opening which attenuates within 20-30 min. Still quite young and slightly raw, but already quite lovely with plenty of developed notes due to the style. I enjoyed this very much. I have 6 bottles and a couple of magnums but it might not be enough - will try to hold these for another couple of years before sampling another.
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6/17/2020 - Golf_Wine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very good bottle. A richer and creamier champagne. Maybe lacking a bit in the acidity department. Would like a little bit more zing....that said a very good bottle. Got better and better over the 30 min we drank it.
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5/2/2020 - Butty Likes this wine: 94 Points
Beautifully made Champagne!
Pale gold in the glass.
Great perfused nose of flowers, citrus, bread yeast.
Nice weight on the palate, tense and nervy - really alive and fresh. Long core of sweet fruit with a surrounding 'hug' of lemon and spice.
This is very good and absolutely in the window for drinking - my style of Champagne. Recommend
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2/24/2020 - MikeHuman Likes this wine: 96 Points
A bit closed while poured in the glass, it did open up beautifully after few minutes, glazed orange notes, very subtle biscuit tones. Very elegant on the palate, sharp and rich at same time, a great vintage!
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2/7/2020 - Amberissey Likes this wine: 90 Points
Toast and green apple primarily on the nose, also lime zest and lime. Quite minerals or stone. Granny Smith Apple skin on the palette, with candied lime and lemon. Lovely delicate bubbles. Mega primary buy so drinkable.
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1/16/2020 - Bluespolo wrote: 92 Points
Grande cremositá, bollicine veramente molto fini. Agrumi, frutta bianca e gialla, ma anche piccoli frutti rossi, per un naso classico ed elegante, in cui i lieviti fanno da sottofondo mai protagonisti o sopra le righe. Al palato molto equilibrio, grande piacevolezza, e nessuna asperità, sia sotto il profilo tattile che gustativo. Dosaggio medio-alto, si direbbe. Non resta a lungo nel bicchiere.
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1/11/2020 - jeffreylubowski Likes this wine: 91 Points
Rich and creamy and broad shouldered. Perhaps gets overwhelmed by 2008 dom p against it. Lots of apple and lemon and cream and deep yellow, just not as sharp as some other 2008. Big dosage or at least bigger than other recent champers I've had lately. Still a very nice wine and I have another and a 2006 too. Pop the other in a few years.
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1/8/2020 - chablis28 wrote: 90 Points
Not my btl tonight and same btl as R&Rler. Continues to underwhelm me, for the price. I have one left of my 3 and hope it improves. Paid $70 drinks like $40.
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1/8/2020 - rocknroller wrote: 92 Points
Three out of Five Ain't Bad (The Kenwood, Mpls, MN): Drank a glass next to the '08 Veuve Clicquot Brut. Very good, but not quite as giving. The nose is more introverted; on the palate tart citrus, lemon and lime, apple peel, more weight. I'm still expecting to this to show more.
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12/21/2019 - Nanda wrote: 92 Points
Wine Flock Champagne Gala (Park Ridge CC): Rich and dense. Plenty of earth character. Energetic and vibrant. I prefer this now while the fruit and energy offset the earthiness.
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11/29/2019 - LWI wrote: 91 Points
Dinner with friends: Blind. Yellow apples,some brioche, stony; rich fruit, high acid, good bite, a bitter and slightly offputting finish.
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11/25/2019 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 94 Points
A private tasting and dinner (Champagne Pol Roger, Épernay, France): Tasted blind. Pale golden colour, pin-prick bubbles; expressive nose, creamy lemon and some nutty evolution, piercing chalky salinity, almost like a Blanc de Blancs at present, I am wondering whether the smokiness comes from the terroir or from Pinot Noir? Linear and long, great acidity and energy, youthful, impressive.
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11/20/2019 - Alykhan V Likes this wine: 92 Points
Developing nicely. Aromas of candied fruit and apricot. Quite full bodied.
