Method: tasted at the domaine (in the cellar) with Anselme; disg. 2018
Nose: nuts, baking spice, brown apple, brown butter, caramel
Palate: salted caramel, brown butter, browned red apple; long finish of nuts, mineral, light salt; full- vinous, creamy body; medium strength pinpoint bubbles; medium+ to high- acidity; low- tannins
Overall thoughts: Wow! Insane complexity, richness, and mouthfeel, with great structure and balance to keep everything honest. 97... almost 98 points. Truly excellent wine!
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2023 disgorged. This is drinking wonderfully well. Complex aromatics of spice, orchard fruits, candied peel and chalk. So deep, rich and powerful with no excess weight. Great presence and drive and a very long, chalky finish.
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18 disgorge. Everything that has been praised about this cuvee has been mentioned here. Nothing more to add. Nutty, oxidative, creme brulee, spiced pear, big vinous nose only matched by an equally vinous bottle, without a mineral, reductive, salty finish. Consistent showing, quite fabulous, and truly classic of Selosse.
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Disg 08 base 01 Smokey lard and leesy scents introduce a citrusy, overtly complex mouthfeel, with plenty of tension from a top of the slope plot in Avize. Marvellous depth of flavors here.
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May 2022 disgorgement. Wow, what a great wine! Deep nose with lemon, slightly oxidative flavors, minerals, brioche, apple, chamomile, and dried flowers. Great acidity with a hint of nuts, more lemon, crushed rocks, apple, orange, and a hint of smoke that emerged with air. Long and lingering finish. Fantastic wine that has a lot going on but it never loses precision. Amazing experience and consistent with previous bottles.
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Opened at L'Envol in HK. P&P and slowly enjoyed over dinner.
Very good Champagne, very Selosse. No extensive notes taken - this wine was somewhat overshadowed by the big red line-up that came immediately after. However, I did note that this gets better with a bit of air. Would be very keen to revisit when there's a less crowded line-up, letting me focus more on this wine as it evolves.
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A 2023 disgorged bottle. Complex aromatics of candied citrus, chalk, peach and cumquat. The palate is explosive, so rich and intense. It builds and finishes with loads of chalk and is super saline. Simply wonderful.
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not blind, disg. 2002 A perfect bottle, multi layered, deep, powerful in nose and the beginning but the finish is surprisingly fresh. Bottle was very quickly finished. 99
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Purchased this bottle (disgorged 2012) almost exactly 11 years ago back in the day when they were readily available.
My fist experience with Substance and a bottle that really performed on top. White fruit with a yeasty madeira/sherry note and an oxidative buttery whiff.
A marvellous match with flame grilled A5 wagyu skewers with oscetra where the fatty charred wagyu brought out brown butter and caramel notes of the champagne.
I'd wager this is not for everyone but three of us had this as the winner over the Bollinger GA -02 and one person preferred the brighter GA.
Glass: Riedel Veloce Syrah
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Disgorged 2019. First experience with substance. Lived up to the hype. Pure deep wine. Mild acid. Darker yellow color. Was worried this was too young, but this was drinking incredible upon open.
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First time trying Substance from Selosse and unsurprisingly I loved this wine. I tasted this up against the V.O. and frankly I preferred the V.O. What I observed as the main difference was the Substance was more pure, elegant and "classical" in the expression whereas the V.O. was even more sherry like and full bodied and textured - both on the nose and on the palate. There was obviously no doubt that both wines comes from the same wine producer but when loving oxidized champagnes V.O. is the favorite of the two. Worth noting that most people disagreed with me and preferred this one. Disgorgement dates: VO: 2020 Substance: 2022 Not sure two years would make such a difference? I have had a few VO's with the exact same character.
The most special bottle of Selosse I have had -- the dense concentration loosening just enough to form layers on each and every note. Flavors effortlessly swirl and last, full range of umami, sherry and fruit brought to life by a dancing acidity. Incredible echoing finish that lasts a good ten minutes after the sip.
The best wines are wines that warp your sensation of time just a little bit, as the palate just feels long and time seems to slow down so you can feel every detail of it effortlessly.
Selosse perhaps at absolute peak, actually, maybe just wine drinking at absolute peak (at least for now)
Tasting: My second time with Substance and this time with a couple of years in the bottle, discorged 2019. Really nice champagne with not so much oxidation yet. In a nice spot now. Richer than other champagnes from this producer.
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Layered, developed nose with cooked and bruised apple, dried apricot, hazelnut and a savoury mushroom touch. Hazelnut and brioche. A chalky streak. Fantastic palate intensity with fresh apple touches and very persistent on the finish. Certainly unique and delicious but questionable as to whether it's worth the price tag!
WSET notes:
Medium gold. Fine mousse.
Pronounced on the nose with fresh, cooked and bruised apple, dried apricot, chalk, brioche, hazelnut, mushroom, savoury notes, caramel and honey. Developing.
Pronounced and dry on the palate. Light body, medium alcohol, high acidity, long finish.
Can drink now but has potential for aging.
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Judgement of Eagan (Jason P's, St. Paul, MN): Medium dark gold color. Drank a glass over 45 minutes plus. This was disgorged 10/22/10, from a Solera dating to 1986. This is certainly unique; shrouded in a highly oxidative character; surprisingly floral, orange peel, liqueurish, lanolin, honeycomb, baked apple and citrus, savory, with virtually no mousse at all. I was very happy to get the chance to drink this and the next one. I, like galewskj, am kind of baffled by the the hype and hysteria. First, I like this Champagne, and I found it intriguing on an intellectual level. That said, from a sheer pleasure standpoint, it didn't resonate with me. Very vinous, but in the way of an old white burg that has seen it's best days, but clings to its yesteryears that we wish were still vibrant. For those that gravitate to a highly oxidative style, this will really satisfy. I'm just not that fond of Champagne that is essentially no longer Champagne and the essence has left the bottle. And again, I liked this, but it wasn't a transcedent experience. This actually reminded me of a a couple bottles of 2002 Cristain Senez that a few of us picked up a couple years ago and drank over the last 2 years. It was really quite similar. The next bottle which was a V.O. BdB was very similar in style to the Substance. I am truly grateful to Jason and his generosity for opening these to give us all a chance to experience them.
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P: Very golden fruits, white berries, and a crisp, gentle saline along with some nicely bitter stones on the finish. The acidity along with the saline note gives the impression of a savoriness, even providing for an airy yeasty note.
For some reason, this was nothing like the bottle I tried for the first time. My only guess is maybe that the disgorgement dates are different, and I don’t even know if that makes any kind of difference on the palate. More fresh on the fruits this time whereas the first time reminded me of some tasty creme brulee. Nonetheless, still good!
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Judgement of Eagan Wine Tasting (Jason's House): Not sure if this bottle was a hair below the last one, or if the "WOW" factor was slightly less having had this wine before. Still, an excellent wine for my palate and I am a big fan of this style. Not sure I can put my finger on why I love this wine, but probably because I find it so different from many others. Yes, I have oxidative and reductive Champagnes in the past, but this is different, while it is totally in that style, it still retains some youthfulness and a lot of complexity, minerality and fruit. This is what I imagine a top aged white Burgundy with a little effervescence would taste like.
Nuts and bolts: This wine was golden in color, showing its age...2010 disgorgement. The bubbles were so fine, they were hard to observe, but very present on the palate, albeit, it came across as a delicate Champagne. Plenty of baked apple, citrus, Unami and saline, with hints of fresh ginger and honeycomb. Just as delicious as I remember. An expensive Champagne, but worth the money in my book. Wish I had a lot more! Easy 97 for my palate!
Off-Track Leroy BYO (Manhatta): 29 AVRIL 2009, organe color, citrus, fresh, powerful, lovely linerarity. Notably fresher and sweeter than a lot of the 2008 disgorgements. 93-94
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2 OCTOBRE 2015. Surprisingly on the sweet side, lollipop, not as acidic as most older Substances. Young and racy with fine bubbles on the palate. 93-94
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Unfortunately no discouragement details. Much fresher than expected, with kernel notes and some apple cider but with a real precision, cut and rich mouthfeel. Very easy to drink, and a marvellous cigar pairing. I always feel Substance needs up to 10yrs in bottle to shine and suspect this has only had ~3yrs to date. 96pts (and with age potential for 97-98pts)
This was the 2013 DG. I’ve had Initial a few times and a couple lieu dits but this was the first round with Substance. Expecting it to be a little more extreme and polarizing than it was, especially with 10 years in bottle. The nose was ravishingly complex, and along with baked apples, you have all these little details of spice and grated ginger. The wine was in lovely balance, great intensity. I can’t find a flaw here.
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dg 2015. Nose of Caramel, hazelnut, mushroom, lemon curd. Bruised apple, honey, butter, walnut sourdough toast, tangerine, sherry in the mouth. Finish felt yeasty with some lime and a beguiling note of calvados. My first time trying a champagne in this style to limited scope for comparison but highly impressive.
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May 2022 disgorgement. Very expressive nose with orange notes, grapefruit, apple, minerals, and lemon. Lovely acidity with very interesting and continuously changing flavors of lemon, citrus zest, dried flowers, ginger, and minerals on the palate. Very long finish. Wow, this was outstanding! Beautiful, deep, and complex wine that blossomed with air.
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1.16.13 dg. My first bottle of Selosse. Got it for a really good deal (relatively speaking) and shared it with a friend.
Dried pineapple, ginger, caramel, nutty, and yeasty bread. Smelled just like an aged Sauternes. Wow, I could just sit here and smell this wine all night without even drinking it. But of course I did and got very very fine bubbles, as if it were in the background, unlike any effervescence I’ve experienced in a wine. Everything was so integrated, so balanced, beautiful persistent finish. Truly grateful to have experienced this bottle and producer. An experience I’ll never forget.
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This needs some air. At first pour, it tasted kinda thin with hallmark oxidative selosse characteristics. The length was impressive on the first sip. Nonetheless, I was slightly disappointed.
In the first hour, a lot of the mineral core started showing. Some other commenters here mentioned "bitterness", I think this is what was being tasted.
However, after the first hour, it started singing. It put on weight but still felt so crisp and delightful. The fruit also started showing more, overtaking the mineral-ness. As a result, it showed everything that I wanted from something like this: delicious fruit, weight, length, savory and oxidativeness, fine mousse.
Before I knew it, the bottle was gone :( Absolutely delicious!
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What a showing! Disgorged in 2014 and I’ve had since 2016. It was everything I hoped for. The palate was savory and bursting with grilled apricot. Just the right amount of acidity and oxidation. Loved it! It’s why Selosse is Selosse!
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TOP SHELF WINE WEEKEND: The Solera methodology employed here really makes for a truly unique and special profile, one in which I can’t rightly say I’ve ever experienced with Champagne. The complexity is just flat-out crazy, with old-meets-new-meets-old-world flavorings, as if history is unfolding on the palate. The phrase of the day with this wine was “liquid crème brûlée,” as it seriously was as if the caramelized sugar topping was oozing along the execution of flavor and melting in the mouth. Too sweet sounding for ya? Not at all. A nutty oxidative note swoops in and lifts the would-be saccharine element into a more in-line bitter (not astringent mind you) relief that keeps the focus unexpectedly on-point and driven. Peach, smoke, dried apricots, candle wax, coriander seed, ginger powder, and toasted hazelnuts make for a luring experience that begs for another sip. I was somewhat concerned about freshness on the first few pulls, but it manages somehow to remain airy enough to maintain beautiful weight throughout delivery.
If there was ever a Champagne that could be categorized as epitomizing savory or umami, it is this Selosse. I mean, it almost has that chicken soup for the soul kinda thing going on with it…that, and a psychedelic twist of crazy flavors that keep building off of one another. I want to use the word “flavour” instead of “flavor” just because the extra “u” accentuates the feeling of stateliness in the Selosse’s overall contour and behavior (or rather, “behaviour”).
If you can somehow get a crispy burnt top of a creme brûlée but on pristine honey instead of the custard, that is what you get on the palate.
Sounds heavy but it actually stays crisp and fresh. With time, it develops some weight and still somehow manages to stay fresh and crisp. It's as if she gained some sexy curves and showing them off by wearing nothing but sheer fabric.
Wild and Crazy Memorial Weekend - Saturday (Chris' Castle aka Melissa's Manor): Someone said they were bring a Selosse....my first reaction was "your bringing whaaaaat??" Obviously, I am not up on my Champagnes! I actually had to look this up to see what it was! Of course, I was stunned when I saw the price, and thought "you need to taste this Champagne you never heard of!" Thanks to Bryan (bsomoba), I had the opportunity!
So in a Champagne flight featuring a 2013 Cristal, a 2006 Salon, a 2008 Egly and this Champagne, I was totally blown away! Then, Bryan's friend, Cameron, provided two huge tins of caviar, i.e., a tin of Beluga and a tin of Osetra...OMG, thought I was dead and in heaven! Of course, I was only half right, i.e., in heaven!
