Great spot. Needs to be drunk a bit cold as it is slightly oxidised. Nose a bit funky but most of it blows off - honey, soy, bread, white fruit, marzipan, preserved lemons, a bit of nutiness. Palate when drunk cold is textbook aged oxidative style champagne. Preserved lemons and soy, marzipan (a bit sweet on attack), preserved lemons, long finish and acid spine, spicy funk that keeps it interesting, and very much alive. Great with teppanyaki lobster and fried rice.
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Perfect bottle! Caramelized lemons. Roasted nuts and coffee. Fresh fruit and acidity with just the right amount of ageing. Good bubbles and an aftertaste that just don't go away. The winner of the tasting "Vintage with age." Bottled religion!
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Fantastic juice. Best of three bottles purchased, served with maybe the best fried chicken I've ever had in the company of many fine Champagne's.
A bit oxidized, but really in a great spot. Great depth and a memorable finish. If I weren't worried about bottle variation I'd source a couple more. Drink Now.
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got a case of this 13 years ago and have slowly made my way through. expected this to be long gone but still showing very well. bubbles almost gone but still present. massive bruised pineapple notes. great tasted along side very bright and acidic NV veuve.
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Slight spritz on opening but no 'pop'. Warm canary yellow with a burnished gold undertone and very fine streams of microscopic bubbles. Very complex nose including some rancio, as expected, but also merde, hay, apricot, butterscotch and dried mushroom. Crisp and cool entry. Nicely full and concentrated in the mouth. Lots of mature flavours of yellow stone fruits, more hay, rancio, wet stone and tingly acidity. Complex with a long, off dry finish. Rather intriguing and very tasty. Very well balanced. Quite delicious actually.
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Lots of almond fudge and butterscotch, toasty, a little bit of orange rind preserves, at the end candy like and short finish, but overall this was very good. Guessed champagne from Bouzy producer late eighties. Recommended.
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We had it last night. I thought it was remarkably tasty right after it was opened and for about the next 15 minutes, but it quickly lost its fizz (in the bottle and in the glass) and became flat. There was some age (slight darker color) and a bit on palate. However, the fruit initially seemed fairly fresh, balanced sweetness, creamy, acidity.
Not sure if this constitutes as flawed or defective after 28 years?
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Saturday hangout (Chicago, IL): I was quite excited about this wine, but am sad to report that it appears some bad storage has done this bottle in. This is waaaaaaaaay mushroomy.
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A vineous champagne with red apples mixed with a very nice underlying citrus. Very mature, but this bottle still has a healthy acid. Great, but also time to drink up. Disgorged 2005.
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A winter champagne, not a summer champagne. A port-like quality to it on the nose and on the a palate. I enjoyed more than some others, who I think we're looking for something fresher and lighter. The window on this wine is closing, but for now it remains highly enjoyable and unusual.
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Two years since my last note indicating it was at the end of its window. Still hanging in there, but the port-like quality has intensified. Everyone remarked how unusual it was, but by the end rated it higher than the 96 Dom consumed just prior. Profile consistent with earlier notes.
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Nearing end of drinking window before it turns sour. I think it was much better upon release and additional years did not add to the flavor profile. Drink this year.
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somewhat weaker than usual release on removal of cork. beautiful color in the glass fantastic bouquet of almonds, toast, butter, yeast wonderful in the mouth with the same flavors; the slightest bit tart on the finish. Perhaps this was slightly oxidized, otherwise fantastic.
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Yellow colour with extremely fine bubbles. A very mature nose showing chocolate, hazelnuts and minerals that takes a while to open up. Well-balanced palate showing creamyness and a smooth long finish. Wonderful as always!
This was a very good bottle!
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Rare Wine Dinner (Sydney, Australia): Lemon pith, browned butter, sea spray and pear aromas. Bright acidity that is integrated brilliantly into the rich, rounded fruit. Great length, this lovely Champagne is right near its peak and drinking amazingly well.
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Deep yellow green, somewhat coarse mousse still present. Lots of autolysis, with oxidized notes. Rich and fullbodied, but past it's best, both bottles. Jht
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Followed a 1996 Dom, and this was spectacular. Burnt toast, almond, almost a port-like quality on the finish. This is in a great spot right now, but mellowing quickly based on notes from two years ago. Drink.
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Very interesting - still light and fresh on the nose, but with dark honey and almost apricot overtones on the finish. Initially well carbonated, but loses these very quickly in the glass. Good but definitely needs drinking up right now.
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God, voksen champagne. Dyp og rik duft i retning av tørkede frukter, kjelleraromaer og champignon, og mer av det samme på smak. Velbalansert, ingen tegn til oksidering. Masse mousse.
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While not fully gone, this bottle was flawed. You could still get some of those golden honey notes on the palate, but the nose had a strange funky smell and the bubbles were completely gone. This also had a strange wet towel flavor on the palate. This bottle has certainly seen better days. I am worried that the last couple un-opened bottles of the 88 Veuve Rare may also be similarly affected.
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I got a little concerned when I read some of these notes about this vintage being on it's last legs. Open 2 different bottles. Absolutely perfect. These will continue to age wonderfully.
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Gyllengul som börjar dra lite åt det mörka hållet, initalt svag doft (allt för kallt vin) men smaken finns där, kaffe, choklad, honung med en fin smörighet och så fina mognadstoner, allt uppbackat av en fortsatt frisk syra. Efterhand kommer doften med nybakad brioche, mogna röda äpplen och smörkola. Lite svag mousse, kännbar men inte med. inget som störde Väldigt , väldigt bra.
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Beginning to show signs of age. Consistent with prior notes, but showing a bit more earthiness. Needs about 30 minutes of air time, as it is a bit funky immediately after opening.
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offert par Paul GAGNON POUR MARIAGE deguster a notre 3ieme ann de mariage avec entree (petoncle jumbo au Ricard,grosse crevette et queue de homard. champagne delicieux et petit gout aux pommes FANTASTIQUE LE 26 JUILLET 2011
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Matured golden colour. Full bodied with good acidity. Tasted better one hour after in the glass...become plummy and buttery. Can certainly kept for a few more years. Not bad, but there are better ones at similar price.
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EWG: Decadence (Conrad Green's Abode): Pretty much the same as my last note. There was some mushroomy funk that took some time to fade away. That left a nose of soft orange blossoms. Bright orange citrus on the palate that was still a bit grippy even if it was showing its age a bit. Definitely better with some air. Good stuff.
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A little musty on initial opening but blew off quickly to show a fresh mix of citrus that mellowed over 30 minutes towards more yeasty, brown butter aromas. The palate was lifted by consistent mid-palate acidity that kept the fruit fresh and vibrant. A fun aged bottle especially for the price point.