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11/12/2019 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Poured blind. This shows a piercing kind of lemony acid. Citrus, green apple with some bed berry underneath. Finishes with lime skin and what I thought was more of an EB style. When revealed, I was surprised as the gang said this runs a higher dosage of around 8 g/l/ Enjoyed this.
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10/6/2019 - diggydan wrote: 94 Points
Really good. Creamy but precise; minerals and fruit, a little yeast.
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9/17/2019 - Arottenstein Likes this wine:
Good. And really opens up after an hour so that’s where I’ll do the note.
Marzipan and lemon on the nose. Bright acidity hits immediately with green apple and fresh citrus that lingers for a full minute. Really good. Only have one more bottle, will hope to save for a few years, but I’d be happy drinking it next week.
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9/11/2019 - Burgnick Likes this wine: 92 Points
In magnum. Very good. Toasted nuts on the nose. Palate had lovely minerality with long finish.
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9/6/2019 - jwsmith wrote: 93 Points
Creamy rich classic 08 developing very well.
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7/9/2019 - Elpaninaro Likes this wine:
good rich champagne color, generous and rich nose dominated by roasted walnuts, rich and broad on the palate with sizeable acids well covered by the fruit, fine long finish, quite good and the first higher end 2008 champagne I have had that did not shut down, it certainly will age and improve- and I suspect it may sacrifice a bit of nuance in exchange for its unusually generous size- but it is drinking quite well right now.
**(**)+, now to 2040.
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6/2/2019 - Anton_Wallin Likes this wine:
Not ready for consumption
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5/8/2019 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 94 Points
young & overpowered by delicious Indian cuisine
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4/20/2019 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 95 Points
From memory at Central M Richard, DC; delicious, drink or preferably hold
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3/25/2019 - wineian Likes this wine: 94 Points
A lovely minerally crisp, flavoursome, high class champagne with a beautiful mousse. This has changed into something much nicer than a year ago. Starting down a very good road I think.
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3/17/2019 - OmiyaDrinker wrote: 93 Points
Lovely nose of mineral, shellfish, brine. Savoury and refined. Delicate and wonderful balance between high acid and creamy mousse. Green Apple character. This is a fantastic champagne.
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3/6/2019 - chablis28 wrote: 93 Points
Yea, this has roared back from sheer disappointment of the first of 3 btls 10 months ago. Completely enjoyed this one. One left, I'll try to find more at $70 again, hopefully.
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3/6/2019 - rocknroller wrote: 92 Points
Champagne & Sushi (Masu, Mpls, MN): Light gold color. Drank a glass over 45 minutes. This is starting to come around now, but still not fully unwound though. Earthy, seashore aromas, minerals, red apple, cherry, stone fruit, medium full bodied, lightly yeasty. 92+ to 93pts.
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3/2/2019 - c.roy90 wrote: 93 Points
A good expression of the 2008 vintage, with its citrus-forward notes and energetic mousse. Creaminess lingers on.
Surprised at how toasty this was, which I did not expect from such a young vintage.
Purchased from PlumpJack Wine & Spirits in San Francisco.
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3/1/2019 - canan wrote: 93 Points
BYO - Erik: Creamy and broad sweet red apple flavors. Tastes like sweet merinque and red apples with a good structure. Lovely but clearly a "house"-champagne with a good amount of dosage.
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2/13/2019 - jtsejersen@gmail.com Likes this wine: 95 Points
This Champagne tastes like baked apples drizzled with fresh citrus and served on toasted bread and sprinkled with roasted nuts. The nose is spectacular and very complex and deep. The taste is smooth, fresh, silky with fine bubbles. 2008 is a killer vintage in Champagne. Could easily drink a hole bottle by myself :-)
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2/10/2019 - dcwino wrote: 94 Points
Riesling Freaks lazy afternoon lunch (Chez Hugo - Baltimore): Incredible fresh and energetic nose displaying fresh lemon and apple, a hint of honey, spicy spices and crushed rocks. Fresh and energetic balance, Chablis Les Clos like mineral and focus, generous very fine mousse, bright acidity, incredibly mineral and a long clean and energetic finish. Really refreshing and thirst quenching kinda Champagne. Really impressive and enjoyable.