OK....nuts and bolts...So of all the Champagnes, this one stood out most! It is very reductive and oxidative in style, to the point that it really had a unique taste....I mean there would be no mistaking this in a blind tasting! In fact, I am probably more bullish on this Champagne just for its uniqueness (well, certainly unique for me!) Don't get me wrong, it is an excellent Champagne in its own right, but this is one of those moments where you totally get the "WOW" factor! Of course, all the Champagnes were wow'ers to a degree, but this one more than the others because to its unique flavor profile. I ranked this a hair below the Salon because the creaminess of Salon totally floats my boat! But this was excellent! Oxidative and very lively with plenty of acidity and lemon, fresh ginger and Unami, with lots of minerality to accompany it! An outstanding Champagne I need to seek out! 98+
Note: If anyone wants to open a 2008 vintage Selosse Millesime....I would be happy to drink with you!!
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Memorial Madness at Case de Chris y Melissa - Day 1 of 2: Disgorged 2011 - Epitome of great champagne. Now my benchmark. Next to the Cristal, Salon and Egly, this one sort of separated itself from the rest with its slightly oxidative and unique nose. This felt light, but at the same time had power and punch and danced on the palate as if it was trying to awaken the taste buds. I left some in glass for an hour and the profile got more creamier, more refined and weighty. The finish was incredible and lingered like the feel of a first kiss from a hot date. Lovely acidity which allows this wine to age. Even at its price, it is hard not to buy more.
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Insane good. '21 disgorgement so decanting was discussed but this was off to the races from the opening glass and never let up. Immaculate combo of sherry notes, richness, umami and layered acidic spine that held it all together. And utterly perfect with omakase at Côte.
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Open a night before for slow aeration. Enjoyed in Spiegelau Definition Bordeaux glass.
Elegantly pronounced nose of fine Manzanilla sherry, blend of dried and fresh white and yellow blossoms, preserved lemon zest, dried ginger, salted French butter, subtle lactic note like Morbier cheese (earthy and savoury), touch of liquorice wood. Very fine expression.
The palate reflects the nose, with nuanced salinity and acidity, velvety texture and medicinal hint and light gingery finish. Very fine bitter touch.
Overall, more lineair expression compared to 2016 disgorgement (enjoyed in May 2021). A great wine.
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Selosse Lieux Dit Tasting: 2013 DG. Again unmistakably selosse. definitively oxidative in style, with layers of fruit, mushroom, and earthiness. Good acidity keeps it fresh. lovely wine.
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Sushi and Champagne (Sushi Yuki): Blinded. Disgorged May 2020. Dense golden, reductive with pronounced notes of cheese, flint, hint of yellow flowers. Not showing much on the palate, linear and dense with med acid. Opens up a little after sometime in the glass but reductive. Probably needs decant for a couple of hours before serving.
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Caroline's birthday at Sushi Yuki: Disgorged May 2020. My first Selosse, a very generous pull from a friend. Thought this was a Pinot-dominant house from 2012, how wrong I was. Rather weighty and oxidative to the point of being excessive for my preference as I don’t like sherry notes in wines. Did improve with air as it tightened up. I read a discussion about Initial vs Substance a couple of months ago and can see why this wine is divisive - guess I will belong to the camp that prefers the Initial (if I ever get to try one).
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Always say around 5 years post disgorgement is the happy zone for Selosse. This beauty, disgorged in July of 2018 with the coveted 2008 being its youngest vintage, was an absolute stunner. Substance is the Selosse flagship that uses a solera style blend with vintages dating all the way back to 1986. It has explosive aromatics that you really don’t get from Champagne. It’s infinitely layered with crazy depth to its aromatics and has such a singular texture that you just can’t forget. Caramelized orchard fruit, roasted hazelnuts, coffee beans and lavender honey waft from the glass. It wraps around the palate with incredible volume and intensity before giving way to a salty mineral laced finale with stunning length and persistence. The best.
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blind, not noted the degorgement date The most complex wine of Selosse. I guessed right, very concentrated but still fresh in the finish. For me best with food. 96
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Blind. Quintessentially Selosse BdB but not as white as the lieux-dits... How is this the first time I become aware that Substance is actually BdB? Latest disgorgement (2022 or 21) but not printed on the back label. Lovely white fruit and slick minearlity. Fresh and bright with aged class from solera reserve. 93-94
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Nose: coconut, vanilla, honey, sponge cake, brioche, hints of honeysuckle Notes: very nice and delicate balance. Disgorged in Jan 2020. A beautiful and warm nose. Very long aftertaste offered by this wine and I have enjoyed it. This is quite ready for consumption so I guess there's no need to wait any further. I have for a moment mistaken and thought this was an Exquise until I was reminded it was a Substance instead. I'm thinking I have this feeling as the Champagne was a little on the sweeter side. Nevertheless this is a fantastic wine and I have very much enjoyed it. Rating: 91 Drink: now+
Disgorged 1/12/21. Complex aromatics of grilled nuts, backed apple, citrus and chalk. It is rich, vinous and powerful, with elements of floral beauty. It builds through the palate, is so fresh and invigorating and with awesome depth. The finish has chalk, chew and awesome persistence.
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April 2019 disgorgement. Phenomenal nose of lemon, peach, strawberry, brioche, cake, minerals, floral notes, and oxidative character. High acidity with complex notes of peach, peach skin, orange, lemon, and minerals on the palate. Very long finish. Outstanding wine that strikes a perfect balance - rich and powerful, yet completely refined and elegant. 98+
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Disg. 7/17…Always with explosive aromatics that are rarely achieved in Champagne, July 2017 disgorgement of Substance is superb today and layered with infinite depth of ripe stone fruit, roasted nuts, lavender honey, coffee bean and smoky minerals. It exhibits the vibrancy of a young Champagne with the complexity of a mature one and wraps around the palate with incredible intensity, texture and exhilarating energy before giving way to a saline and chalky mineral inflicted finale with fantastic length and persistence. The best.
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First Substance. Disgorged in 2017. Paired very well with sushi. Gold in appearance. Nose wow almond, cinnamon, mineral and baked bread. Palate has depth, complexity, good acidity and is elegant. This is so good and tastes like 30 years old champagne. Much better than Initial which was a bit awkward when combining younger wine with unintegrated oxidative elements.
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From the solera, with the youngest vintage of the composition being 2012, of which there is only 4% representation. There are grilled nuts, preserved lemons, and a suggestion of tarte Tatin. It is rich and layered in the mouth, showing plenty of spice. It has so much chewy structure and a finish laden with salt and chalk.
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23 Décembre 2009, decanted. Clear, sharp, rich but heavenly. Nobody else does as oxidative but as clear bottle of wine. What a balance of “substance” and Champagne lightness. 94-95
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En veldig oksidativ og tertiær nese. Kamfer, kaffe og tørket frukt er i førersetet. Men med litt tid i glasset kommer det faktisk frem friske og kjølige aromaer, som grønne epler. Vinen er på en måte veldig ungdommelig i munn. Aromaene er stort sett modne også her, men den har et skikkelig grep. Oppleves som stram, frisk og konsentrert. Moussen er i god form, og preges av masse knøttsmå bobler, som gir et luftig og delikat inntrykk. Lang finish.
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Disgorged 14th Jan, 2021. This is a rich and powerful Champagne, showing baked apple, grilled nut and preserved citrus aromas and flavours to begin. It has intriguing savoury notes, including teak and black truffle. There's some cinnamon spice too. A glass the second night had cracked wide open, with sweet peach and granny smith apple at its core. The finish is laden with chalky, is chewy and supremely long.
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1999 Barolo Dinner (Chez Goldberg, Greenwich Village, NYC): [Pop and pour. Disgorged 29 September 2020. Brought by Jared.] Bright amber color. Nose of mandarin oranges, apricots, and cinnamon. Complex with a very long finish. A terrific Champagne.
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This ‘17 bottle was banging delicious. My wife took one whiff and said, “Selosse?” Classic dried rose petals. The rose petals from 40 years ago when roses actually had a beautiful floral smell to them. Always a nice treat to open one of these. I have no experience with vintage Selosse, but out of all the others, Substance is a brawler.
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Long, rich, creamy, finely chiseled texture, elegant and very refined bubble, intense flavours, aromas of nuts, apple, citrus, butter, brioche. Focused, sharp and generous at the same time. Long and vibrating with an almost palpable energy. Disgorged in 2019. A truly great wine.
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Lot LSU0920, disgorged Sept 29, 2020. Courtesy of tlv. Deep color. Aromas of baked honeycomb, dried apricot, brown butter, toasted popcorn, and sautéed pear. Changes every time one goes back to the glass. Definitely something to pour and follow. Short mousse. Fine bead. Flavors of sautéed pear, candied orange rind, macadamia nut, baked apple, and hints of brown butter and caramel. There’s a bit of a baking spice component as well.
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not blind, deg. 2015 Sublime, never get fooled from a Selosse colour. Golden, but the wine is brilliantly fresh and precise. The acidity helps to discover the powerful (oaky) notes. Honey, biscuit, lemon tarte and some dried fruits as apricot. Balanced. 98
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2009 disgorgement; first sample of the Substance; initially quite oxidative on the nose as expected; nutty, sherry like, bruised apple, with some underlying minerality; with air this became fresher, but the nose stayed in the oxidized zone, but it was enjoyable and complex; the palate gained freshness throughout the bottle with the fruit becoming more delineated and the nutty/mineral notes became less obvious. The depth and complexity of the palate are excellent. Overall I liked it quite a lot, but be warned it is far from your typical Champagne; if you go into it with expectations appropriate you will be rewarded.
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Selosse (Oceanic, Pompano Beach, Florida): As expected, the Substance was the darkest in color and the most full bodied of the series. Clearly oxidative, just as intended by the winemaker due to the solera starting from 1986. Yet the fruit was energetic and the finish long and lingering. Caramel and oak rather than yeast. Ripe apple and baking spice. Not exactly tiring to drink but lacks the finesse of the lieux-dits examples that followed. If you ever want to match a champagne with meat, this could be an excellent choice. A real success in this extreme style.
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Disgorged 2015 a bottle chosen after a lovely lunch with Coche, Roumier and Rayas to be the final treat to refresh the palate. Rich and oxidative, so very Selosse and so very good for lovers of this style.
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Champagne Brunch (@Terkel): Amazing depth but also an almost wild acidity. There is plenty of stuffing for a huge wine but it is still very young. Showing mushrooms and yellow apples but also some fruit sweetness. A very impressive wine! Deg. 26/04-2019.
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Champagne Brunch (@Terkel): Packed with red apples and sweet marzipan. Amazing balance and flavor depth. An absolutely stunning wine! Tightly wound acidity and very "pure" flavors. Deg.June-2010.
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Deg 2017. Rich and oxidative, the richest of all Selosse we had during this Champagne trip. Nuts, marzipan, orchard fruit. Good material for sure but I think the aromas are too much in the Sherry spectrum
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Disgorged 17 - more oxidative than Initiale and The BdN Sous le Mont I had within 24 hours. Very substantial wine with oxidative notes that become a bit overbearing with bottle air. Very well made and complex for fans of this very singular style. The Initiale and BdN were more in my wheelhouse.
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Tasting: Very complex, with depth and a bit like "supersized". Latest discorgment. Will not open my own bottle for a couple of years (my own bottle discorged January 2016).
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DG in 2015. Lorrddyyy. What an intense and intellectual wine. Rich citrus fruit, mixed with orchard apricot and peach. Bready/oxidative with a richness that carries forward to the palate, with quite a low level of effervescence. Immensely long finish that makes you sit and think.
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Disgorged November 2019. The nose was beautiful and complex with notes of lemon, baked apples, some minerals, and herbs. Lovely mouthfeel with good acidity, slightly oxidative notes, citrus, and crushed rocks. Long finish. An outstanding Champagne with lots of appeal. Next to the 2008 Cristal, I thought it was the more interesting wine, although the Cristal may turn out to be the "objectively" better wine given a few years time...
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Deep gold color. A serious, brooding champagne not at all like it’s bubbly brethren. On the nose it has an almost b flat note, like something that should be discordant but is in harmony. One of the others at the table mentioned this savory note gave an edge of chorizo - an association I very much agree with. As the night progressed so did the wine, showing more depth and joy.
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San Diego Superspeader 2021 (Solare Restaurant, Liberty Station, Point Loma, San Diego CA): Two bottles tasted, both disgorged July 2011, procured from same distributor and retailer. Clear deep yellow-gold color with coarse bubbles that faded quickly. Oxidative notes of musty varnish, ginger ale, apple cider, sherry, underbrush, fallen leaves, nuts. One experienced taster thought it was an off bottle, corked or heat damaged or past prime or all of the above. Second bottle was noticeably lighter in color (still deep yellow) with fresher bouquet. Both bottles improved with air. Perhaps the solera process accounts for the distinctive oxidative profile. Group's SECOND PLACE in this flight despite initial concerns.