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Pale rose-gold color with subtle bead. Powerful, linear oxidative and lemon aromas gradually expanded to include honeysuckle, caramel, lime and brioche. In the mouth, signs of age in the lower register with strong acid keeping it fresh and vibrant up top. Barely medium weight (in the style of many 1988s), but it works well with or without food. Long finish.
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Lots of apples with elements of sitrus and hints of red berries. Very nice but lacks the complexity one could expect from a champagne of this age. Doubt it will improve. Drink now or within a year or two.
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Saved the best for last, the last of three bottles and made the best showing. Mid yellow straw color, medium beading, slight yeast and bread dough, good fruit, both on nose and palate. Excellent balance and structure. Think this is as good as it is going to get. Drink in the next few years.
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DAWGS December 2010 - Champagne et. al.: Tasted non blind. Opened and served immediately. Yellow color in the glass, clear looking throughout with little beading. Nose started off a bit smoky followed by notes of nuts, sherry and a bit of mushroom. Good flavors of berries, lemon zest and soaked pears. Bright acidity, medium to full bodied. Drink or hold. I'd drink. 91-92.
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Deep gold. Distinctly sherried aspects to the nose, with some apple and doughiness to complement. Only moderate carbonation remains, making the full body on this wine very apparent. There's intellectual interest here, but I agree with some other notes that this has likely already reached its apogee.
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California Vs Burgundy Blind (Frank Murray's Casa): The nose shows some oxidation along with mushrooms and yeast. Clean, balanced palate but not a lot of complexity for a wine so old. Nice and fresh still but it doesn't appear to be improving.
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2010 K&L Annual Champagne Event (K&L San Francisco Store): K&L Champagne Tasting. I was looking forward to tasting this. It reminded me on the nose of a baked cherry tart and a touch of fruit salad, lots of complexity, more of the same on the palate, well balanced, well integrated complexity as you slowly tasted this wonderful champagne. Terrific!!
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Drank with Creme Ninon, which was good but not a perfect combination. This bottle was now back to the nice experience we have had from earlier bottles of this excellent champagne.
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yeasty and golden, medium full bodied, but none of the funkiness but with beautiful balanced citrus. Worth a special occasion, can still taste for years.
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Beautiful yellow gold coloured mature champagne. Aroma full of bread yeast, leesy but still with fresh lemon zing. Full bodied champagne with taste of honey, butterscotch, bread yeast, lees but still with a fresh lemon citrus zing. Very polished and medium to long finish. Drink up now or next few years I think. Beautiful and very GV.
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I think this wine is in a tunnel right now or perhaps on the decline. It did not open up with the fantastic nose of old champagne. On the contrary it was mostly overripe fruti - bordering oxidation. Still full of livfe though so it was not defect in any way - just tired and rather one- dimensional. One bottle to go - see if it picks up for the finale.
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Bright yellow, hint of gold; Soaring, deep nose of cheese rind and fresh mushrooms, very fine nuttiness, smoky, develops notes of candied fruit; perfectly fresh, dry but smooth, wonderfully evolved but not a trace of oxidation, elegant bitters, excellent length.
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Popped and poured. Medium-light amber hue, just a hint of effervescence. Forward aromas of citrus, stone fruits, butterscotch, almond, yeast, and a touch of sherry. Medium-light body. On the palate, the flavors are complex and interesting...think lemon, toffee, hazelnut, a hint of coffee and an ever present oxidized flavor. However, while interesting in an academic sense, this bottle was a bit tired and lacking in focus...seemingly fell apart within 30 minutes of opening, leaving oxidized flavors of some complexity but little enjoyment. Could simply be due to bottle variation as this was properly stored...but why gamble with 22 year old Champagne? 90?
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Very light amber in color. Fine beads that develop in a good pace. Fresh on the palate with good structure showing cadied walnuts, ginger, citrus and toast. A very good champage for the price and vintage.
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Nice mouse when first poured, small amount of bubbles followed but still nice mouth feel. First taste was almost mead like with some yeast/bread followed by honey. Wine changed with more herbal lemon-citrus, complex and tasty with nice acid level. Had the bottle with mildly spicy Indian food. My first vintage Champagne and very enjoyable. 91-92 but no real reference point.
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Drank at Amici's with Susan, Chuck, and Cindy. Enjoyed this much more than previous bottle. Very slight mouse when poured and no bubbles after several seconds, which I find a put off. Yeast and citrus on the nose. Citrus on the palate without the yeast. Tasted fresh compared to previous "stale" taste of first bottle. Chuck suggested this may be in some sort of dumd phase. Assuming that is possible, will try to hold on to last bottle a few years.
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This bottle was not flawed but was far from perfect. Kept some in the bottle for the day after and it actually developed very nicely both on the nose and the palete. Like a cup of freshly brewed espresso :-)
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Score: 14; i may have received a dud bottle. the taste was 1 dimensional -- ALL toast, no fruit. was very disappointed in this. NV veuve was much better
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My first disappointment in an 88 Champagne. Supposedly recently disgorged, but did not seem fresh and new. Golden color with very slight bubbles that vanished into near still wine. Fair balance and structure, good acidity with slight yeast, bread dough and slight oxidation. No noticeable fruit. The kind of stuff you relegate to mimosas. Glad I only bought a few. Will drink up as I see no future upside here. Consider my score generous on this bottle. Maybe next one will be better.
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Straw golden, small bubbles. Open nutty nose, slightly oxidised. Nutty flavour with good acidity but again somewhat oxidised. Too old I would say although the vintage showed it strength. The cork was old so it was degorged many years ago althoug it was acquired in a shop recently.
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Another beauty, this had freshness mixed with oxydized notes of an older Champagne (according to Peter, it was recently disgorged), a real stunner of a wine.
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Nowhere near as evolved as my last bottle sampled in autumn 2007. Characteristic Clicquot notes of biscuits and dough. Rounded, but with high acid. Not the most complex of wines, but shows the vintage's outstanding characteristics. This bottle could have lasted another 10 or 20 years without breaking a sweat despite the late disgorgement.
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A lovely bright gold colour, not as deep coloured as you might expect. Fresh nose - lifted with notes of Elderflower, Marzipan, brioche and honeyed nuts. Elegant palate - lovely seductive mouthfeel. A complex palate, with flavours as on the nose with a hints of nutmeg and cinnamon. Delicious. Long finish with rancio/sherry like notes predominating and adding to the experience (rather than spoiling).
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Fantastic color shows some age but still vibrant and fine bubbles. On the nose brioche, vanilla and to me lots of foie gras :-) After a while some notes of coffee. Reda apples of course. Completely different on the palate with lots of acidity and citrus shining through. I think this wine still has fruit and acidity enough to continue developing into a very fine old champagne.
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Very light colour, pin-prick bubbles; wonderfully tertiary nose (coffee, nuts, cocoa); perfect balance, fresh as mountain water; lovely length, Turkish delight. Perfection, a very energetic 20 year old wine.