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2/3/2019 - Martin Redmond Likes this wine: 92 Points
Color - Pale straw yellow
Aromas - Appealing toasted and buttered brioche, white flower, roast hazelnut, citrus and baked stone fruit
Body - Full-bodied and rich, yet fresh and elegant with a delicate creamy mousse
Taste - Peach, strawberry, Meyer lemon cream, brioche, hazelnut and subtle spice
Finish - Long
Blend of 60% Pinot Noir/40% Chardonnay
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1/12/2019 - chanukha wrote: 92 Points
Best Pol Roger vintage that I've ever had. Already tasting toasty oxidized notes. Vibrant.
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1/6/2019 - aquacongas Likes this wine: 93 Points
Today in tremendous shape. Cracking, juicy, powerful, balanced, acidic, Ripe yellow Stone fruits with some nuts and citrus. 93(94)
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1/5/2019 - sonodoc Likes this wine: 91 Points
A pretty nice vintage champagne for the price.
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12/29/2018 - Will Devize wrote: 92 Points
Tightly wound, toasty and broody. The palate is all zips, zings and flashes but is not totally harmonious at this stage. Tremendous potential for 7+ years time.
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12/25/2018 - rustyRudy wrote: 96 Points
Very good citrus, clean, nicely complex and drinking well
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12/25/2018 - dagij Likes this wine: 90 Points
Always a "grande marque" amongst the best. The super 08 vintage is good evidence of the quality of this "maison". Deep straw colour with a greenish hue at the rim. Complex aromas of citrus, red apples, bread and yeast. Almost a bit too much? Full bodied, very smooth bubbles, high acidity, almost tones of tannins in the finish. A very serious champagne, more for the table than as an aperitif. Would be perfect with grilled shellfish or any other grilled fish (except fat fish like salmon). Could go well with poultry as well. Drink now or over the next 5 years unless you like your champagnes on the oxidized side.
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11/3/2018 - jvphoto Likes this wine: 89 Points
Nutty brioche, lemon curd.
Tasting bazar at SF Wine School.
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10/28/2018 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 93 Points
2018 K&L Annual Champagne Event (K&L San Francisco Store): K&L Champagne Event 2018, nose of lemon, citrus, baked bread, same on the palate, big body, very tasty, rich, lovely tasting, about 2 years to peak drinking window, and a long finish,
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10/28/2018 - aagrawal wrote: 90 Points
K&L Champagne Tent Tasting (San Francisco, CA): A bit réticent on the nose, white fruits; palate is balanced, too young to assess. Promising but needs 10 years. 90
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10/19/2018 - bengemarräng Likes this wine: 89 Points
Roasted and sweet fruit on the nose. Huge acidity and very fresh with lemon and passionfruit on the palate. After a while it feels a bit sour and i think it needs some 5+ years at least till the next bottle. It's very good but a bit onedimensional at the moment.
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10/18/2018 - sh6k wrote: 94 Points
Same Pol fruity and floral and dosage, plus richness. Delightful.
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9/29/2018 - aquacongas wrote: 91 Points
Exotic fruits in the nose as pineapple and mango, just some roasted aromas. Is is lush and opulent. Ripe fruits. In my opinion too "sweet" because of the generous vintage. But after n half hour more balanced and you feel the salinity. A great acidity. I expected a little bit more from this vintage but there is lot to come in the next 20 years but in this stage the fruit is too domant. 91(93)
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9/24/2018 - RajivAyyangar wrote: 87 Points
IMW 2018 Champagne - Prestige Tasting (Hyatt, San Francisco): 60% pinot, 40% chardonnay. 8 years on lees. Full malo. $97
Medium minus yellow color. Reticent nose - slightly tight green apple. Some toasted brioche but quite dilute compared to the Winston Churchill. On the palate - it's not yielding much - a little green apple and a little toasted/developed brioche. 7g (actually 8g).