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This is a massive wine. Golden. This bottle only got better the longer it was open. We all noted the RS seemed a little high. Maybe around 10 grams? The RS balanced nicely against the 'mature' notes. Yes, it's complex. It should be. It's expensive. It lives up to the hype. I paid $280. I'd pay $280 again.
Disg. ‘19- Smoky and complex with typical solera style aromas and oxidation, but there is also an alluring freshness to this disgorgment. Very much needed a decant, but shows so much character, singularity and an expansive palate with a very persistent finish.
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Disgorged 11th February, 2020. really vinous and complex with notes of truffled honey, Granny Smith apple, white peach, cinnamon and vanilla pod. It is rich and layered, with great intensity and structure. the finish is savoury and expansive and there's so many interesting subtle flavours with a finale of salty tang.
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02 SEPTEMBRE 2008. Always consistent, so rich, almost orange in color, spicy and dancing on the palate. Nutty notes and vibrant acidity pair really well with the scamorza. 94
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Disgorged in 2017. A really great Champagne. Distinctive Selosse nutty nose,with a hint of marzipan. Impressive structure with a great balance, long, rich, creamy, with tension and salinity. Loved it but I thought afterward that I should have decanted it. Delicious.
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blind, disg. 2015 Lovely so elegant, even the discreet pinenut scent put me closer to Krug than to Selosse. I prefer the Selosse 5-10 after disgorgement and this bottle is the best proof for that. Powerful, more on the citrus than the oxidative notes. Brutally fresh. 97-98
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Substance 09 Disg. was superb with a nose to die for. Like old rum barrels and caramelized orchard fruit. Layer upon layer of complex flavor. Fades a bit over time, but to drink amongst four was perfect. No decant necessary.
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I doften en enorm komplexitet. Känns som det är helt öppen direkt och man blir nästan attackerad av lager på lager av olika doftnoter - en hel blomsteraffär (hyacint), orientaliska kryddor, ingefära, kanderad apelsin, mormors hårda karamell, gräddkola, farinsocker, honung, viss rökighet, något slags skumgodis (inte banan) och trocadero (som tydligen är en blandning av apelsin och äpple). Väldigt intensivt, koncentrerat, kraftfullt, komplext och dynamiskt.
I smaken är det minst lika komplext och en stor del av noterna återkommer här. Stort, kraftfullt, koncentrerad kropp. Lager på lager på midpalate och finishen är superlång och fylld med kvalitetsnoter. Oerhört fin balans mellan alla komponenter.
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02 SEPTEMBRE 2008. Presumably made in 2002, the structure is immense. Delicate aged nose, with toasted brioche, dried flowers, salinity. Color is slightly darker than usual; this can be drunk soon. Lighter weight upon popping but kept improving. 94-95
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[Blind] Nose is warm yellow apple with nice smoke and more savoury notes. Fresh citrus. Clean, bright, and lively but definitely has some development and maturity behind it. Palate is rich, crisp, sand sharp. Impressive staying power. Big acidity drives a long finish. Slightly oxidative stylistically, but not over the top in a way that makes it obviously Selosse as opposed to maybe a middle aged Krug. Weighty. Delicious and powerful. Toasty. Light golden colour. Disgorged 05/30/2013.
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Degorgement 2010. Dark strawyellow and still nice bubbles. Initially a bit funky, after 30minutes in the glas a complex and philosofical bouquet with mature green apples, hazelnuts, brioche and mushrooms. Broad and oxidised style. An intriging palate and good balance with a good residual acid and fruit with dried apricot and mature apples and some candied lemon. Earthy notes and mushrooms.
A dividing wine among the tasters and I guess its down to preference, but in my opinion mature, complex and interesting. I will probably decant my remaining bottles.
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Disgorged 24 September 2003. Evolved as expected but not old. Over all, oxidation was not as noticeable as anticipated so this bottle got an "approval stamp" from my wife.
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super interesting, for sure not what one would expect from a classical Champagne, very Solera like, sweet, very long finish, great structure and also very deep, I liked it a lot although usually I prefer dryer versions
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Un champagne d'exception qui malheureusement ne me fait pas vibrer autant que sa rareté et son prix prohibitif. Néanmoins, rancio, pomme verte, des bulles fines, légères notes pâtissières. 90 sur 100
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Disgorged on June 20 2005. Base wine is either 1995 or 1996 with oldest wine being 1986. Incredibly youthful which takes an hour plus to express its mousse, custard, nut fruit, caramel and cake. While it is initially one-dimensional and quiet, it becomes deep, explosive and vibrant with abundant acidity and verve. 93-94
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Joe Biden is Substance, so what else to do , pop it and like it we did, like the new President. Solera 1986-2010 deg.11/12/2017, my last bottle, not buying anymore, was great.
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30 Oct 2018 disgorgement. Solera back to 1985. Nuts and marzipan. Classic Selosse. A meal in itself! No formal notes but wanting to document having this. From DrK
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Served blind and thought Selosse. This was absolutely massive. Oxidative in style and whilst the maker was obvious, I called blanc des Noirs due to the size and structure. This was even better with air as it softens and smoothens out. Disgorged in 2012 with reserve wines back to 1986. From SJW
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Disgorged 23 December 2003. Yeasty / biscuity aromatics. Deep, oxidative white-burgundy like palate. Elegant mousse and classy finish. A bold champagne that I need to study more closely within the context of multiple disgorgements.
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23 December 2008. Baked apple, orange, chamomile, caramel. Superb energy, soil, sharp acidity and long finish. The big of age really made the difference. 94-95
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Gylden gul. Rik og oksidativ stil. Kompleks. Gul nedfallsfrukt. Kamfer. Grønn te. Svak mint. Massiv i munn. Intens og med vanvittig konsentrasjon. Kompleks også her. Hasselnøtter, sødmefull gul frukt, sitrus. Nydelig sammenvevd og integrert. Lang!
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This wine is the best of A.Selosse, so pure, minerals and a fantastic finish with a unique balance a freshness. No oxidative notes anymore . Solera 1986-2009, deg. 21/11/2016
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Gogged february 2015. Never drink a Selosse before its 5 years past its gogging.
Extremely expressive nose. Marzipan and orange zest the most notable. The rest of the crew thought it showed tertiary characters but I disagreed vehemently.
Sadly it faded quite fast in the glass after 30 minutes.
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Disgorgement date of 23/11/2011. Gold to Amber. Medium bubbles. Baked apples and honey. Mushrooms. Medium sweetness. Medium to high acidity. Medium bodied. Medium finish. Structured. Sharp with a slight bitterness. Complex. I called Selosse when served blind due to oxidative style. Ready to drink now.
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30 bday session at Maison Dakota. Tasted blind. Drank over 3 hours. Drank in Gabriel Standart. Appearance is clear, deep intensity, gold colour. Thin legs. Fine frothy bubbles. Nose medium+ intensity, with aromas of oxidative nuttiness, toast, marzipan, rich red apples, golden apples, honey, cream. Developed. On the palate, dry, real high acidity (I got some reflux despite the pasta & pizza), medium- alcohol (12.5%), medium+ body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with rolling flavours of rich red apples, glorious golden apples, yellow peaches honeyed almond nuts, toast, caramel cream, all that minerality locked somewhere within. With more air, and drunken thoughts - this really reminds me of a youth camp bonfire. Vibratingly long finish. Disgorged January 2014.
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In perfect shape. The most complex wine of Selosse. A bit oxidation that gives depth and length but always with a brutal acidity and refreshing Lemon in the finish. Roasted pinenut, almonds, Lemon, orange peel. Creamy without being too fat. At least 5-8 years bottle aging are perfect to all Selosse wines in my opinion. 97-98
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2016 Disgorgement. Bright, mid gold. Honey, yeast and sherry oxidation on the nose. Palate is so bright and balanced. Lemon, nutty, stone fruits. Mineral notes. Delicious.
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Not all Selosse Substance develops in the same manner as the 2009 disgorgement, this 2012 disgorgement Substance is fully mature and is already showing first signs of tiredness. Not tasted blind - Fully mature nose of dried apricots, sherry and ripe citrus fruits. Full bodied with good ripeness, a powerful Substance but needs to be consumed soon. (90/100)
Orange color with a bouquet and flavor of dilute balsamic vinegar, very typical of older Champagne, with dry apple and some steely notes as well. Very rich and deep with lovely acidity. Very good balance with a very long finish. Small bubbles. Wonderful wine to match the lobster, and caviar, our traditional New Years repast.
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Enjoyed over 2 hours, was initially very closed, but became more developed with some old apples, cinnamon and exotic fruits like peach. In the beginning some oxidative notes that got away, great bottle, deg. 09/03/2016 , solera 1986-2008. Had a fresh acidic background which made it elegant and delicious.Happy New Year everybody from Copenhagen.
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Flaskan är deggad i juli 2017 och öppnades upp strax före vi skulle prova den. Självklart skulle den må bäst av mer tid, både i källaren och i glaset, men det hade vi inte nu. Jag lät den ändå få vila en liten stund i glaset för doften var verkligen härlig. Det är en BdB - Solera - där äldsta årgången är 1986.
Mörkgul/guldig i färgen. Små fina bubblor. Härlig doft som sagt, lite rökig nästan, bränt med tyngd, hö/halm? Den smälter nästan i munnen med en viss syra som inte alls tar över. Inte så distinkt blommig som många andra BdB, honung och "gyllene". Ligger länge i munnen på ett mycket bra sätt. Redan nu mycket bra och väldigt glad att jag fick prova den!
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Rustic start, Madeira flavor profile jumps out then oxidize sherry notes abound. Settles into a nice long bold finish with a fine Sauternes sweetness and spice. Unique in style
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Not my style of champagne, but I did enjoy its different flavor profile. Nutty; apple, white bread - yeasty, feel the layers of flavor and vintages combining. Enjoyable due to the difference of oxidativative style. Not personally my style of champagne, but the effort put into the thoughtful wine shines through and its fun to drink something that doesn’t hit your palate, but is so well done that it shines.
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Degorgement 2010. Great Substance, balanced, reductive and acidity tones, very long finish. Enjoyed glass after glass and suddenly the bottle was empty.
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Disgorged 2008. Wow. Such a massive and dense wine. Dessert wine almost. Fully ripe and at a peak. Faded a bit in glas 30+ min in. Almost wish we had drank this a aperitif instead of the V.O. and saved the V.O. for the meal instead.
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Disgorged December 4, 2008. Caramel colour -- and it smells and tastes the way it looks. From the pop and pour: quintessential old chardonnay smells: slightly mushroomy, a bit bready, and fairly nutty too. There's a hint of orange peel, coffee, and caramel as well. The palate is quite intense, but there are certainly some sherry/madeira oxidative qualities here. Nonetheless, this is extremely complex, and it's abundantly clear that this is a wine that will need lots of air to open up. Tons of acidity and chalk.
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Gogged October 2009. Absolutely stunning substance. TN in line with previous note but even more powerful and long. Unfortunately served slightly too warm but that’s what happens when you’re thirsty.
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2006 disgorgement. Golden yellow. Ripe golden delicious apple, honey, brioche notes. Still lively in its levels of acidity and mousse. The oxidative style was a bit polarizing to our tasting group- some loved, others disliked. Certainly this sits at the far end of the spectrum. Terrific tonight- room for further maturation.
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Disgorged in 2016. Not much different view vs my previous notes, it was expressive, mineral, light yeasty toasty sensation and along with very nice and ripe raspberry fruits and solid acidity, particularly concentrated on mid to back palate. Another great bottle, just love it.
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60-års dag og blinsmaking: Blind. Deg. 2013. modne glassepler, svak kaffe, noe kamfer -- men en ren og flott duft; lang og intens, utvikler seg i glasset. Veldig fin vin!
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Tasted blind - The combination of oxidative ripe stone fruits, oak spices and cream soda reminds me of no other producer except for Jacques Selosse. It’s oxidative style is so unique even his ‘disciples’ cannot imitate. Though the tricky part about blind tasting Selosse is to guess the grape variety, especially with their Substance, which was aged in Solera system. I mistaken the richness of the red berry fruits for Pinot Noir. Selosse? Le Bout de Clos? disgorged in 2016? (95/100)
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Jacques Selosse - horizontal tasting with Anselme Selosse (L'Esprit du Vin Copenhagen): Latest disgorging. Med. gold colour. Aromas are very nice like Version Originale but more refined and elegant. Nutty, brioche and bread dough. Develops in the glass and gets more and more oxidative but in a good more slow and controlled way than Version Original and Initial.