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clear but a bit hazy. Beautiful rusted gold hue with a remarkable amount of bubbles. Very steady and fine bead. This champagne shows its age in its colour but not in its bubble. The nose is clean and initially comes off a bit oxidative with that rancio/sherry like smell. Getting past that, this wine shows bright apple, yeasty bread, brioche, and a multitude of citrus aromas. Very doughy and tones of minerality. The palate is dry, medium + acid. Very intense flavor profile of caramel, toffee, brioche, toast, green apple skin, ruby red grapefruit, lemon-lime. The fruits are really surprising, i was expecting them to be much less vibrant but they showing themselves in all their glory. Again the sherry note is evident and adds a nice complexity. The bubbles are tiny and many. They add a very nice creaminess to the medium body of the wine. Medium alc. The finish is all mineral and brioche mixed in with a bit of rancio. It goes on and on.... Outstanding quality. 94 pts. Drinking at the height of its game now but will hold at least 5 more (i think...)
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Light amber in color, this wine opened with full fizz and control. After settling down, big deep flavors of caramel, yeast, and sweet stone. The acid is in check but definitely drives this one. Christen says the mouthfeel is almost perfectly round. The finish is a full 30 seconds. The last time we had anything like this was with the 99 Cristal.
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This wine showed exceptionally well. The bouquet showed toast, bread, yeast, nuts, spice cookie (ginger, cinnamon, clove) honey nuts. Initially the wine does show some light oxidation in the form of sherry notes. It is not off-putting and adds to the complexity of the wine. As the wine evolves the sherry notes are relegated to the back ground and much less apparent. The color is medium yellow that is appropriate for the wines age. The medium/full bodied palate shows outstanding depth and complexity. The wine evolved on the bouquet and palate over time adding more complexity and nuances. There is good balance on the palate and the wine still exhibits acidity on the finish. The wine does fade about two hours after opening; the rich, complex bouquet and palate turns one dimensional, showing dominant apple cider notes. However, this critique of the wine does impact its overall impression given the age of the wine and that most bottles would likely be long finished before two hours.
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Thanksgiving evening. Third champagne of the evening, but first vintage. Hands-down favorite. Butterscotch and nuts with good balance. I think this is a terrific vintage champagne at any price, but at this price it is worth buying more.
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Thanksgiving 2008 and celebrating my 30th birthday (Mom & Dad's house): Easy to open, aged cork slid out with little effort. Golden hue with a fine mousse. Toasty aromas lead to a a very complex nose of butterscotch, curry powder, lemon, and maybe just a touch of oxidation. Medium body, with fine flavors of toffee, hazelnut, biscuit, and a smokey minerality that continues on the lengthy, persistent finish. Really stays with you. Outstanding, and drinking perfectly right now.
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This bottle tasted a bit fresher than the last one I had. Notes of candied ginger, candied orange rind, honey, and crusty baguette. Nice effervescence that lasted the entire time. Too bad this is my last one.
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Cult-ish Pinots (Ox Restaurant, Jersey City, NJ): orange zest, light caramel, easier on the yeast than previous tasting. Some sweet acidity that didn't taste fully integrated (last bottle was). Drink or hold.
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Lightly effervescent - golden color portends thick, rich nose with notes of caramel, coffee, and pineapple upside-down cake. Just slightly oxidized, the palate possesses a richness and length. The acidity is still youthful and pierces through the heaviness. An excellent champagne.
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Quite dry and quite nutty, this opens up on the nose like an Oloroso sherry with plenty of oxidized, yeasty aromas. In the mouth this is big, full and complex with round flavors of toasted nuts, yeast, and dried flowers. The finish is tangy and dry, showing bits of citrus fruit.
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Golden yellow color. Very nice complex aroma. Did not enjoy as much as a bottle of this I had 4 months ago. We liked the 1985 Charles Heidsieck from 2 nights prior better. As wine opened up more of the petit meunier (sherry like) taste showed. Better bottles out there for the money.
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Completely mature, slightly oxidative style, large and rounded. Very pleasant but not zippy enough to create real balance. Still, the size of the fruit and maturity are a treat.
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Nice but subtle flavourprofile with slight oxidation. Green and yellow apples with autolytic notes and nuts in the finish. The acidity is a bit of balance. 91 points is not a great QPR for $90.
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Rich golden hue. Very harmonious first nose of bread yeast, limestone and clamshells, walnuts and red apples. Second nose of burnt muscovado sugar, dark creamy fudge and dried dates. The slightest whiff of brett or horse only makes it all the more tempting. The red apples turn to well cooked mashed ones. Very rich taste with a powerful body - we're talking midpalate here - there's a whole apple pie in there. The mouthfeel is soft and creamy with some sherry notes and a grapefruit finish. All in all very complex, complete, rounded and delicious. One of the best maturing champagnes we've ever had.
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Dark golden in color, this easily was the darkest colored of the flight. All three bubblies were distinctly different, this maybe being the most divergent of the three. I kept returning to a kind of graham cracker note, which was very pleasant. A candied/sherryesque profile ended in a caramel/vanilla finish. The most full bodied of the bunch, this wine was a meal unto itself.
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Nice value to scratch the itch for an oldish Champagne though I don't get the fireworks of some others' notes. It's at its most expressive right out of the gate with characteristics of butterscotch and nuts. With more time it comes across slightly more oxidative but also a little brighter, the personality segueing a little further away from the red grape side of the spectrum.
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A fully mature champagne that is drinking beautifully right now. Honey, bread dough, and brown sugar aromas are followed by delicious flavors of ripe Fuji apples, stone fruits, walnuts, and pie crust on the palate. A finish that longs for 30+ seconds. Wonderful stuff, but one has to know what to expect from an older champagne to appreciate it fully.
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A special bottle, this boasts gingerbread, honey-covered nuts and caramel apples on the nose. Reminds me of delicious desserts. The finish is the longest I've experienced in a champagne, with a delicate apple butter coating the palate.
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Veuve Clicquot tasting (AIS, Parco dei Principi, Rome): Medium gold colour; many fine bubbles. Intense and persistent aromas and flavours: extreme autolysis, fresh and dried peaches and apricots, slight orange marmalade and vanilla, a touch of mushroom and yoghurt, only slightly oxidized but not in a disturbing way. Great acidity and a perfect hint of sweetness (9g/L RS), slight nice bitterness on the finish. Complex, long, outstanding. Evolved some Cognac-like aromas after some time in the glass. Love it. Disgorged in Q3 + Q4 2005.
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Deep gold with impossibly fine bubbles. Notes of creme brulee, melted butter, vanilla and crisp apple, with an underlying creaminess that adds a lot of pleasure. Long finish. Extraordinary.