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9/18/2018 - skippy07 Likes this wine: 94 Points
very good n comparable to a dry chandon reserve
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9/2/2018 - NickBurwood Likes this wine: 91 Points
Sunday dinner as part of wife's birthday celebrations with family.
Ripe core fruit, touch of biscuit and mineral but essentially very fresh, crisp and still somewhat closed in my opinion. Enjoyable but with considerable future room for further improvement up the excellent end of the points scale.
Hold a couple of years at least to open up to its full potential. 91+?+
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9/2/2018 - scyrene Likes this wine: 90 Points
Palish straw yellow. Lots of red fruit on the nose, but also very biscuity. Mellow and assured. Rather sweet tasting is my first impression, but glittering acidity and good complexity follow. Lime and greengage, then apple, apricot, and a touch of orange. Finally lots of honeyed pastry. Ultimately quite lush with a savoury edge, but a little anonymous and unexciting. Still very good. [Cork + cage; 12.5% abv; Marks & Spencer, -1/3 @ £40].
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8/26/2018 - glorandsno Likes this wine: 95 Points
She said YES! So...we clearly enjoyed these bubbles very much. It is still quite youthful at 10 years and just beginning to show the rich complexity it has the potential to develop over the next five to ten years. It has fine structure and depth, and we suspect it will score even higher as time goes by.
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8/4/2018 - admid wrote:
NA
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7/27/2018 - salil wrote: 92 Points
At Adrian's Hermannshoehle tasting. Why the hell do I not buy this Champagne? Really impressive, with plenty of bready and creamy richness augmenting ripe fruit, and a faint chalky undercurrent. Plenty of bright acid and effervescence beneath gives it good lift, and I suddenly have another item on my "list of things to put in the cellar".
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7/27/2018 - acyso wrote: 93 Points
Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Spätlese mini vertical (Chicago, IL): The gift of a master somm. What a stellar bottle of champagne. It's really well done in a slightly creamier, richer style, with generous dosage and a touch of rich fruit. Bready, but there's enough chalk and acidity to accompany that. I think the leaner vintage works very well with the house style, in that they serve to balance each other out.
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7/18/2018 - 5laton wrote:
Very toasty, creamy nose. Narrow and acid driven palate at present with lemon drop fruit. Dosage is apparent but doesn't stick out too much, should integrate quickly. This went down pretty easy on day 1 but leftovers closed up a bit on day 2. Overall this seems more advanced than most 2008s and in a good place for early pleasure, but hard to say what the future will bring.
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7/13/2018 - CamWheeler wrote: 90 Points
Burgs with Kev: Pear, white florals, mineral and apple. Good expressiveness on the nose. Palate mixes the sweet fruit with the dosage and fine acidity. Very pleasing drinking from the ever reliable Pol.
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7/9/2018 - Drjurjohansen wrote: 93 Points
Noe innesluttet på duft med hint av epler og gjær. Nydelig og fersk delikat eplepreget frukt med en flott fylde og spenstig syre. Lang og delikat utgang. Fanatstisk balanse og kjellerpotensial.
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6/14/2018 - sh6k wrote: 95 Points
Chalk. Cherry. Malo. Rich.
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6/10/2018 - danstrings Likes this wine: 92 Points
Great Champagne - nice balance of fruit / acidity / freshness.. Very youthful and clean for a decade old.
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5/23/2018 - rocknroller wrote: 91 Points
A Big Mix at Kenwood (The Kenwood, Mpls, MN): Light gold color. Drank 1 glass over 45 minutes. Tart red apple, slate, lighter body, tart citrus, tightly coiled, very good yeast and some toast shows later. This is very good, just not fully ready for prime time, but I 'm pretty confident this will ultimately show more depth and character with a couple more years. 91(+)pts.