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Disgorged 30 Oct 2018 - 2009 base? Deep, tropical, honeyed, very selosse - yummi. Lacking a bit on the mid palate. Can drink now. Among the top three wines of the tasting. My second time tasting a Substance - this time a clear step up from the Initial and V.O. 94+
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Golden color, nose mature apples, mature peach and espresso coffee, taste a touch of apples with a ginger afterglow, amazing long aftertaste, a masterpiece. Solera 1986-2007, disgorged 25/02/2015.
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Compared to a 2008 Bollinger Grand Annee, the complexity here and overall mouthfeel outdid the Bolly. I was wondering what everyone was crowding around in the back room, but quickly figured it out. Pours to a light pale straw hue. Nose of creme brulee and cashew. Entry with small bubbles. Very oxidative style and does not care what you think about that! Does not have high acid. I was getting peaches and pears, with a nice oxidative bready creaminess with a rather smooth and long tiny bubble finish. Wow. Not sure I've ever had a Champagne like this.
(disg.2015) Coffee - so much of it in fact! Some oxidative note, soft, juicy, fruity and buttery, also some exotic fruits. So much is happening here, pure joy! Loved it.
Comprehensive Selosse (Chicago, IL): Disgorged November 2017. Alongside the nutty oxidative elements is a fume of reductiveness that goes away when you swirl this a lot. Of the "base" cuvees, this was my favourite, as it clearly showed the most complexity and depth. If you really want to get an idea of what Selosse is about, I think this would be the most archetypical example. The breadth and power, coupled with the brown, nutty, oxidative elements, but with acidity that is so vibrant and zesty...
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Deg. 2017. Rather closed at first but open up considerably with air; smoke and nuts on the nose, minerals; fresh, structured, long and intense, quite a mouthful after a while. Promising.
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Selosse Substance disgorged 2016 Blind tasted it, guessed it was 2016 disgorged Substance. :D It showed strong characteristics of Selosse wines, that lingering acidity, expressive and oxidative fruits style, richer body structure and complex texture with strong minerals, gave the sense that it was Selosse. However, Despite being oxidative, it was pretty fresh on the nose, still got some exotic white flowers and fresh citrus peel, felt that it must be pretty recent disgorgement wines. Anyway, another excellent work from selosse.
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09-07-2018. Yeast, sea, meat, chestnut, caramel, apricots, spice, herbs, iodine, honey, candid fruit, lemon. Intensively oxidative, deep nose with a long, broad and textured palate. With time this will be quite interesting. 95
Very good. Deeper golden color. Rich texture. Aromas of Buttered rum candy and sourdough toast. Long finish. Fruit profile leans toward ripe apple and pear. Delicious overall. Highly recommend.
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Disgorged in 2016. A bit young at this stage, although oxidative style it offers freshness and floral sensation, on the palate, acidity was quite crisp, modestly nutty and yeasty, red berries foam and various minerals. Personally I like Substance with a bit more age post disgorgement, as the wine typically gains a lot more weight and layers and the acidity will be even more focused, I will wait for a coupe more years to open another Substance that disgorged in 2016.
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November 2017 disgorgement. Immediately accessible with complex notes of baked apple, brioche, grilled nuts and orchard fruits. There's a core of pure peach fruit and delicious brown spice nuance. It is full, rich creamy and powerful. Length is great and loaded with chalk.
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Nebbiolos, white truffles, Volume III (Chicago, IL): Disgorged Oct. 22, 2010. I had a single-vineyard Selosse early this year from a similar disgorgement date, but I found this to be the better wine by far. Yes, it's still nutty and sherry-y and oxidative, but I felt that this didn't feel as tired as the aforementioned Carelles. Plenty of salinity, nuts, and browned apples, but still sufficient acidity for the freshness to show. Presumably pinot heavy -- I never remember the stats and I always rely on my unreliable palate to tell me the cepage.
Deg 03/10/2011. As much as I still (and will for always) remember my first Substance, an epic and completely mind boggling experience, there is now to me so much more pleasure and excitement to be drawn from Selosse’s Intials and VO with some age. I need to remember this rather than thinking that another bottle of Substance may take me back to that first encounter. Because it never does really. 92p on my enjoyment scale.
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Vidunderlig duft på denne! Rik med sødmefulle epler, florale toner, krydder og syltet appelsinskall. Høy intensitet. Livlig mousse. Sleggekraft i anslaget - svær frukt med nydelig modning. Med en ypperlig syrestrek. Kraft med en dråpe eleganse. Veldig sterk kurve - holder koken helt til slutt. Sitter imponerende lenge med en pen miks av modningstoner, mineralitet og syre. Hele munnhulen får kjørt seg.
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Smoky. Orange zest. Rich. Marzipan. Very solid concentration. Long and broad. Maybe the most broad shouldered Selosse I have ever drunk. Toasty ending. Youthful.
Doesn’t last too long in the glass. Fades and acidity contracts and becomes more hollow.
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June 2012 disgorgement. A stunning Substance. Like a sparkling Meursault Perrieres.
Has all of the richness, complexity, and power I associate with this wine, but with tremendous elegance and a fair amount of freshness, despite the oxidative flavors. A wide variety of caramelized fruits and dessert flavors, plus abundant nuttiness and some floral notes. Even takes on some minty and peppery qualities. Toasty and yeasty notes underneath all of this. Its origins in Avize are evident from the first whiff and come through in the combination of creaminess and minerality on the palate.
Six years out seems like an ideal moment to drink this. Better closer to cellar temperature than chilled. Evolves substantially after opening.
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Three Substance wines side by side, interesting comparison of different disgorgement years - 2008 vs 2014 vs 2016.
2008 - golden brown color, clearly the modest oxidative among the three. on the nose, toasted almond, walnut, caramelised apple, extremely nutty, baked honey, modest yeasty, it was very complex on the nose, on the palate, caramelised dried flowers, a touch of asia spices, roasted walnut, treenut, and toffee. The acidity was still quite vinbrant and dynamics on the mid to back palate. Wow! What a wine.
2014 -light yellow color, the most elegant among the three, drank very well on its own, but not as refined / complex as compare to 2016 and 2008 disgorgement wines. On the nose, white flowers, Canadian honey, mint, rosemary, citrus fruits, on the palate, white fruits along with citrus peel and lemon zest, acidity seems slightly higher along with lighter body weight. Still an awesome wine but I prefer 2008/2016.
2016 - medium yellow color, fresh roasted almond, white flowers cream, modest sense of toffee and baked salted nuts, light butter almond cake, on the palate, citrus flavour macaron, light yellow fruits, peppery spice, the bubbles were the most refined among the three, I would say it offers the highest complexity on the nose and the palate among the three, see great ageing potential ahead.
10/22 dinner - Selosse Substance (disgorgement years 2008, 2014, 2016) and JJ Confuron RSV (2000, 2001, 2011 vintages) dinner with BurgNick and The Littlehorse. All 6 wines tonight were beautiful.
Disgorged in Oct 2014. Very deep and powerful substance that was overshadowed by the 08 and 16 disgorgrment with less finesse. The bubbles were also less refined than the 16 given both of them were young champagne. This bottle tasted a little older its true age. It tasted more like a superb VO than a benchmark substance tonight. Again, when you compare different disgorgement side by side, it creates a first world problem.
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Disgorged in Sep 2008. Very nutty with caramelized fruit, creme brulee, and grilled hazelnut. Lots if complexity and finesse. The aging certainly helped unwrapping all the layers. Superb. The finish was expansive and long. It was the oldest disgorged substance I had.
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Disgorged in Nov 2016. Cake, perfume, apricot, peach, salt and lemon peel. Very refined and complicated. We decanted half bottle in the decanter and left half in the bottle. It had more bubble and power in the bottle while the bottle was more elegant.
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Disgorged in November 2016. Super aromatic, honey roasted almond, raw walnut, rubbed whiite flowers, salt minerated lemon peel and citrus foam, on the palate, generous white and yellow fruits, quite tangy, precise and focused acidity, modest pepper spice sensation on the finish, the finish was very long and compact. Love it.
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Missed the disgorgement date. PNP, super oxidative upon initial pour. Probably could have used a decant. Extremely fine bubbles, huge sherry and nut presence, but with a strong acidic backbone. Somewhat of a reddish twinge to the golden tones in the glass, but that could just be the lighting at RPM Steak. About an hour in, the wine starts to show itself: baked apple, mushrooms, twinges of orange honey. Very obviously a Solera.
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Solera Tasting of Lieux-dits ended with Substance deg. 12/2014, contains 1986-2007 Chardonnay.Color slight golden, nose almonds citrus, sherry notes of oxidative kind some saltiness behind, taste is big and full dryness in the background. Completely harmony through all those years, later a massive train of apples arrives to make it even more complex. My best Substance ever.
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Disgorged in August 2016. Another classic Selosse's beauty. Fragrant on the nose with white flowers, almond, spices, stony fruits and natural walnut, on the palate, very smooth acidity and solid backbone with generous fruits and minerality to support it. It continued to evolve over next 3 hours of drinking. Very complex with lots of dynamics. What a great wine !
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100% Chardonnay from two organically grown plots in Avize: Les Chantereines and Les Marvillanness. Made with a solera method, where the wine to be bottled is drawn off from a stainless steel tank, topped off with reserve wine from oak barrels (70% new according to some sources), which are in turn filled with the wine from the most recent vintage. Selosse's solera was started in 1986, so the wine should still contain all the vintages from the past 30-or-so-years (although in diminishing quantities with all the older ones). The amount that's drawn off is normally at 22%, so logically the newest vintage makes up of 22% of the reserve wine aging in oak barrels. To my best understanding, this wine still remains the only true solera Champagne, as all the other "solera Champagnes" are actually perpetual reserves made from wines kept in single barrels which are always drawn off and replenished with the most recent vintage, lacking the multi-tier system a true solera requires. After having been bottled from the tank, Substance is normally kept on the lees approximately 6 years. This specific bottle is disgorged on 1st of October 2015.
Medium deep straw yellow color. Very complex nose that is all about oxidative nuances: chopped nuts, oaky creaminess, some bruised apples, a little bit of browned butter, light smoky tones, a hint of stony minerality and a touch of very ripe citrus fruits. Immensely attractive - I find no aldehydic Sherried notes whatsoever of which Selosse has been criticized by some Champagne critics. The wine is moderately full-bodied and expansive, yet bone-dry and surprisingly weightless on the palate for the style. There are very intense and immensely complex flavors of steely minerality, bruised ripe apples, panna cotta, some buttery tones, a little bit of wizened citrus tones, a hint of caramel and an oceanic touch of saline tang. The wine is high in acidity, as a good Blanc de Blancs shouls be, and the mousse feels very smooth, fine and gentle with good persistence. The finish is extremely long, complex and pretty oxidative in style with intense flavors of steely minerality, chopped nuts, some tart Granny Smith apples, a little bit of peanut butter, light creamy notes of oak, hints of saline minerality and chalky bitterness and a touch of baked apple.
A wine contrasting beautifully the playfulness, surprisingly light body and pronounced minerality of a young Blanc de Blancs to an expansive, muscular and moderately oxidative notes of a well-aged, mature Champagne. A fascinating experience that reminds me a lot of the wonderful, oxidatively made wines of Krug and Bollinger, but in a more poised, lighter and mineral style - it's astounding how light and ridiculously drinkable this kind of big, complex and oxidative Champagne can be. Furthermore, I really don't understand the Selosse critique of some Champagnes - although oxidative, this wine is by no means oxidized in any way, there are no sherried tones and even the oak character feels very judicious. Overall a riveting Blanc de Blancs with stunning depth. A true hallmark for the oxidatively made Champagne style. I'm not sure if the wine (or any wine) is worth the 180€, but if there is no competition and people are happily willing to pay, I guess the wine is priced according to its quality. Very highly recommended.
Drank slowly over dinner at Basilico. Bottled disgorged 18 May 2017. Appearance is clear, medium intensity, gold colour. Legs. Fine bubbles. Nose medium+ intensity, with aromas of honey, toast, almond nuts, citrus lemon curd, chalky limestone minerality, salty saline minerals, caramel cream, slight Sherry, iodine. Developing. On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium- alcohol (12.5%), medium+ body. Pronounced flavour intensity, with mouth-filling flavours of toasty almond nuts, honey, citrus lemon curd, orange pulp, apricot, salty saline and iodine, chalky limestone minerality. Very long finish. More Sherry-like with more air. Outstanding quality. Rich complex powerful champagne. Oxidative style for sure, balanced off with loads of other stuff and that lovely high acidic lift.. Wow. Got better with air.
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Nez type oxydatif sur curry, noix, foin, salin. En bouche jus suave et plein, belle matière riche, palais sur la noix, longueur incroyable sur la salinité avec belle fraîcheur portée par une acidité bien maîtrisée. Grande sève ! Superbe cuvée. 96/100
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Disgorged May 2017. Every time I open a Selosse Substance, makes the day special. Such an unique and almost irreplaceable moment when having the wine, it is bold with intensity but compact and enjoyable. Bright golden color, on the nose, strong yeasty, nutty, with some Sherry sensation, but balanced with minerality and freshness; on the palate, it is dynamic and lingering acidity, minerated lemon, dried apricots, hazelnut, and roasted almond. Would be interesting to do a Substance dinner with different disgorgement dates.