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11/22/2023 - solace Likes this wine: 92 Points
Great spot. Needs to be drunk a bit cold as it is slightly oxidised. Nose a bit funky but most of it blows off - honey, soy, bread, white fruit, marzipan, preserved lemons, a bit of nutiness. Palate when drunk cold is textbook aged oxidative style champagne. Preserved lemons and soy, marzipan (a bit sweet on attack), preserved lemons, long finish and acid spine, spicy funk that keeps it interesting, and very much alive. Great with teppanyaki lobster and fried rice.
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10/26/2023 - Lars1974 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Perfect bottle! Caramelized lemons. Roasted nuts and coffee. Fresh fruit and acidity with just the right amount of ageing. Good bubbles and an aftertaste that just don't go away. The winner of the tasting "Vintage with age."
Bottled religion!
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10/15/2023 - ppporch wrote:
Unfortunately, it has lost most of the fizz. Good taste.
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11/9/2022 - Hollowine wrote: 93 Points
Fantastic juice. Best of three bottles purchased, served with maybe the best fried chicken I've ever had in the company of many fine Champagne's.
A bit oxidized, but really in a great spot. Great depth and a memorable finish. If I weren't worried about bottle variation I'd source a couple more. Drink Now.
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11/6/2022 - S1 Likes this wine:
Charleston Offlineorama VII; 11/2/2022-11/6/2022 (Various locations): Lovely old-tasting Champagne with a bit of oxidation, dried fruits, marzipan, and spice
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11/6/2022 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Charleston VII; 11/2/2022-11/6/2022 (Charleston, SC (various locations)): This probably had the most age of any of the bottles both because it was the oldest but also because it had the most development. Really delicious.
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2/12/2022 - Pfroncioni wrote:
got a case of this 13 years ago and have slowly made my way through. expected this to be long gone but still showing very well. bubbles almost gone but still present. massive bruised pineapple notes. great tasted along side very bright and acidic NV veuve.
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11/29/2019 - kfrench150 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Slight spritz on opening but no 'pop'. Warm canary yellow with a burnished gold undertone and very fine streams of microscopic bubbles. Very complex nose including some rancio, as expected, but also merde, hay, apricot, butterscotch and dried mushroom. Crisp and cool entry. Nicely full and concentrated in the mouth. Lots of mature flavours of yellow stone fruits, more hay, rancio, wet stone and tingly acidity. Complex with a long, off dry finish. Rather intriguing and very tasty. Very well balanced. Quite delicious actually.
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10/26/2019 - canan wrote: 94 Points
BYO - Rasmus: Young fresh acidity. Hugely impressive wine!
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3/10/2019 - Omar Khayyam wrote:
BYOB "Typical classic wines from classic regions" (Sollentuna): Served double blind.
Lots of almond fudge and butterscotch, toasty, a little bit of orange rind preserves, at the end candy like and short finish, but overall this was very good. Guessed champagne from Bouzy producer late eighties. Recommended.
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3/8/2019 - thunberg wrote: 93 Points
BYOB - Typical wines from classic regions (Sollentuna, Sweden): Peat, earth, mature, nougat, oak, juicy, smoke, old fruit cellar, nice acidity that keeps it balanced, evaporating. Lovely.
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10/21/2018 - LWI wrote: 88 Points
Blind. Camphor, a hint of spice, small and few bubbles, intense and long -- but far too developed.
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9/13/2016 - Ellen5181 wrote:
We had it last night. I thought it was remarkably tasty right after it was opened and for about the next 15 minutes, but it quickly lost its fizz (in the bottle and in the glass) and became flat. There was some age (slight darker color) and a bit on palate. However, the fruit initially seemed fairly fresh, balanced sweetness, creamy, acidity.
Not sure if this constitutes as flawed or defective after 28 years?
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9/10/2016 - acyso wrote: flawed
Saturday hangout (Chicago, IL): I was quite excited about this wine, but am sad to report that it appears some bad storage has done this bottle in. This is waaaaaaaaay mushroomy.
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5/20/2016 - SimonS wrote: 95 Points
Old gold. Nose of barley sugar. Light mousse. On palate almost sweet, biscuit, honey, utterly lovely.
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5/19/2016 - oldwines Likes this wine:
Drank at a party 2 days before my daughter's wedding. Excellent but didn't make notes.
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4/16/2016 - Wine Dingo Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very much alive, surprisingly youthful. Complex, rich and balanced.
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7/27/2015 - Sundbyberg wrote: 95 Points
A vineous champagne with red apples mixed with a very nice underlying citrus. Very mature, but this bottle still has a healthy acid. Great, but also time to drink up.
Disgorged 2005.
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4/5/2015 - BurgAndy wrote: flawed
Madeirized.
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12/28/2014 - JimN Likes this wine: 93 Points
A winter champagne, not a summer champagne. A port-like quality to it on the nose and on the a palate. I enjoyed more than some others, who I think we're looking for something fresher and lighter. The window on this wine is closing, but for now it remains highly enjoyable and unusual.
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7/5/2014 - JimN Likes this wine: 93 Points
Two years since my last note indicating it was at the end of its window. Still hanging in there, but the port-like quality has intensified. Everyone remarked how unusual it was, but by the end rated it higher than the 96 Dom consumed just prior. Profile consistent with earlier notes.
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6/7/2014 - chanukha wrote: 90 Points
Nearing end of drinking window before it turns sour. I think it was much better upon release and additional years did not add to the flavor profile. Drink this year.
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1/21/2014 - rnellans wrote: 94 Points
Biscuits, apple, great acidity and length. BTW, I really love the 88 original release and I think this is a bit better.
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12/26/2013 - jinks Likes this wine: 93 Points
somewhat weaker than usual release on removal of cork.
beautiful color in the glass
fantastic bouquet of almonds, toast, butter, yeast
wonderful in the mouth with the same flavors; the slightest bit tart on the finish.
Perhaps this was slightly oxidized, otherwise fantastic.
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11/30/2013 - thewiz Likes this wine: 94 Points
Yellow colour with extremely fine bubbles.
A very mature nose showing chocolate, hazelnuts and minerals that takes a while to open up. Well-balanced palate showing creamyness and a smooth long finish. Wonderful as always!
This was a very good bottle!
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7/20/2013 - CamWheeler wrote: 93 Points
Rare Wine Dinner (Sydney, Australia): Lemon pith, browned butter, sea spray and pear aromas. Bright acidity that is integrated brilliantly into the rich, rounded fruit. Great length, this lovely Champagne is right near its peak and drinking amazingly well.
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7/8/2013 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 91 Points
Fresh, vibrant, a bit tart,good finish.
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4/20/2013 - beej wrote: 88 Points
Markie's bday. Yay!
Light crisp good fruit nice finish. 'Hope there's more......