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5/23/2018 - Bellissimo wrote:
Brought to a restaurant, shared with friends. Didn't take detailed notes, going off memory. Red apple, citrus, wet rocks with just a bit of yeast. Bubbles seemed very energetic. Nice but not wowed and one could do better picking up the '06 if you can find it.
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5/23/2018 - chablis28 wrote: 91 Points
Tonight, I slightly preferred my 08 Launois Special Club to this. This seemed rounder, softer ands more stone fruited to me. Good to be sure but I'm hoping I enjoy my two btls more when I get around to opening one.
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5/16/2018 - deejay81 Likes this wine: 92 Points
No formal notes.
A good amount of bubbles (not too little, not too much). I remember some toasty notes with green apple bordering citrus mouth feel and acidity and a perfect amount of dosage to balance.
Medium plus body and definitely pinot dominant.
Finish was long. Very delicious but still has plenty more to give with age.
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4/25/2018 - asparagus Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very fresh and vibrant. Still a baby, but was sacrificed in the name of "science"
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3/31/2018 - Bearbus Likes this wine:
Very good, but seems a little simple after the Dom Perignon 2009
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2/17/2018 - Argrath wrote: 91 Points
Still very youthful, elegant nose. Ripe apple, citrus, and hint of autolytic yeast. Some wet stone.
Balanced, elegant palate. Good grip. Medium-fullish with ripe apple, some toast, a lot of citrus and a wet stone hint. Clearly upside. Will be more rich in 5 years. Now, a perfect aperitif champagne.
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2/16/2018 - Björkkulla Lund Likes this wine: 90 Points
2008s tasting at Björkkulla.
Young taste with lemon and green apples. Decent minerality. As good as the previous bottle we tried. I guess we will keep the remaining bottles for a good while in the cellar. Potential to increase in rating (92-93?).
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2/13/2018 - Matthan Does not like this wine: 81 Points
A rather generous mark. This is a £60 bottle. It was light, one dimensional with no complexity. Tasted as though the dosage could have been higher than it should. Average Champagne at best. I will not be buying Pol Roger again.
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1/14/2018 - bianca15 Likes this wine: 92 Points
What a great champagne. Dry, elegant, wonderful flavor.
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1/13/2018 - bengemarräng Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very good, on the ligther spectra Pol Roger really is at the top. Probably the most bang for the buck from the house. A bit closed on the nose but quite a lot of green apple and a little spicy ending on the palate. Just an utter hint of autolytic character shows up so I believe it will evolve nicely and I would on these for 5+ years and it will be fantastic. Potential at about 93-94p?
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1/6/2018 - champagne99 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Riktigt god! Lite mindre socker, fylligare. Godaste vi har druckit hittills.
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12/31/2017 - thewiz Likes this wine: 90 Points
(Disgorged in fall of 2016, 60% Pinot noir and 40% Chardonnay)
Light yellow colour with a youthful nose showing gunpowder, minerals and lemon citrus notes and with some glass time showing nuttiness. Palate is very youthful dominated by lemon acidity and minerals with a lovely long lemon peel bitterness...
Lots of potential for the future, but tonight it’s very tight and driven by a powerful and intense acidity! Best 2023-2038.
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12/25/2017 - Gillmorphean Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very refined. Flavours of lemon, apple and shortbread biscuit. Not overly autolytic and yeasty. Fine bubbles and good acidity.
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12/13/2017 - Sundbyberg wrote: 92 Points
See my previous note from a week ago.
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12/6/2017 - Sundbyberg wrote: 92 Points
Quite open, as with many other 2008s I have had. A lot of sweet winterapples and a refreshing acid. Good, but the 2002 was better.
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11/15/2017 - vinhslee wrote: 92 Points
Complex flavours (yeast, brioche, lemon, green apple, minerals) and good depth. Pretty bold flavours with sharp acidity. After 30 mins in the glass, the flavours become more well balanced. But the flavours fade away after another 30 minutes.
It's reasonably pleasant to drink now, but it's far more suitable for ageing. It will take time for flavours to become more harmonised and integrated.