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September 2013 disgorgement. Wonderful balance and depth. Classic bottling from Selosse, one that perhaps best represents who he is as a wine-maker. Gains in complexity and depth with air. Bravo. NB: I could not really tell difference between this and the July 2013 disgorgement I had a few years ago (probably my failure as a taster!).
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2007 disgorgement. Awesome wine - I love these old Selosse with lots of bottle age. I have a hard time registering a huge leap in quality between this NV and the two lesser - Initial and VO. All three have been quite wonderful to taste every time Ive tasted them.
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First impression is the acidity. It's like Coutelas 1809 on an acid trip. Really firm and strong acidity. Really present. Feels kind of old and tired at the same time.
After 1 hour it improves. The acidity feel recedes somewhat. Minerality and smokiness appears. The former disjointed parts become a part of the whole.
Disgorged september 2013. Should be prime but I would wait longer with this disgorgement.
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2006 RC and 2006 DRC Montrachet dinner - Stanley Cup Final (Proof Restaurant - Washington DC): More oxidize/sherry than the last few bottles. Very complex Amaretti and Fino dominating nose, a hint of lemon, strong yeast and dark spices. Fully integrated palate, subtle citrus and oxidized apple peel driven palate impression, bright acidity, medium abundant fine mousse, earthy mineral and a medium to long Fino and Amaretti driven finish.
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2008 disgorgement. This bottle was extremely dark in color. I would describe it like copper. The wine itself had an apricot and honey flavor which I had not experienced with this wine before. It did pair very well with the food.
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Blind tasting. Brief note. Deep golden yellow in the glass. Nicely oxidized nuttiness that doesn't poke out like a sore thumb, red apple skin, yes, rich lees, and fine powdery chalk. Finish is a bit autolytic and nutty while still maintaining and very focused freshness with lemon and apple coming through. Upon revealing I was shocked that this didn't show the same way my first experience earlier in the week showed, however, with a fair amount of time the next glass came around to show what my previous note details. I could nose this all day long. Seems to be slight bottle variation so would suggest leaving this open for a long while before drinking to let it air out. It really needs it. Huge thanks to Bryan for bringing this. It appears lightning can strike twice (and in the same week no less!)
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Probably the best champagne I've ever had, leaps above Krug GC and Taittinger Comtes. PnP'ed - initially you can definitely tell it's got age on it with the color and nutty/oxidativeness on the nose/palate and so much complexity going on and with robust acids to balance. Nose has that oxidative brioche. Palate is very balanced, right in my wheelhouse being not too oxidized/nutty. However - about 2-3 hrs later, this thing went into another gear. Nose just blossomed like a crazy white burg with white flowers, light citrus fruits, minerality. Palate was similar to a white burg too, oxidation went into the background and juicy fruity acidity came to the forefront. A wow wine. 2015 disgorgement date.
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500th note -- thanks esteele90 for the motivation, and MrBry83 for the very generous treat. Dark golden color. Nose nutty, hint of honey. Palate nutty, oxidative, but golden florals/honey flavor, great acidity with a green apple note, nice silky texture. Deep, intense, unique, amazing stuffing here. In a word, wonderful. 96 pts, WOTD for me
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Citrus and salinity on the nose, with some brioche notes peeking through. On the palate, long and complex, with honey, brioche, cheesecake among other things. March 2016 disgorgement. Eye-opening and brilliant.
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Boneyard Fried Chicken and Bubbles with the Boys (Sherman Oaks): At dinner. Brief note. 2015 disgorgement. 1986 base. This is on another level of champagne and the house style is so unique it cannot be compared to other champagnes. Nose and palate show fine herbs, muddled dill, peeled button mushrooms, alpine air, fern trees, an oxidative kaleidoscope that's a little nutty and a little autolytic. Then all of a sudden your transported to a flower bed full of geraniums, rosy florals, and honeysuckle. Crunchy red apple skins start to poke through with some almond meal, mountains of salinity and crushed oyster shells. The freshness of this wine cannot be stated enough. It is mind boggling how this maintains two spectrums of freshness and oxidation in such good balance. This was the single most revelatory bottle of champagne I've ever had. Huge thanks to EG for bringing it!
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This was my first Selosse, but I hope it won't be my last. Spectacular, transcendent stuff. Completely vibrant and youthful, but the flavors had that wonderful oxidized thing happening of a very old champagne. Such an interesting contrast. Absolutely loved this. Too bad it's such a unicorn wine and hard to come by.
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A May 2017 disgorgement. The solera for this features wines from 1986 to 2008 inclusive, with 8% of the blend being 2008. It is complex, showing some green apple, crème patissiere, lemon, Turkish delight and salt. It is all Avize Chardonnay and has such authority whilst preserving elements of beauty.
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Degorgement August 2013. Good drinking Substance, concentration, fruitiness, minerality, oxidative tones. However this is not singing as some examples of Substance do. A lesser example or a bad phase?
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SLDS January BBQ: Dec 2015 disgorgement. Lemon, orange, sea spray, mineral and white floral notes. Really twangy palate, with excellent acidity kicking through. Great texture and freshness, with layered complexity already. Excellent wine.
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Wahnsinn pur. So gigantisch frisch. Viele monieren, dass ältere Selosse Degorgements oxidieren würden. Ich habe bestimmt schon über 50 Selosse Weine genießen dürfen und abgesehen von 1!! Flasche kann ich dieses Problem nicht bestätigen. Im Gegenteil sie gewinnen an Frische, Länge und Komplexizität. Orangenschalen, Yuzu, reife Grapefruit, dazu etwas Melone, Tabak, Vanille und orientalische Gewürze. Dabei immer präzise und erfrischend. Rytis Jurkenas nennt ihn Papa. Das zu Recht. Für mich bleibt Anselme das Maß aller Dinge beim Champagner. Je oller desto doller. 98+
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Birthday Dinner for a Vintage 1970 Friend (San Francisco): Disgorged October, 2014. Deep yellow, transient mousse. Caramel and nuts. Full, sappy, dry, tart, sherried, and herbal. Much too extreme in the oxidative vein for me to enjoy.
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Disgorged 12 December 2004 Fantastic mousse, acidity with layer after layer of mature apples and concentrated citrus. Evolves into a deep autumny mushroom forest on the nose. Feels very fresh and could easily stay five years in the cellar. I do believe Selosse's wines should be drank with ≈10 or more years cellaring.
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December 2008 disgorgement. Another bottle of this disgorgement, similar notes as before, but this was even darker (like an amontillado), touch more oxidative with complex, savory notes. Really elegant and thoughtful wine.
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Deg. May 2014 Golden On the nose, Horseradish, oxidation, nougat, marzipan, white flowers and a hint of sherry On the palate, Much fruit, apple, sherry, marzipan Long finish
Same as prevoius, a brilliant champagne but you have to like the oxidized tones.
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2009 disgorgement. Amazing how this combines oxidiative character with freshness. Really shouldn't be possible. Quite different to the much younger bottle that's the only other time I've had this. So many layers..
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Best Substance I've had until now (drunk around 20 occasions). Rich, creamy, very slightly oxidised, aromas of butter, brioche, cashew nuts, orange peel. Incredibly long and complex. Reminds me of a top Batard-Montrachet, with refined and light bubbles in it. A vibrant and gorgeous "vin de Champagne".
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Q3 - 2017 Tasting - Champagne & Caviar - OH MY!! (New York, NY): Wine 12/17 tasted blind - (disgorged Jan-2014) must admit I tried this wine twice and got distracted in conversation both times and failed to take notes. I have an indication that I enjoyed it, but not much else. This is a shame as this was one of the ones I brought and I was really excited to try it. Group voted 2 pennies.
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Champagne & Caviar: a lesson in decadence (The Apt): Wine #12: The issue with this tasting is there just weren't enough pennies. I had in my notes that this was a pretty good champagne. Lots of nuttiness and toastiness to it. Also some hints of spice which I found I really liked. Good wine. (2 pennies)
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Disgorged in 2006 this was fabulous. The nose had some struck match, grilled nuts, and white mushroom. The palate was intense and deep yet possessed real finesse. The finish was so chalky and long.
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Degorgement 2015. Wow. This is very special. Dark yellow colour. Taste fresh and at the same time oxidative tones. Taste so terrifically balanced, sweet, acidity, nuttiness, complex. Montrachet kind of wine. Drinks so well. Gorgeously fine.
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December 2008 disgorgement. This is superlative. Wonderfully rich, nutty, and balanced. A golden color with moderate bubbles. A vinous, textured wine with pleasing bitter walnut notes after about 40 min in the glass. I would say at its apogee at this point.
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Deg. 12/09/2013. Decanted 20-30 minutes before consumption. From perhaps 60-75 minutes it came around. The colour alone is 95p, so appealing. Love it. Much fresher and less oxidative than I have tended to find in his wines - both on the nose and palate. Incredible depth still and as always when paired with seafood (in this instance a creamy crayfish & prawns salad) it is just singing. Yet, think I will wait with a couple of years before I visit this disgorgement again. 93-94.
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Absolutely delicious. Rich and creamy, masculine style champagne with finesse. Toasted nuts and other light oxidative notes while maintaining an uncanny freshness. I am always impressed with the complexity in Selosse champagne, and this bottle was no different. Disgorged 10/2014.
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Masters of Syrah (Sixteen Restaurant, Chicago): Just way to oxidative for my tastes. I had a hard time getting past the nutty and sherry notes. Others enjoyed this a lot more than me, so probably just a stylistic issue for me.
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Masters of Syrah (Chicago, IL): I missed noting down the disgorgement date, but I believe this was a 2015 disgorgement. This is an incredibly dense champagne, with heaps of oxidation and bruised apples. Very concentrated and dense on the palate, with a lot of the same rich oxidative flavours. This tastes like a concentrated version of Krug Grande Cuvee: this is not a fresh champagne, and it's one more for a main course than an apertif, not that I'll complain.
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Comprehensive Jacques Selosse dinner (Source by Wolfgang Puck, Washington D.C.): The best and the freshest example of Substance of my life. Mature and complex yet energetic nose displaying dry peach, lemon curd, apple tart, marzipan and sweet spices. Energetic and harmonious palate, very fine mousse, sweet yellow fruit driven palate impression, perfect amount of acidity and mineral and a long yellow fruit and sweet spices driven finish. The Polished and detailed palate reminds me a mature Chevalier Montrachet. The first bottle of Substance that I have not noticed the sherry note. Beautiful showing.
Per David White, author of But First, Champagne.
"Dosage: 0-4g/l A solera of Avize Chardonnay created in 1986. Spends about 6 years on lees.”
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Bottle disgorged 10/2012. Another great showing. Typical onion-like color and the oxidative style, with mature white fruit and remarkable red berries flavor on finish. Elegant and explosive with a savory mousse that leaves a mouth coating feeling of minerality and red fruit flavor. Superb.
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Deg. ??/10/12 Best Substance I ever had. Delicate oxidative notes are present, but they really add to the complexity and mystique of this fantastic and utterly complete wine. Awesome! 96-97/100
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Delicious. Strong apple and citrus notes. Some minor oxidative tones but flavor is all tart green apples. Paired well with rich food. Disgorged July 29, 2013.
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Game dinner with friends Champagne and Northern Rhône: Great to taste this again. Good freshness, focused, minerals, slightly oxidized impressions. A mouth full of good wine with good acidity. Very rich and full bodied Even some red fruits, nuts and a good length. 95+
Wonderful champagne with great complexity, a lot of oxidized notes and ripe apples but with a wonderful acidity that backs it up. Best champagne I had this year.
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Disgorged april 2015. Amazing Champagne. Very oxydative nose after opening, that turned beautifully to more floral notes after an hour in the glass. I'm not used to decant sparkling wines, but in this case I strongly recommend to do it. The density of this wine is fantastic, and the length incredible
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Served in a spectacular horizontal tasting of different Selosse Champagnes. Unfortunately I didn't write down the disgorgement date. Beautiful notes of brioche, roasted nuts, raisins, oak, some oxidative notes and dried fruits, as well as some smoke. It's full-bodied and dense, but with impeccable balance, has medium-high acidity and an excellent length. Touch of bitterness is adding complexity. Another total showstopper... (96+)
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Oct 3 2011 disgorgment. Lost my formal notes, so from memory. This was singing on the nose - spicy and zingy. Much fresher than I expected with some peach and apple fruits as well, yeast and oxidized notes. More ox and cidery notes on the palate, soft mousse, but good energy. This has the extra textural element creamy/powdery on the nose and palate that really distinguishes Selosse from everyone else. Always a joy to try when someone else is buying, but for the money I go for the Initial, or would splurge on my favorite Lieu-dits. 17/20.