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4/8/2013 - rromain wrote: 90 Points
Deep yellow green, somewhat coarse mousse still present. Lots of autolysis, with oxidized notes. Rich and fullbodied, but past it's best, both bottles. Jht
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12/25/2012 - JimN wrote: 93 Points
Followed a 1996 Dom, and this was spectacular. Burnt toast, almond, almost a port-like quality on the finish. This is in a great spot right now, but mellowing quickly based on notes from two years ago. Drink.
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11/23/2012 - EducatedDrunk wrote: 89 Points
Very interesting - still light and fresh on the nose, but with dark honey and almost apricot overtones on the finish. Initially well carbonated, but loses these very quickly in the glass. Good but definitely needs drinking up right now.
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9/7/2012 - Atreyu wrote: flawed
oxidised
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4/28/2012 - Ingarj Likes this wine: 93 Points
God, voksen champagne. Dyp og rik duft i retning av tørkede frukter, kjelleraromaer og champignon, og mer av det samme på smak. Velbalansert, ingen tegn til oksidering. Masse mousse.
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4/5/2012 - Langeonline wrote: 92 Points
Good complexity, needed time to open up. Still surprisingly sparkling. Needs drinking now.
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3/16/2012 - Krugman wrote: flawed
While not fully gone, this bottle was flawed. You could still get some of those golden honey notes on the palate, but the nose had a strange funky smell and the bubbles were completely gone. This also had a strange wet towel flavor on the palate. This bottle has certainly seen better days. I am worried that the last couple un-opened bottles of the 88 Veuve Rare may also be similarly affected.
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2/15/2012 - handlera wrote: 92 Points
Carbonation almost gone. Delicious. Caramel, toasted marshmallow. Definitely time to drink.
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1/28/2012 - sjr35 wrote: 93 Points
I got a little concerned when I read some of these notes about this vintage being on it's last legs. Open 2 different bottles. Absolutely perfect. These will continue to age wonderfully.
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12/26/2011 - LJT wrote: 90 Points
Very nive taste. Showing age.
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12/9/2011 - mellison wrote:
Bad bottle, almost vinegar.
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9/30/2011 - Alex G. wrote:
Superb showing, at peak, creamy texture minimal bubbles, pear, almond, slight honey finish.
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9/12/2011 - yotaiwan wrote: 88 Points
it is definately showing age, no longer fresh tasting, i am going to finnish mine soon.
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8/21/2011 - Shorepower wrote:
Gyllengul som börjar dra lite åt det mörka hållet, initalt svag doft (allt för kallt vin) men smaken finns där, kaffe, choklad, honung med en fin smörighet och så fina mognadstoner, allt uppbackat av en fortsatt frisk syra. Efterhand kommer doften med nybakad brioche, mogna röda äpplen och smörkola. Lite svag mousse, kännbar men inte med. inget som störde Väldigt , väldigt bra.
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8/20/2011 - JimN wrote: 93 Points
Beginning to show signs of age. Consistent with prior notes, but showing a bit more earthiness. Needs about 30 minutes of air time, as it is a bit funky immediately after opening.
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8/8/2011 - Krugman wrote: flawed
Although there were still some positive notes, this bottle was corked.
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7/28/2011 - mado wrote:
offert par Paul GAGNON POUR MARIAGE deguster a notre 3ieme ann de mariage avec entree (petoncle jumbo au Ricard,grosse crevette et queue de homard. champagne delicieux et petit gout aux pommes FANTASTIQUE LE 26 JUILLET 2011
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7/8/2011 - emkc wrote: 89 Points
Matured golden colour. Full bodied with good acidity. Tasted better one hour after in the glass...become plummy and buttery. Can certainly kept for a few more years. Not bad, but there are better ones at similar price.
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6/19/2011 - WetRock wrote:
EWG: Decadence (Conrad Green's Abode): Pretty much the same as my last note. There was some mushroomy funk that took some time to fade away. That left a nose of soft orange blossoms. Bright orange citrus on the palate that was still a bit grippy even if it was showing its age a bit. Definitely better with some air. Good stuff.
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5/8/2011 - AtoZ wrote: 94 Points
Fantastic and not nearly oth. Better axit warmed revealing plenty of lemon lime to go with the apple and toast.
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4/25/2011 - Atreyu wrote: 93 Points
Still going strong. Very rich and powerful.
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3/22/2011 - BurgFixx Likes this wine: 91 Points
A little musty on initial opening but blew off quickly to show a fresh mix of citrus that mellowed over 30 minutes towards more yeasty, brown butter aromas. The palate was lifted by consistent mid-palate acidity that kept the fruit fresh and vibrant. A fun aged bottle especially for the price point.
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3/13/2011 - vhild wrote: 92 Points
Apple juice, nice small and round bubbles, longish, ready.
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2/19/2011 - jlgnml wrote: 93 Points
Clean, yeast, great bubbles, lots of viscosity on the palate, outstanding
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1/8/2011 - darvid wrote:
Pale rose-gold color with subtle bead. Powerful, linear oxidative and lemon aromas gradually expanded to include honeysuckle, caramel, lime and brioche. In the mouth, signs of age in the lower register with strong acid keeping it fresh and vibrant up top. Barely medium weight (in the style of many 1988s), but it works well with or without food. Long finish.
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1/1/2011 - Cellarson wrote: 92 Points
Luckily, the last bottle was as excellent as it should be. Drank with apertizers before a nice New Years dinner. Mmmm...
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12/25/2010 - Talisker wrote: 88 Points
Lots of apples with elements of sitrus and hints of red berries. Very nice but lacks the complexity one could expect from a champagne of this age. Doubt it will improve. Drink now or within a year or two.
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12/22/2010 - vintage61 wrote: 92 Points
Saved the best for last, the last of three bottles and made the best showing. Mid yellow straw color, medium beading, slight yeast and bread dough, good fruit, both on nose and palate. Excellent balance and structure. Think this is as good as it is going to get. Drink in the next few years.
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12/22/2010 - wineismylife Likes this wine: 92 Points
DAWGS December 2010 - Champagne et. al.: Tasted non blind. Opened and served immediately. Yellow color in the glass, clear looking throughout with little beading. Nose started off a bit smoky followed by notes of nuts, sherry and a bit of mushroom. Good flavors of berries, lemon zest and soaked pears. Bright acidity, medium to full bodied. Drink or hold. I'd drink. 91-92.
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12/11/2010 - jlm wrote:
Deep gold. Distinctly sherried aspects to the nose, with some apple and doughiness to complement. Only moderate carbonation remains, making the full body on this wine very apparent. There's intellectual interest here, but I agree with some other notes that this has likely already reached its apogee.
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12/8/2010 - EMichels wrote: 90 Points
Sharp; Ok
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12/4/2010 - WetRock wrote:
California Vs Burgundy Blind (Frank Murray's Casa): The nose shows some oxidation along with mushrooms and yeast. Clean, balanced palate but not a lot of complexity for a wine so old. Nice and fresh still but it doesn't appear to be improving.