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10/26/2017 - cono_sur Likes this wine: 93 Points
Highly aromatic nose is autolytic with bready, toasty, lime and pastry aromas. It's dry and lively on the palate with very fine mousse. Very nice aroma replays, plus hints of brioche, nutty, and floral notes adding complexity. Some orange notes mid-palate. Tart acids are very fresh and energetic. Crisp, long finish is excellent. Very special Champagne.
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10/26/2017 - Wine Canuck wrote:
Halpern Enterprises Portfolio Tasting (2017): The vintage reputation holds true here. This is clearly a good one to age. The nose is focused on primary and lean citrus fruit (lemon & lime peel). The palate is lean and linear with bracing acid. Not all that pleasurable for me today, but lots of future potential.
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10/22/2017 - SuperSomm wrote:
Straw yellow colour. Red apples and raisins on the nose. Taste of raisins, dried plums, brioche and chalk minerals. Soft mouthfeel with a creamy and well balanced structure. Small bubbles and a long acidic finish. May be stored up to eight years. A superb vintage champagne that goes well as an aperitif or with lobster, shellfish, grilled fish or rich fish with creamy sauces.
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9/25/2017 - RajivAyyangar wrote: 90 Points
IMW 2017 Champagne - Walk-Around Tasting (Hyatt, San Francisco): Aromatic cinnamon apple iced pastry. More autolytic than the white foil (Brut NV Réserve). Slightly sweet - 8-10g dosage? Great acid. Long finish. Bright - chard dominant? (Actually 60-40 Pinot-Chard).
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9/23/2017 - ChDonath Likes this wine: 92 Points
lovely, but way too early...
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9/15/2017 - thunberg wrote: 82 Points
@BYOB blind tasting
Yeast, sharp, not in harmony, short, old apples (malic snufkin), boring, thin
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9/12/2017 - CamWheeler wrote: 90 Points
Negociants Australia Portfolio Tasting 2017: Earthy, vanilla, white florals and pear. Bright on the palate with good lifting acidity. Very youthful but has very good balance and length. Potential to improve evident.
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9/7/2017 - LWI wrote: 91 Points
Although there is currently a gap between the dosage and the acid, this is still a fine wine, rather mature fruit. Bits and pieces in place; wait.
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8/26/2017 - Livermore wrote: 92 Points
Kantig i början men växlar upp allt eftersom kvällen går.
Doft av äpple, päron vanilj.
Smak av äpple, grädde, kakao, choklad.
Känns ung men redan nu väldigt lik 2004 som jag drack 2015. Den spontana känslan är att 2008 har en högre potential än 2004, men det är ren spekulation.
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8/26/2017 - Steveleslie Likes this wine: 88 Points
Already moderate development in colour and nose, full and forward Sud-Epernay characters of bread and apricot. Enjoyable, but seems almost too ready and less complex than expected for a 2008. I am not sure this bottle is representative.
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8/11/2017 - FjordogFjell wrote: 89 Points
490 NOK. Fredelig feiring etter koselig familiebursdag. Flott autolyse lukt, fast friskt treverk, nydelig til sot chevre fra ostehuset, lakk.
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7/28/2017 - thewiz wrote: flawed
(Disgorged in January 2017)
Light yellow colour with a very wild mousse that shows raspberries, chalk and yeast. Youthful and acidic, filled an intensive and fruitful palate with lots of minerals. This particular bottle was feeling a bit disjointed, but hopefully that was just a glitch as all other bottles I've had of this vintage have been very nice...
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7/20/2017 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Complex aromatics of wheat biscuit, green apple, toast and preserved lemon. There's a rigid spine of minerally acidity and rich orchard fruits in the mouth. For now it is compact and linear but there's so much material here that time will unfurl. A great Pol vintage.