Sboccatura gennaio 2014. Champagne unico, completo e emozionante. Il calore del miele, la resina e il legno gestiti a meraviglia. Caldo, ma vibrante, lunghissimo, accomodante e scorrevole. Lieve suggestione ossidativa e timbro stilistico di un produttore fuori dal comune. Credo possa durare ancora tanti anni, ma è già maturo e godibile a due anni dalla sboccatura. Capolavoro
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Drank two bottle of Substance yesterday. Disgorged in April 07 and March 08. Both were terrific, but I had a strong preference for the 3/08 disgorged bottle, which seemed to have higher acidity and presented more focused. Fun bottles - looking forward to more. As a side note, I preferred them both to a recent vintage 96 Selosse.
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Deg 09/05/2006. The deg date is essential to Selosse and show the evolution of the wine and the best moment to drink. I like older champs and to me this is so good. Oxidative and secundary flavours, with honey, toast bread, spicy. Very good with Japanese food. Drink now.
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My first Substance, iirc, and oh dear, I hope it's not my last. The energy here, the freshness, it's palpable. Such finely misted aromas of orchard and citrus mixed with some wild, savory, almost meaty aspects as this warms in the glass. If stranded on a desert island, this would be in the top 3 wishes - even though I've had 'better', there's something about this, its honest, lovely personality that makes it more of a friend than a wine. recommended
Served non-blind; tasted over 3 hours. All sips were the best, if for different reasons.
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Jacques Selosse Substance NV. 08 Degorgement - it's poisonous the perfum of this wine, something that surfs between ripe white fruits, yeast, beeswax, orange peel. A full, oxidized palate but with amazing acidity that lifts up the palate with great freshness
Disgorged September, 2013. Full yellow, quite lively. This started very much like the 2002 Pol Roger Winston but finished with more exotic notes, herbs, and a rush of acidity. Fresher and more exciting than some previous experiences with Substance. Outstanding, but tonight I preferred the classicism of the Cuvée Winston.
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Dinner at Ruxbin (Chicago, IL): Disgorged October 29, 2014. What can I say, Selosse is Selosse. This has always been one of my champagne benchmarks for the style. Immensely powerful and broad, this has almost sold its racy chardonnay soul for some serious pinot noir power. The nose has all the hallmarks of a heavily oxidative-style champagne; brioche, nuts, and baked apples. The palate does carry the chardonnay acidity, but at the same time, all the weight of this old solera. It's not a crisp champagne to have with seafood -- this is the sort of white wine you serve with red meat.
Epic Champagne dinner (Taberna, Bukit Merah): Superb. We had three bottles of Sunstance, and three VOs on the night, each with different disgorgment dates, and hence different characters. I am just putting down my notes of my favourite bottle each (of the Substance and the VO). This had a good bit of bottle age on it, and was just lovely - besting the 1996 Selosse vintage for me. The nose was characteristically Selosse in its expressiveness, with sweet notes of apples and slightly oxidative pears, along with wafts of exotic wood spice, shisho leaf and liquered yellow fruit. A deep, rich, impressive bouquet. It was the shape of the wine that first hit me on the palate, full, rich and juicy, with tons of energy and power showing in its flavours of white fruit, dried lychees, and oxidative white meat and salty, sherryish hints, all this again seasoned with woody cardammon and other exotic spices. There was a lovely richness on the finish too, with notes caramel, toffee leading into a soft, round, but extremely long and powerful backpalate, just before more woody hints showed up in a surprising bittersweet kiss right at the end. Very nice indeed. Drinking nicely, with tons of character on it. Bravo.
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Disgorged in April 2015. Golden yellow robe, aromas of nuts, honey, brioche and butter, creamy texture, long and balanced. Very refined bubbles, complex on the palate, long and vibrant. This is absolutely gorgeous and should obviously age pretty. The distinctive Selosse oxydative hint is much more discreet on this particular bottle. Maybe because of its relative youth?..
Creamy full and rich. It has a truffled honey sweetness and plenty of yeasty bready things going on. There's a pleasant whiff of fennel. The finish is loaded with dry extract and it shows great persistence.
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French and Italian wine gathering (The Grill Room at Rosewood DC): One of the freshest examples, recently disgorged. Quite unique meaty nose, ham, fresh peeled apple that has oxidized slightly, lemon curd, dry almond palate, a hint of chlorine white chocolate and anise. Fully integrated palate, nicely layered, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and very long finish. Very good showing but still not sure if I like this a lot more than Initial.
Dinner at Ming San's (Ming San's): Disgorged 29 April 2009. Not the strongest Selosse Substance I have had (possibly because it was the "youngest"), but this was a superlative Champagne nonetheless. The nose was typical in-your-face Selosse, with lovely blasts of honeyed pears and caramel apples alongside oxidative touches of browned fruits and earthy aromas. You either like the style or you don't, and I really did. Same thing on the palate - it had power, intensity and plenty of youthful vibrancy in the mouth, with a creamy mousse and lovely acidity running through deep, pure, powerful flavours of browned pears, lemon citrus and a long, earthy, minerally finish. A wine of real strength and character, and a great way to end the evening.
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Good lord this is so good. Intense, powerful, yet seamlessly integrated in its flavors and mouthfeel. Brooklynguy nailed it with his analysis: so much going on that it's impossible to pick out individual elements when the wine is so naturally harmonious. This is gorgeous stuff!
Wonderful wine. Took the better part of an hour to show at its best (this was disgorged in February 2014) but when it did, it really sings. Intensity and focus, detailed nose and flavors that show exotic and gingery and lemon cream and all sort of other things that i cannot name because they are seamless and show so harmoniously that picking them out individually is an act of will and not something that presents itself naturally. Intense and memorable, best in class.
13 disgorged, another excellent showing, recent disgorgements seem to be slightly fresher, still oxidative but not overly so. Can never have enough of this.
Has some Sherry like nuttiness and iodine notes. It is explosive in the mouth with loads of intense lemon, citrus peel and chalk. It breathes in the glass and shows some delicious spicy traits. Length is superb. Disgorged 1/10/15.
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Degorgerad 12 okt 2006. Som vanligt en helt strålande champagne. I doften nymalet kaffe, citronskal, honung, rostad mandel, torkade aprikoser och dessa underbara oxiderade sherrytoner. En otroligt djup och komplex champagne som man bara kan älska.
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October 2011 disgorgement. Oxidative notes, ripe pear, faint apple and subtle notes of fresh ginger. Wood notes with some air time. Significant but smooth acid, particularly on the finish, complemented by pecan and walnut flavors. This bottle could have benefited from another few years. 94+
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2nd of Feb 2011 disgorgement. Easily the best one we have crossed paths with. Starts with a lovely rich, light sherry nose, oxidative. Ripe apple. On the palate it bursts with energy and has that explosive palate feel that we only come across in Selosse. Complex, elegant and very long. A very special champagne and a worthy 96.
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Syrah dinner at Formento's (Chicago, IL): Disgorged September 12, 2013. Well, what's there to add? Selosse is Selosse. Mushroomy, oxidative, and super rich. Peaches, baked apples, bread, the whole gamut. Powerful with a palate-numbing concentration; this is definitely not as fresh as the Initial, but shows a more mature side of things, although there's an incredibly amount of acidity here. This'll keep dentists occupied for years.
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Superlative. Incredibly deep, resonant and vibrant. Suited wide range of food like uni and crevettes beautifully. Nose took about 40 min to open and don't serve this on ice after you start pouring, needs a little warmth. July 2013 disgorgement.
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Disgorged 23.11.2011. Amazingly complex both on the nose and the palate. Toast, suryp, vanilla, flowers, grilled lemons. Long, great acidity, great balance. Still quite young.
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Exotic nose of dried apricot, anise, almond skin, and caramel. Warm, rich, and oxidative, with a full body and great acidity. Selosse has the most wonderful, unique style and of his offerings this seems the most pure expression. Drink for 5+ years. (Disgorged 29 October 2014)
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Barolo gathering at Aggio (Aggio restaurant, Baltimore): IMO, the style of Jacques Selosse is quite unique and this has to be the most unique one in their regular line-up, ie no experiences with lieux dits. Very complex mature nose displaying sweet yellow fruits, anise, toffee, white chocolate that becomes stronger with air and mineral. Very harmonious palate, white chocolate driven palate impression, nicely layered complex fruit, just right amount of acidity and mineral, and long resonating finish that ends with a hint of sherry note. I like this a lot more than the bottle drank in 2012 as it is fresher. Really nice showing.
Absolutely outlandish stuff. This is quite far from what to expect from a Champagne. Deg. 2009.
Deep golden, almost with hints of amber. Viscous with distinct legs and with a bit of cloudyness.
Nose is all over the place with lots and lots of ripe, browned apples, baking spices, curry, butter, tropical fruit, a bit of funk, nuts and gravel. Complex and multi layered. Brilliant!
Quite round on the palate but with fresh acidity. A fat texture, full bodied, high intensity and a long, long finish. Not a lot of mousse. Given a few minutes this would easily have been mistaken for a full bodied white wine.
Very interesting, very good and a big treat to try. Wouldn't recommend it for lovers of Champagne, but if you're looking for something out of the box this is a sure bet.
Deg. 22/10/10: possibly, I was too much looking forward to this bottle, and possibly I should have chosen to pair with something richer and meaty than fresh lobster & aioli. That said, we did also pair with foie gras as starter - when I guess it was showing better but still not great as I have hoped (and experienced before). My preference is to give the Substance more room to breath than the bottle only. This time I kept 1/2 in bottle and 1/2 in decanter. Still, irrespective of vessel, I felt the sherry notes overwhelmed the palate. It did however improve slightly when the bubbles were less. I have not waited this long from disgorgement, and should now probably revisit my 2013 disg. within short. 90-91p.
42 Grams (42 Grams): My first Selosse. Felt the wine was well balanced with good concentration. The chard def showed. All in I wouldn't seek this out. RDK
I had the same feeling about this bottle as the last although it was disgorged in 2007. It tasted like a good, but not great Batard Montrachet with some effervescence and pineapple on the palate. The color was more sherry than the last, but there wasn't a huge amount of oxidation. Overall, quite nice.
Sour calvados apple notes with a touch of flor-yeast, oxidative but round and walnutty; Very vibrant in the mouth with a rounder and denser mouthfeel than V.O. without the aggressive acidity. Excellent bubbles lasting a long time, very intense, really cool wine. Enjoyed this, reminded me slightly of Bollinger RD with the complexity, density, vinous/oxidative quality, but obviously very different wines.
BdB from 2 Avize GG sites, Solera started in 1986 ("erasing the effects of vintage and focussing on character"). This bottling: wines from 1986 to 2003, bottled in 2004, disgorged in 2014. Stainless steel and foudre both used in the solera.
7/2012 disgorgement. Nutty and bready and mineral on the nose, which is beautiful, but I found the palate a little too oxidatively nutty for my taste, not showing much fruit, not especially rich despite the oxidative character, and not especially powerful. Quite good, and certainly very interesting, but as David says, it fails the "Krug test" (which may just reflect my preferences), and that's a problem at these prices.
Slightly transparent yellow. Apparently disgorged October 2010. White Burgundy with tiny bubbles properly served in big-bowl glasses. Aromas of bright fruit with toasty French oak, oxidative notes and subtle minerality. Rich, luscious, deep, complex and should last for quite a few more years. If she is not the belle of the ball, she most certainly is one of the most sought after gals for the prom!!!
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Oro antico. Il naso, dal profilo godibilmente ossidativo, declama cedro candito, albicocca matura, anche secca, liquirizia, anice, iodio, zafferano e sensazioni decisamente salmastre. Bocca affascinante, con lunga persistenza che richiama il bergamotto. Non eccelsa la freschezza. Degorgement del luglio 2009
Dinner at Batard: A bottle disgorged in July 2002. Poured blind. Vanilla, raspberry and custard on the nose with hints of caramel and citrus on the back-end. There is a great richness in the nose, but it still shows signs of youthfulness with some oxidative qualities. I had a feeling this was a Blanc de Blancs from a high quality producer, but thought from the richness this was a top-notch Mesnil producer. After finding out this was Selosse Substance, I assumed this was from one of the more recent disgorgements and was seriously surprised this was from 2002 and even more surprised when I found out this was one of the bottles stuck in the WineCare / Hurricane Sandy fiasco, so at least one positive data point.
HDH Auction - disgorged Dec 08. Golden color is quite striking. These wines walk such a tightrope somewhere between oxidized, acidic and fruit. Great stuff.