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12/4/2010 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Burg Dinner (CA and France--Served Blind!) (Murray Casa): Gold color, turning to a bit bronzy, yellow. Seems a bit oxidized aromatically, with nuts and pear flavors.
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11/21/2010 - sehill Likes this wine: 94 Points
Similar impression to a bottle tasted two years ago.
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10/31/2010 - Cellarson wrote: 90 Points
Drank as apertif. Again one bottle with few bubbles. Nice taste, but it has certainly passed its peak. One bottle to go.
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10/24/2010 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 94 Points
2010 K&L Annual Champagne Event (K&L San Francisco Store): K&L Champagne Tasting. I was looking forward to tasting this. It reminded me on the nose of a baked cherry tart and a touch of fruit salad, lots of complexity, more of the same on the palate, well balanced, well integrated complexity as you slowly tasted this wonderful champagne. Terrific!!
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10/14/2010 - aagrawal wrote: 95 Points
Wine & Spirits Top 100 Tasting- Brief Notes (San Francisco Design Center): Big, yeasty nose with excellent flavors. Very in-your-face. The only champagne of the evening that really came close to a revelation (and far better than the 2002 Cristal).
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10/3/2010 - Cellarson wrote: 95 Points
Drank with Creme Ninon, which was good but not a perfect combination. This bottle was now back to the nice experience we have had from earlier bottles of this excellent champagne.
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9/25/2010 - WineDoctors wrote: 92 Points
yeasty and golden, medium full bodied, but none of the funkiness but with beautiful balanced citrus. Worth a special occasion, can still taste for years.
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9/19/2010 - dboxxer Likes this wine: 92 Points
Beautiful yellow gold coloured mature champagne. Aroma full of bread yeast, leesy but still with fresh lemon zing. Full bodied champagne with taste of honey, butterscotch, bread yeast, lees but still with a fresh lemon citrus zing. Very polished and medium to long finish. Drink up now or next few years I think. Beautiful and very GV.
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8/10/2010 - bonedocnine wrote: 92 Points
Tastes like lovely mature champagne. Really quite delightful.
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8/7/2010 - thewiz Likes this wine: 95 Points
Perfect shape, wonderful bottle with fully developed taste. It won't get any better than this, but will hopefully hold for a couple of years.
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6/6/2010 - robertek wrote: 89 Points
I think this wine is in a tunnel right now or perhaps on the decline. It did not open up with the fantastic nose of old champagne. On the contrary it was mostly overripe fruti - bordering oxidation. Still full of livfe though so it was not defect in any way - just tired and rather one- dimensional. One bottle to go - see if it picks up for the finale.
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5/30/2010 - jlgnml wrote: 92 Points
Birthday Dinner (Our House): Great color, good viscosity, great bubbles, explosive on the palate. Awesome.
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5/28/2010 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 93 Points
Bright yellow, hint of gold; Soaring, deep nose of cheese rind and fresh mushrooms, very fine nuttiness, smoky, develops notes of candied fruit; perfectly fresh, dry but smooth, wonderfully evolved but not a trace of oxidation, elegant bitters, excellent length.
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5/9/2010 - *Vine* wrote:
Popped and poured. Medium-light amber hue, just a hint of effervescence. Forward aromas of citrus, stone fruits, butterscotch, almond, yeast, and a touch of sherry. Medium-light body. On the palate, the flavors are complex and interesting...think lemon, toffee, hazelnut, a hint of coffee and an ever present oxidized flavor. However, while interesting in an academic sense, this bottle was a bit tired and lacking in focus...seemingly fell apart within 30 minutes of opening, leaving oxidized flavors of some complexity but little enjoyment.
Could simply be due to bottle variation as this was properly stored...but why gamble with 22 year old Champagne?
90?
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5/8/2010 - MCUBEB wrote: 95 Points
Smoky nose. Notes of almonds, bread, lemon and creamy mouthfeel. Finishes with notes of herbs, minerals and lemon custard.
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4/16/2010 - Finare Vinare wrote: 94 Points
What a birthday treat!
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4/5/2010 - Shorepower wrote:
Kanonflaska, fortfarande många år kvar kändes det som. Mogen lukt men fortsatt mycket syra, packad med frukt. Blint hade jag gissat på en 90-talare.
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4/2/2010 - 60ouvrees wrote:
Really nice wine at peak of maturity. Delicious.
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4/2/2010 - robertek wrote: 95 Points
Back on track. Fantastic wine.
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2/12/2010 - Alex G. wrote:
Burgundy for Lunch (Scottsdale, AZ): Very fresh, mild yeast on the nose, quite effervescent. A solid, but not spectacular, performance.
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2/7/2010 - G Kapoor wrote: 93 Points
consistent with the prior bottle
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1/16/2010 - G Kapoor wrote: 93 Points
Very light amber in color. Fine beads that develop in a good pace. Fresh on the palate with good structure showing cadied walnuts, ginger, citrus and toast. A very good champage for the price and vintage.
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12/31/2009 - njAndrew wrote: 92 Points
Nice mouse when first poured, small amount of bubbles followed but still nice mouth feel. First taste was almost mead like with some yeast/bread followed by honey. Wine changed with more herbal lemon-citrus, complex and tasty with nice acid level. Had the bottle with mildly spicy Indian food. My first vintage Champagne and very enjoyable. 91-92 but no real reference point.
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12/30/2009 - thewiz Likes this wine: 93 Points
Perfect sample with wonderful maturity on the nose and in taste of nuts, chocolate and plum.
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11/21/2009 - Shorepower wrote: 93 Points
Wow, att de alltid är så bra, smör, honung, mogra frukter, gyllengul färg, pigga bubblor, Kvällens vin.
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11/15/2009 - vintage61 wrote: 90 Points
Drank at Amici's with Susan, Chuck, and Cindy. Enjoyed this much more than previous bottle. Very slight mouse when poured and no bubbles after several seconds, which I find a put off. Yeast and citrus on the nose. Citrus on the palate without the yeast. Tasted fresh compared to previous "stale" taste of first bottle. Chuck suggested this may be in some sort of dumd phase. Assuming that is possible, will try to hold on to last bottle a few years.
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9/23/2009 - robertek wrote: 89 Points
This bottle was not flawed but was far from perfect. Kept some in the bottle for the day after and it actually developed very nicely both on the nose and the palete. Like a cup of freshly brewed espresso :-)
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8/3/2009 - premiercruclasse wrote:
Score: 14; i may have received a dud bottle. the taste was 1 dimensional -- ALL toast, no fruit. was very disappointed in this. NV veuve was much better
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7/24/2009 - thewiz Likes this wine: 93 Points
Perfect mousse and lovely on the nose andin taste.