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7/14/2017 - P.mostrm Likes this wine: 96 Points
Fantastiskt balanserad och eleganta bubblor
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6/29/2017 - mmh wrote: 93 Points
I remember having a bottle of the 2002 when it was just released. It was very tight, acidic and closed. This 2008 was open for business immediately after opening. Extremely enjoyable, long, complex, smooth and complete. Surprising for a young 2008 with such a pedigree.
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6/25/2017 - jaggeral1 wrote: 92 Points
Youthful, fresh, tight, mineral. Nice weight, balance and texture. Placeholder bottle, this needs several years to unwind and gain layers of interest.
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6/14/2017 - ews3 wrote: 93 Points
really nice. yellow apple, brioche, toast, marzipan, hazelnut. in great balance. delicate mousse leads into med(+) finish.
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5/12/2017 - BSA Likes this wine: 92 Points
Lovely nose, bursting fruits, autolysis and minerals. Phenomenal and lovely, bold fruit. Great backbone. Long. This wine need to come together - at least 5 years I can imagine - but no shame drinking it now for the experience. Definitively one to cellar, as upside potential seems great. Day 2 update: not much change. Date 4 update: saved one glass in bottle - still fruit is holding up so well. impressive. More biscuity notes and that mature PR feeling has emerged. Love it! 92-93p for now.
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5/11/2017 - Elvis1969 wrote: 90 Points
I sin linda. Behöver tid i källaren.
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4/22/2017 - Elvis1969 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Trogen husstilen med lite "extra allt". Redan mycket njutbar men kommer att bli ännu bättre.
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4/1/2017 - LPEG wrote: 92 Points
Flott nese med moden frukt, og en anelse fruktyouhurt. Tenkte umiddelbart på malo, men usikker. I munnen fremstår ikke frukten like moden, faktisk noe bitterhet i retning av grapefrukt. Lekende syre, sitter lenge. Med luft kommer toner av nøtter og honning. Bra anslag og flott vin. Mulig litt hul i mellompartiet, som sannsynligvis vil endres med kjellertid. Bra vin. 91-92
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3/24/2017 - thewiz Likes this wine: 90 Points
(Disgorged in fall of 2016) This is showing lots of potential, but feels like it should get some more post-disgorgement time and will probably feel better in 3-4 months from now. The nose is youthful and typical of Pol Roger with hazelnuts, fresh bread and minerals in a lovely combination. Palate is still very acidic, but showing lots of potential with its fruitiness and tutti-frutti taste. Turns into a lasting lovely finish. Feels like a great journey ahead over the next decade or so.
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3/17/2017 - Puteljen! Likes this wine: 91 Points
Good bubbles. Not on the level with 2002, my favorite post millennial Pol Roger vintage, but very nice. A bit edgy still and a slight white grapefruit bitterness at the end but it think it will come together with some bottle time. Much better than the 2008 rosé.
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3/17/2017 - Svenssonsmakaren wrote: 90 Points
Lovande framtid, aningen strömlinjeformad men redigt bra.
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3/17/2017 - Dovberg Likes this wine: 90 Points
Second time I drink the vintage cuvee. This time it's -08.
Elegant, smooth on the nose. Dominant pear and white flowers with some hazelnuts a further back. Deep down in the background I find salvia and chilli as well.
Palate is as smooth as the nose but is built up with clean, lingering acid. Lime and grapefruit are present with pear sorbet.
Not as complex and deep as I can remember. The rosé from the same vintage did not meet the expectations either. What is happening at Pol Roger? Used to be my favorite house champagne but I might need to reconsider that.
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3/6/2017 - Markus IWC wrote: 93 Points
Surprisingly developed, rich and generous nose with hazelnuts, honey, exotic fruit. Rich mouthfeel, nice acidity. Very accessible. Beautiful!
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2/10/2017 - henrygjeffreys Likes this wine:
Tried this at a party last night so not a detailed note
but tasting really spectacular, lots of richness already, very long nutty finish. Has delicious weight to it, like creme brulee.
But also vibrant and moreish with brown apples and a floral quality. Power and delicacy!
Excellent, I want more.
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