HDH auction tasting at Tru (Chicago, IL): Disgorged December 4, 2008. Dark colour -- almost the same as the rose. A heavily stylized wine, you really have to be into the style to enjoy this one. So much mushroom and earth on the nose, it's practically an old Burgundian funk. Power beyond power on the palate. This has insane density -- stone fruit and chalk shows very prominently. Another enamel-stripping wine; I'm going to have to visit the dentist after this.
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Smelled oxidized, in a Selosse-y type of way. The color was a dark golden...just beautiful. The palate was so acidic and energized with great orchard fruit, Just dizzingly deep and complex with layers of fruit, earth, and floral notes. Hard to find fault.
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Helt underbar champagne!!! Nymalet kaffe, honung, mandel och denna underbara oxiderade Selosse karaktären som om man hällt i några droppar riktigt bra torr sherry. Låter konstigt men när det gäller Selosse så ger det bara en extra dimension och komplexitet som gör att jag verkligen älskar denna champagne. Slarvigt nog glömde jag notera när den vara degorgerad.
A fantastic nose! Fine ripe fruit, lovely oxidized, tale tell Selosse, with apples, minerals, oak barriques and some coffee. Palate is super complex & very elegant, dry, with coffee and fudge, apples, exotic fruits, deep, with nice balance and acidity to stich everything together. Incredible length on the finish. An overall amazing Champagne from Selosse, completely wonderful stuff. (95 – 97)
Disgorged September 2013 and clearly a younger bottle than the last one that I sampled. Did not display the same depth of flavors veering much more towards the honey and floral than the nutty and oxidative. Edgy and energetic but with an overall refinement, this paired well with hackleback caviar and creme fraiche.
Did not wow me like my first taste. The bottle was lacking the energy and verve of previous experiences. Very delicious and unique but not worth the price for me.
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(Deg Juli 2012). Riktigt, riktigt kraftig champagne med äppelsmak, päron och sherrytoner. Väldigt väldigt gott, skulle passa väldigt bra med mat. Finns bra syra och mycket liv kvar i champagnen. Mycket bra redan nu.
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Almost like drinking Montrchet with bubbles. It has a long finish that lasted for a really long time. This wine was bought from the Weyland collection auction and was disgorged in 2004.
2008 disgorgement. A much more oxidative style of Champagne than what I'm familiar with; rather deep in colour with a strong fino-like aroma showing vivid nutty, creamy, toasted and doughy elements around rich lemony fruit. There's great intensity and power on the palate, bright acids and effervescence keeping it very fresh, and it finishes quite long. Very impressive, though not quite my style of Champagne.
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Thinking man's wine. Oxidative and has a Sherry Fino character. This wine transforms and evolves in the glass like crazy. Super minerality. Suggest pouring a glass and letting it be for an hour or so.
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Wow! Initially, this wine seemed to be just apple cider, but as it opened up, it just kept revealing layer after layer. This is what great wine do - they evolve in the glass and keep revealing their secrets. Great minerality. Tropical aroma and flavors, a touch oxidative, some oak. Excellent. Suggest a 1-2 hour decant prior to serving.
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Joel's Birthday Party (The Palace, Mission, SF): Disgorged 2/14. Nose of apple, pear, great fruit, some rich toasty brioche; palate is full bodied, fabulous acidity, yeasty, apple; long finish. Just superb with fabulous complexity and great fruit, slight oxidation per their usual style. Much more unique in style than the 96 Dom (and thus more polaraizing). 93-94
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Nose of pecan, spices, oxidative elements, dried apricot, light sage, sweet hay smoke, and sweet lemon in the background. The nose bursts out of the glass. This wine is very rich in the mouth with a strong back palate grip. A bright front palate (with even a light ginger beer bent at times) with mid palate spice and nut. This was the right bottle at the right time. Paired with caviar and eggplant dip on toasts.
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Produced in Solera System. Explosive notes of nuts, oak, raisins, dried fruit and some slightly oxidative note (probably from the Solera). It’s full-bodied and rich, with medium+ acidity adding freshness and great length. Finishes with a touch of bitterness. A very unique style of Champagne and one of the top Champagnes of the weekend. It’s probably not for everyone but I really liked it a lot.
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Holiday dinner with Washington DC Winos (Ripple Restaurant in Washington D.C.): A style of Champagne that takes some getting used to, given its oxidative aspects. This is made up of multiple vintages reaching back to the mid 1980s. Some critics, like Tom Stevenson, in an article he had published in the World of Fine Wine last year, would prefer a little less oak and a little less oxidation (http://www.worldoffinewine.com/news/champagne-selosse-the-house-that-jacques-built-4205321). But there is no denying the expressions of fruit and depth of flavors one encounters in this wine, and with most Selosse wines in general. Once you get past the initial note of hazelnut on the nose, the palate exudes quince, mango and other tropical fruit aspects in a vibrant fashion. Full bodied and a long finish, with high flavor intensity. Certainly very different from the Dom Perignon style, for example, but vive la difference and thanks to Amy Ray for sharing this bottle with us.
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The complexity and balance combined with the strength and unique qualities makes this is my favorite Selosse.
Having tasted most bottlings but the single vintages, that is saying a lot.
Perhaps it was the additional aging, disgorged Sept 24, 2003. Something about this bottle distinguished itself as starting at 11 and just going higher as it developed/opened across the hours of the evening.
Wow
For my tastes, Substance benefits from additional aging. Over time the Initial, Rose and others do not seem to gain as much.
I would drink those sooner before the youthful expression falls off. In my limited experience, Substance develops the desired mature Champagne characteristics. This 2003 in 2014 was truly exceptional.
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Dried lemons and a salty sherry nuttiness are the primary notes. An undertone of lime with a light smokiness. Delicately truffled.
This champagne is very atypical. There isn't any creaminess or lactic notes. It shares a lot in common with Chardonnays from the Jura, with agrumes being the primary note. Extremely good, marked by it's freshness coupled with profoundly rich characteristics.
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Selosse by Roberto Petronio (Vila Viniteca - Madrid): Mixed, Sherry solera system-like, old champagnes and new ones all together. Since 1986 until these days. If you like blended, why not...without oxidation signs, neither any grace I have to say. Beheaded January 14
Mezcla al estilo de soleras, mezcla de vinos antiguos y nuevos. Del 86 hasta hoy. Si te gustan los blend.... Pero sin oxidación ni gracia. Degollada enero 14.
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Tiny perfect bubbles. Slightly darker color than the other three wines in this flight.
Much fruity aromas. Yellow apples.
Very nice mouthfeel. Large round taste that fills the mouth. Maybe some over ripe apples in the aftertaste. Long!
50 + 5 + 13 + 16 + 9 = 93p.
Other wines in this flight, all tasted blind: 1996 Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin La Grand Dame (90p) 1997 Bollinger La Grande Annèe (91p) 2002 Dom Perignon (90p)
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This is Montrachet with (fine) bubbles. Needs a lot of time to open up in the glass but well worth the wait. Rich and alluring smokiness on the nose. Fine minerality that just keeps on. Citrus and cream. Broad and long. Fine acidity that doesn't steal the show but highlights all the great flavors that dance on your buds.
Disgorged Sept 13.
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Tasted blind against Dom Perignon 2002, Veuve Cliquot Grande Dame 1996 and Bollinger Grand Annee 1997. Unknown degorgement date, but seem to remember it was around 2010. Darkest color of the lot. Nose is full of toast, toffee and lots of ripe fallen apples. Fresh and expressive on the nose. Palate gives me lots of bubbles on the tip of the tongue paired with a good acidity. This wine is by far the most complex of the lot on the palate, but also has notes of bitter almonds which skewes the balance away from perfection for me. But all in all this is the most intriguing champagne I have ever tasted, and a charm. Loved it!
8 Sep 2004 disgorgement date. Dark gold in colour, shows its age. 10yrs since disgorgement this is now more of a fine rich burgundy than a champagne, the bubbles are light and delicate the palate rich and round. Depth and mature fruit expression. Healthy though and alive but lacks the explosive character of Selosse's wines when they are younger. Some stargazing here for sure plays on our rating but we did love it. 93 and drink this disgorgement date NOW.
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degorg. dec 2008, cod with mustard sauce, nice, crispy acidity without any sharpness, many-faceted, , wood, vanilla, brioche, dried figs and dates, toast, long finish, complex, honey, Krug-style, there is still potential, but for me at the peak, fits perfect to food, creamy, toffees
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Dark golden yellow, clear. Medium bubbles, small. Fallen fruits, honey and reductive notes (12). Nice balance between acidity and sweetness. The bubbles fills the mouth and decreases nicely with fading of tannins. Bites perfectly. Round and nice. A little oak. Fine minerality. Breadbaking and dough in the background. The wine is made with the so-called Solera method. Where, in this wine,14 vintages are mixed in the same barrel. Wine is constantly taken out of the content, so that the oldest vintages disappears from the barrel with time. This was bottled in 2009, with vintages from 1986 and newer. Strikes me as mature and balanced. A bottle that I have to try again one day.
Much said, much unsaid ... Scoring with balls from a noob:
55-5-12-13-7 (92)
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Stunning aromatics of almond oil, minerals, brioche and a fino-like nuttiness. Broad, rich and deep but superbly balanced. Mellow finish that doesn't quite get to the same level of intensity of the aromatics and palate. Regardless, this is really amazing stuff. Notably fresher than previous bottles of Substance. Disgorge 10/14/09.
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Wow! This is something special. There are some (beautiful) oxidized impressions and I recently learned that this is because of the type and toast of the oak. (Thanks Dave!), beautiful minerality, crisp citrus, very taste and a great length. Beautiful and complex Champagne.
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Game and wine ('t Jachthuis, Eksel): Deg. 151012 Liquid gold in colour, broad and seductive nose of smoke, truffles, peat, guave, orange rind, hint of oxidation. Very soft and focussed in the mouth, tiny pearls, hardly noticeable on the pallet. A very delectable bubble.
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Disgorged December 4 2008. Tremendous wine, yet again. It's just beginning to show some mature notes, but the intensity and focus on the palate are second to none. The finish carries on-and-on, with a fantastic saltiness at the end.
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Pre-Paulee Birthday Dinner (Jardiniere - San Francisco CA): This is an extreme styled Champagne. Very large and monolithic to me, coming across as slightly underripe. There is something very exciting and energetic about this wine, but it's just not a style intended for me.
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Both super-rich and fresh at the same time. Tremendously complex and layered. In a blind tasting, most found this hard to believe this is a Blanc de Blancs, though that must be due to the wealth of vintages blended here. Really excellent stuff.
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Very attractive nose with elegant lemon & mandarin oranges, brioche and hazelnuts. Medium bodied with plenty of acidity though the wine had a good balance. This bottle was disgorged 3 years ago but is still too young to drink. The palate was quite tight and quite restraint. Despite this, the palate comes across quite elegantly with citrus, bread, hazelnuts, pineapple and caramel notes. Long length. Very nice. Our 1st experience of Selosse and looking forward to trying one with more bottle age.
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10/3/2011 disg. deep golden yellow and vibrant in the glass with a fine bead. initially very tight - showed primarily oxidative notes and was almost sour on the palate. with a couple of hours this was singing. nose of freshly roasted coffee, beeswax, hazelnuts, and sliced pear. the palate shows laser-like tension with gripping acidity framing the citrus and stone fruit driven palate which finishes nicely with a bitter orange and roasted nut quality. one of the more contemplative champagnes i've had the pleasure to taste and a lovely way to welcome 2014. cheers.
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Degorgee Oct-2011. This bottle is simply too young to drink right now. Typical yet beautiful bouquet but shows limited stuffs on the palate. It should be cellar for at least one to two years. NR.
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Dinner at Megumi (Megumi, Sentosa Golf Club): Wow - this may not be to everyone's liking, but I thought it was a fantastic Champagne. I have only had the Substance once before, and this bottle had a quite a bit more bottle-age than the last one I tried, having been disgorged way back in 2 November 2005. I am not sure it was any "better" qualitatively than the last bottle, but I did really enjoy the more mature notes here. It had a beautiful nose, with brown pears and ripe apple aromas along with some kumquats and then slightly oxidative stylings of white meat with a light drizzle of soy sauce, and then deep whiffs of earth and toast and mineral. A very complex, shifting bouquet, very masculine at first, but opening up into sweeter notes of honey and flowers in time. Really nice. It had a wonderful palate too. This unfolded across the mouth in a great show of layered depth and intensity, with strong flavours of browned pears and red apples echoing the aromas picked up from the nose, and then a midpalate that added earth and white meat, with a linear spine of super fine bead and fresh acidity kept the wine ever so defined and focused. A super long finish then set-in with honey and kumquats pulling away into the distance. This was a wine that offered both power and effortless grace, so that it came across with style and finesse in spite of its weighty depth and persistent strength. A beautiful Champagne, drinking wonderfully on the night.