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7/19/2009 - vintage61 wrote: 88 Points
My first disappointment in an 88 Champagne. Supposedly recently disgorged, but did not seem fresh and new. Golden color with very slight bubbles that vanished into near still wine. Fair balance and structure, good acidity with slight yeast, bread dough and slight oxidation. No noticeable fruit. The kind of stuff you relegate to mimosas. Glad I only bought a few. Will drink up as I see no future upside here. Consider my score generous on this bottle. Maybe next one will be better.
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7/8/2009 - j45 wrote:
This was splendid, far better than I expect current vintages of VCP's vintage wines to fare in the future. '88 Veuves are terrific.
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6/18/2009 - asgerG wrote: 89 Points
Straw golden, small bubbles. Open nutty nose, slightly oxidised. Nutty flavour with good acidity but again somewhat oxidised. Too old I would say although the vintage showed it strength. The cork was old so it was degorged many years ago althoug it was acquired in a shop recently.
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6/6/2009 - mdefreitas wrote: 93 Points
A Taste of History: The Leacock Family Madeiras (Hotel Monaco, San Francisco, CA): Lively, fresh, and bright on the palate, with hints of yeasty/nutty maturity. Good depth and minerality - but to be honest, I was not paying detailed attention to this wine, as my thoughts were on the treasures to come.
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5/3/2009 - Vinotas wrote:
Another beauty, this had freshness mixed with oxydized notes of an older Champagne (according to Peter, it was recently disgorged), a real stunner of a wine.
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5/2/2009 - spacewrangler wrote: 95 Points
Can this be getting better? Caramel apples, green apple skins and more creamy apple. Dense, mouth coating and long.
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4/30/2009 - thewiz wrote: 91 Points
A weaker sample compared other I've had.
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4/9/2009 - Atreyu wrote: 92 Points
Nowhere near as evolved as my last bottle sampled in autumn 2007. Characteristic Clicquot notes of biscuits and dough. Rounded, but with high acid. Not the most complex of wines, but shows the vintage's outstanding characteristics. This bottle could have lasted another 10 or 20 years without breaking a sweat despite the late disgorgement.
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3/13/2009 - vespasian wrote: 91 Points
A lovely bright gold colour, not as deep coloured as you might expect. Fresh nose - lifted with notes of Elderflower, Marzipan, brioche and honeyed nuts. Elegant palate - lovely seductive mouthfeel. A complex palate, with flavours as on the nose with a hints of nutmeg and cinnamon. Delicious. Long finish with rancio/sherry like notes predominating and adding to the experience (rather than spoiling).
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3/1/2009 - robertek wrote: 95 Points
Very consistent with previous bottle from the same case.
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1/31/2009 - robertek wrote: 95 Points
Fantastic color shows some age but still vibrant and fine bubbles. On the nose brioche, vanilla and to me lots of foie gras :-) After a while some notes of coffee. Reda apples of course. Completely different on the palate with lots of acidity and citrus shining through. I think this wine still has fruit and acidity enough to continue developing into a very fine old champagne.
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1/23/2009 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 94 Points
Very light colour, pin-prick bubbles; wonderfully tertiary nose (coffee, nuts, cocoa); perfect balance, fresh as mountain water; lovely length, Turkish delight. Perfection, a very energetic 20 year old wine.
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1/19/2009 - dre wrote: 94 Points
clear but a bit hazy. Beautiful rusted gold hue with a remarkable amount of bubbles. Very steady and fine bead. This champagne shows its age in its colour but not in its bubble.
The nose is clean and initially comes off a bit oxidative with that rancio/sherry like smell. Getting past that, this wine shows bright apple, yeasty bread, brioche, and a multitude of citrus aromas. Very doughy and tones of minerality.
The palate is dry, medium + acid. Very intense flavor profile of caramel, toffee, brioche, toast, green apple skin, ruby red grapefruit, lemon-lime. The fruits are really surprising, i was expecting them to be much less vibrant but they showing themselves in all their glory. Again the sherry note is evident and adds a nice complexity. The bubbles are tiny and many. They add a very nice creaminess to the medium body of the wine. Medium alc. The finish is all mineral and brioche mixed in with a bit of rancio. It goes on and on....
Outstanding quality. 94 pts.
Drinking at the height of its game now but will hold at least 5 more (i think...)
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12/31/2008 - ticktock wrote: 93 Points
Light amber in color, this wine opened with full fizz and control. After settling down, big deep flavors of caramel, yeast, and sweet stone. The acid is in check but definitely drives this one. Christen says the mouthfeel is almost perfectly round. The finish is a full 30 seconds. The last time we had anything like this was with the 99 Cristal.
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12/25/2008 - JimN wrote: 94 Points
Consistent with prior notes. Beautiful champagne!
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12/21/2008 - sehill wrote: 94 Points
This wine showed exceptionally well. The bouquet showed toast, bread, yeast, nuts, spice cookie (ginger, cinnamon, clove) honey nuts. Initially the wine does show some light oxidation in the form of sherry notes. It is not off-putting and adds to the complexity of the wine. As the wine evolves the sherry notes are relegated to the back ground and much less apparent. The color is medium yellow that is appropriate for the wines age. The medium/full bodied palate shows outstanding depth and complexity. The wine evolved on the bouquet and palate over time adding more complexity and nuances. There is good balance on the palate and the wine still exhibits acidity on the finish. The wine does fade about two hours after opening; the rich, complex bouquet and palate turns one dimensional, showing dominant apple cider notes. However, this critique of the wine does impact its overall impression given the age of the wine and that most bottles would likely be long finished before two hours.
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11/27/2008 - JimN wrote: 94 Points
Thanksgiving evening. Third champagne of the evening, but first vintage. Hands-down favorite. Butterscotch and nuts with good balance. I think this is a terrific vintage champagne at any price, but at this price it is worth buying more.
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11/27/2008 - *Vine* wrote: 94 Points
Thanksgiving 2008 and celebrating my 30th birthday (Mom & Dad's house): Easy to open, aged cork slid out with little effort. Golden hue with a fine mousse. Toasty aromas lead to a a very complex nose of butterscotch, curry powder, lemon, and maybe just a touch of oxidation. Medium body, with fine flavors of toffee, hazelnut, biscuit, and a smokey minerality that continues on the lengthy, persistent finish. Really stays with you. Outstanding, and drinking perfectly right now.
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10/18/2008 - JBVino wrote:
wife's 40th bday party...solid aged champagne for good tarif...yeasty flavors, could possibly use a bit more acid structure but good as appertif
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8/9/2008 - 5laton wrote:
No note, but this was in great shape and quite delicious.
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7/25/2008 - thewiz Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very mature on the nose with taste of chocolate and minerals and hints of raisin and with a nice long after taste.
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5/2/2008 - Paul Lin wrote: 94 Points
This bottle tasted a bit fresher than the last one I had. Notes of candied ginger, candied orange rind, honey, and crusty baguette. Nice effervescence that lasted the entire time. Too bad this is my last one.
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4/22/2008 - Cheryl wrote:
Cult-ish US Pinots at Ox (Jersey City): Orange citrus here. I didn't pick up the nutty notes that others did. This was okay for me.
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4/22/2008 - sprnplr wrote: 91 Points
Cult-ish Pinots (Ox Restaurant, Jersey City, NJ): orange zest, light caramel, easier on the yeast than previous tasting. Some sweet acidity that didn't taste fully integrated (last bottle was). Drink or hold.
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3/28/2008 - Epernay-Boy wrote: flawed
TCA Old bottling not RD
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3/9/2008 - RobertJF wrote: 93 Points
Lightly effervescent - golden color portends thick, rich nose with notes of caramel, coffee, and pineapple upside-down cake. Just slightly oxidized, the palate possesses a richness and length. The acidity is still youthful and pierces through the heaviness. An excellent champagne.
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2/2/2008 - cadamson wrote: 93 Points
Very complex. Med gold color with hints of tan. Crisp, yet heavy biscuit with some positive oxidation, pear, etc. Good.
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1/26/2008 - thewiz Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very goood bottle with nice tones of minerals, ocean, lemon and chocolate.
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1/19/2008 - wino_tim wrote: 93 Points
Quite dry and quite nutty, this opens up on the nose like an Oloroso sherry with plenty of oxidized, yeasty aromas. In the mouth this is big, full and complex with round flavors of toasted nuts, yeast, and dried flowers. The finish is tangy and dry, showing bits of citrus fruit.
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1/1/2008 - ericis wrote: 90 Points
Golden yellow color. Very nice complex aroma. Did not enjoy as much as a bottle of this I had 4 months ago.
We liked the 1985 Charles Heidsieck from 2 nights prior better. As wine opened up more of the petit meunier (sherry like) taste showed. Better bottles out there for the money.
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1/1/2008 - mellison wrote: 90 Points
Over the hill and should have been drunk colder, out of refrigerator rather then wine cooler.
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12/31/2007 - thewiz wrote: 91 Points
Nice maturity, but a bit weak mousse.
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12/31/2007 - Tree512 wrote: 91 Points
Completely mature, slightly oxidative style, large and rounded. Very pleasant but not zippy enough to create real balance. Still, the size of the fruit and maturity are a treat.
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12/28/2007 - jazzplease wrote: 91 Points
Nice but subtle flavourprofile with slight oxidation. Green and yellow apples with autolytic notes and nuts in the finish. The acidity is a bit of balance. 91 points is not a great QPR for $90.
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12/22/2007 - Finare Vinare wrote: 94 Points
Rich golden hue. Very harmonious first nose of bread yeast, limestone and clamshells, walnuts and red apples. Second nose of burnt muscovado sugar, dark creamy fudge and dried dates. The slightest whiff of brett or horse only makes it all the more tempting. The red apples turn to well cooked mashed ones. Very rich taste with a powerful body - we're talking midpalate here - there's a whole apple pie in there. The mouthfeel is soft and creamy with some sherry notes and a grapefruit finish. All in all very complex, complete, rounded and delicious. One of the best maturing champagnes we've ever had.
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12/15/2007 - spacewrangler wrote: 91 Points
Dark golden in color, this easily was the darkest colored of the flight. All three bubblies were distinctly different, this maybe being the most divergent of the three. I kept returning to a kind of graham cracker note, which was very pleasant. A candied/sherryesque profile ended in a caramel/vanilla finish. The most full bodied of the bunch, this wine was a meal unto itself.
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12/14/2007 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 89 Points
Nice value to scratch the itch for an oldish Champagne though I don't get the fireworks of some others' notes. It's at its most expressive right out of the gate with characteristics of butterscotch and nuts. With more time it comes across slightly more oxidative but also a little brighter, the personality segueing a little further away from the red grape side of the spectrum.
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12/3/2007 - kstoddard wrote: 91 Points
G7 (Alex): Tastes of apples, pears, lemon zest and caramel with a nice limestone minerality. Rich finish with some good length.
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12/1/2007 - Paul Lin wrote: 93 Points
A fully mature champagne that is drinking beautifully right now. Honey, bread dough, and brown sugar aromas are followed by delicious flavors of ripe Fuji apples, stone fruits, walnuts, and pie crust on the palate. A finish that longs for 30+ seconds. Wonderful stuff, but one has to know what to expect from an older champagne to appreciate it fully.
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11/24/2007 - thewiz Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very mature bottle, perhaps a bit weak mousse.
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11/18/2007 - Wicker Parker wrote:
Store tasting. Fresh-baked ciabatta; easy to drink. Nicely balanced without any undue acidity or RS. But is this really worth the dough? Not hardly.
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11/10/2007 - Fisken wrote: flawed
No bubbles, awful taste, oxidized. To bad it was the last bottle at Systembolaget...
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10/19/2007 - Paul Lin wrote: 94 Points
Amazingly complex and rich. This was tasted alongside several champagnes and ended up being one of my WOTN. 93-94 points.
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10/7/2007 - spacewrangler wrote: 96 Points
A special bottle, this boasts gingerbread, honey-covered nuts and caramel apples on the nose. Reminds me of delicious desserts. The finish is the longest I've experienced in a champagne, with a delicate apple butter coating the palate.
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9/24/2007 - ews3 wrote: 94 Points
MW Champagne Tasting (Cornell Club, NYC): complex -- yeast, strawberry, red apple, and much more is there. medium(+) finish.
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6/26/2007 - mormad wrote: 94 Points
Moden men stadig flot frukt
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6/8/2007 - Barbara B wrote: 95 Points
Veuve Clicquot tasting (AIS, Parco dei Principi, Rome): Medium gold colour; many fine bubbles. Intense and persistent aromas and flavours: extreme autolysis, fresh and dried peaches and apricots, slight orange marmalade and vanilla, a touch of mushroom and yoghurt, only slightly oxidized but not in a disturbing way. Great acidity and a perfect hint of sweetness (9g/L RS), slight nice bitterness on the finish. Complex, long, outstanding. Evolved some Cognac-like aromas after some time in the glass. Love it. Disgorged in Q3 + Q4 2005.
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3/10/2007 - JWA wrote: 93 Points
Soft brown Sugar and nuts (tasted a little sherry like) with very fine bubbles. A delightful find and glad I bought several.
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2/2/2007 - AndrewH wrote: 97 Points
Best champage I've ever had. Creamy dough with a touch of crunchy apple. Should buy more.
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1/1/2007 - jmull wrote: 97 Points
Deep gold with impossibly fine bubbles. Notes of creme brulee, melted butter, vanilla and crisp apple, with an underlying creaminess that adds a lot of pleasure. Long finish. Extraordinary.
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