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Mörkt, mäktigt vin med mogna äpplen, hallon, jäst, söt limpa, parfym, choklad, kryddor och lakrits. Tydligare ek och mindre oxiderade toner än vad jag minns från förra flaskan. Kanonvin! Deg 2010-12
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My first taste of Selosse. Wow, what a deep and thrilling Champagne. Massive nose. Rich and coating on the palate. Butter, pear, apples and peach. So much going on. Fantastic - Yam T'cha, Paris.
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dégorgée à 20 Novembre 2007 - This was another beautiful bottle, showing a lovely, aged nose thanks to the solera system of blending back to 1986. So much honey, caramelized sugar, Chinese licorice, sugar cane and desiccated coconut in the nose. Very complex.
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April 2013 disgorgement. Oxidative nose with brioche, apple, and citrus. Full-bodied mid-palate. Highly acidic, almost astringent finish that mellows with air and is true to Avize barrel samples. Truly a great wine, but will benefit from 2+ yrs of cellar time.
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Piedmont and Champagne (Østerbro): Super intense nose filled with oxidized hazelnuts and coffee. Lovely oxidization of the palate also with an explosive array of coffee flavors. There is also a lot of Fino Sherry flavors with some oak influence. A stunning wine that is just adorable!! Extreme stuff..
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Fine wine BYO (Stockholm): Appearance: gold with amber hue Nose: winter apples, nuts, oranges, oxidation notes, clearly developed, some perfume. Palate: yellow winter apples, spice, quite good acidity, long aftertaste. Summary: wonderful development, but more slender than the previous wine, 92 p. Disgorged 2007. Tasted alongside Substance Oct 2008, they were initially similar, but this one diverged as it sat in the glass. It showed less oak in the nose and was more slender on the palate.
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Fine wine BYO (Stockholm): Appearance: dark gold with amber hue, darkest among the four white Champagnes Nose: red apples, old winter apples, oranges, some oak, deep fruit notes with spice, slightly oxidised notes, some perfume. Palate: good concentration, apple, grapefruit, spice, some nuts, strong mineral notes, high acidity, fresh and long aftertaste with some green apple. Summary: wonderfully developed, 94 p. Disgorged 29 October 2008. Slightly darker and more powerful than Substance disgorged 2007 when tasted alongside.
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Dream tasting (@ Merlet): Second time this year I can taste this wine and what a great pleasure again! A really beautiful and complex bouquet. Expressive with good minerals and pleasant reductive impressions. On the palate the same impressions with some nuts, beautiful minerals and acidity. Dry, but not completely bone dry and that is what adds to loving this beautiful and slightly drying in the finish Champaign.
Dreamtasting #5 (Restaurant Merlet, Schoorl): Disgorged 2011. Minimal mousse, clearly some oxidation-notes, but I expected that. When you like apple skin, hazelnuts, roasted almonds, brioche and biscuit, pine kernels and a small sigh of that miraculous seabreeze, than this is the deal! And it's very creamy too, like creme brulee, with an extra shot of peach-yoghurt. And coffee. And caramel. I could go on and on. Man, is this an awesome wine. Luckily for me, I might like his Initial even better... :) 18.5-19/20
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Beautiful nose with brioche, melon and white flowers on the nose. On the palate, yeast, mild citrus and a hint of cream. Flavors were layered and the complexity was wonderful.
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2001 disgorgement, second bottle as the first one was corked. Lemon oil and a hint of minerals and oxidation on the nose. A great balance on the palate between tight citrus fruit and minerality. This opened up more after an hour in the glass showing stone fruit but holding on to its acidity.
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Blanc de Blancs smaking (Oslo): Klar, gyllen gul. På nese moden gulfrukt, autolyse, røde epler, nøtter, hint av fersken og et lett sherry preg. Fantastisk frukt! Kompleks, intens og presis med masser av kraft og fylde. Bred, men elegant. Mild sødme. Nydelig balansert. Frisk, presis syre. Finkornet mousse. Svært lang med kompleks kompleks ettersmak av nøtter, voks, epler og mineraler.
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The Champagnes of Jacques Selosse (featuring all 6 Lieux-Dits) by the Rare Wine Co. (NoMad Hotel Penthouse, New York, NY.): Disgorged 2001. From the get-go I got musty notes in this I couldn't get past. The somm showed me another bottle that was corked, and it was nothing like my glass, and way worse. I took it to Peter Liem and he said he liked his glass a great deal, smelled mine and proposed that it might have been the glass itself. Got a fresh glass and also a glass from the other bottle, but by that point in the evening, it was hard to get back on track. To me, the new pour didn't have the mustiness, but was fairly reticent. Some cider and honey and nuts. Not showy - chalk and minerals on the palate with good acid. Nose - 5/6, Palate - 5/6, Finish - 5/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 1/2 = 16/20.
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Deg. 22juillet08 Oxidative apple purée nose with orange peel, lilacs, dusty earth and olive oil richness. Dry palate with rich fruit and energetic acidity. Rounder from mid-palate on with buttery feel and notes of orange peel and vanilla. Lengthy. Took some time to open up properly. Very good with fine intensity and complex aroma profile.
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Deg. 15oct02 Rich as hell on the nose with oxidative apple character, lime zest, nuts, plaster, meat and butter. Dry but rich and round on the palate with rather energetic structure though not much of a moussé. Hazelnuts, oxidative apple and saline touch. Long. Quite aged but still youthful at the same time. Just lovely.
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A truly unique wine...this was so much rounder than any other champagne i have had and it took a little getting used to at first...beautiful golden 'montrachet' like color...wonderful notes of citrus fruits and later some nuttiness like roasted almonds and honey...the oxidization was apparent but not overwhelming.
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Disgorged in 09, light golden color, quite fresh and not as oxidative as I would expect a substance will be. Fresh citrus fruit, green apple, nutty and very yeasty. After 2 hours in glass roasted almonds emerged, coupled with a very long finish. Fantastic now will be better in a few more years.
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Prestige Champagne tasting with Munskänkarna - blanc de blancs and 1995s (Stockholm): Nose with sherry notes – almost fino sherry-type notes – and hazelnuts, dried fruit, ripe apricots, flowery and aromatic with some sort of “scented oil” impression. Quite concentrated on the palate, spice, high acidity, green apple and nuts, long green appel-y aftertaste. Could probably develop some more, 93(+) p.
Disgorged July 2012
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Anselme Selosse (Jacques Selosse) Legendary Dinner (Spruce Restaurant, San Francisco): 2011 disgorgement, Solera style. Medium-golden color; huge acidity, fresh, very young. This did not have as much oxidation as I expected. It is excellently made and very enjoyable, but I think I would probably choose the initiale as my foray into Selosse. 92
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The Champagnes of Jacques Selosse (Roberson Wine, South Ken, London): Disgorged 21Oct2010. 100% Chardonnay, 12.5% Alc, <5g/l dosage. Solera since 1987 Decent colour, glossy honey. Rich on the nose, spice, cinnamon & floral notes intermix with ripe apple. Selosse palate too, that fine mousse that engulfs with light popping candy feel. Powerful and oxidative on the finish and reminded us of a Tondonia Blanco GR finish. Very elegant and with a gigantic finish. 94-95
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Certainly the oxidative side of Selosse, but snapped into form with a half hour of air as they seem to do. Layered and complex aromatics. Lots of minerals and a bit of brown sugar. Dark and warm. On the palate, a bit of that amontillado thing in the background, but didn't detract from the otherwise fresh flavors. Lots of lemony acidity and rich fruit, kind of golden delicious. Disgorged in April 2007, everything was really well integrated and at peak drinking in my opinion.
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G6 (Rick): A very odd wine. Sticking out like a sore thumb in the tasting but not in a good way. Deep golden color. Vanilla oak nose of tropical fruit that is oxidized and sherry like. Orange blossom, melon, cranberry, and lemon fruit on the palate. Rich and full boided. Heavy handed winemaking. Followed over several hours. I'm not seeing why people are so attracted to this wine. Apparently not in my wheelhouse. Interesting to try nonetheless.
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This is the OCtober 5, 2011 disgorgement. The comment that it drinks like white burgundy seems to nail it dead on to me. More like a big massive white burgundy than Champagne. Delicious, very oxidative.
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disgorged November 20, 2007 - how can I not love this wine?! Made only with Chardonnay from the Grand Cru vineyards of Avize, using a solera system which blends every vintage starting from 1986… this is Champagne's equivalent to Tawny Port and Madeira - which I love so much. Trademark nose of caramelized sugar, straw, cotton candy, apricot, marmalade, salty plum (話梅) and honey.
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This bottle vas disgorged 2/7/2012 and opened on 12/25/2012. Golden yellow colour with an amazing amount of fine little bubbles. On the nose there's apricot mixed with dried fruits and mature sweet fruits and a distinct tone of oak. Showing some resemblance with Madeira. The palate is very intensive and ample with a round taste of oak, dried fruits and a crunchiness from the low dosage. The length in the aftertaste is very good and with a nice citrus tone.
It's the first time trying this Champagne and it really offers a different experience. All by itself it's both interesting, provocative and peculiar. But together with matching food it rises to a much higher level! We had it with risotto made of morels and it was a perfect match.
Next time we will have it with fillet of beef, morel sause and wild rice.
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Selosse tasting (AuZone, Stockholm): Golden yellow colour. Nose with mineral, ripe yellow fruit with slightly sweeter and deeper fruit note than V.O., yellow apples, orange, some oxidation and a touch of sherry nots, spice, perfume. Palate with mineral, ripe yellow apples and winter apples, citrus, rather high acidity, noticeably spicy. Aftertaste with powerful grapefruit notes. The nose is definitely gorgeous, but the palate doesn’t quite live up to the level of the nose. Disgorged 24 October 2007.
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Brittannia Group (Hix Mayfair): delicate green, small mousses and bubbles. Delicate floral nose, hint of sherbert lemon. Guessed B de B. Lovely rich palate kept clean by acidity but finish slightly clipped. very good
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Rich gold colour. First impressions on the nose were of honey and roasted nuts. On the palate however, it didn't follow through with the usual richness, intensity and oxidative style that I have previously experienced with Substance. Somehow, the wine came across as still being closed as it was fairly short with a rather "empty" mid-palate too. Perhaps it was the high expectation or maybe just this particular bottle not showing too well.
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Diner anniversaire: Magnifique Champagne, avec une légère oxydation. Léger fumé et notes d'agrumes. Bouche très complexe mais conservant une belle fraicheur. Longue finale. Superbe. Encornet, écume et agrumes
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My First bottle of Substance...very enjoyable....truly like an old burg with bubbles...I really enjoyed this. Deep color with lots of toasty yeast, caramel and toffee. Oxidative but wonderfully full and balanced. Next to the 97 Salon I was tasting it was much more full bodied and was a heavyweight.
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oxidative style; but off the hook good... there is something about these selosse wines that i find very appealing... perhaps its the balance... this wine was disgorged all the way back in 2005.
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An interesting and different experience of Selosse, but not for me. I prefer the freshness of young Champagne to this aged, oxidative style. Caramel and nutty flavors dominate, but this is still a beautifully balanced offering with a persistent finish.
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I have been on a Jacques Selosse kick recently and this was my first tasting of the Substance. This is clearly one of the best Selosee champagnes in the line-up, but for me it was not any better than the last bottle of Initial I had and is certainly not worth the price premium over that wine. It did have a little bit more depth and complexity than the Initial, but it did not have the same level of freshness. This is presumably due to the older wines in the solera. However, it was still an excellent bottle of champagne in the rich Selosse style. I got wonderful flavors of honey, citrus, white bread, peaches, flowers, caramel, and saline minerality. This is very ready to drink right now and I do not believe that it will continue to improve with further aging. For me, I would rather have two bottles of the Initial than one bottle of Substance given their price points. However, this is definetly worth trying at least once as some people will certainly like this better than the Initial given its higher level of maturity and complexity.
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Degad 18 oktober 2006. Mörkt gyllengul, sötma, plonnon blommor, SELOSSE. Den är så typisk så svårt att låta bli att le. Har druckit Substance så många gånger att sitta och räkna upp smaker eller dofter blir bara löjligt. Den här hade svagare mousse än någon jag kan komma ihåg men hade samtidigt en större kropp som tog ordentligt med plats i munnen. Fortfarande bra syra men nu när den tonats ner något så blir vinet på något sätt mer integrerat och komplett.
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Beautiful golden color, quite evolved. Nose of yeast and minerality, citrus and a tad of brioche. Strong body, loads going on and concentrated. Nice champagne and will last for a while.
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En av de mörkare Substance jag sett. Mycket blommor, plommon och choklad. Typisk riktig bra Selosse. Min första 2011 degade och som Initalen verkar Selosse ha lyckats ovanligt bra med de vinerna som degades just detta år. Intressant. Kan inte förställa mig att Initial och Substance legat lika länge på deg så något annat är det
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Baltimorean and one dcwino in NYC – Part 2 French at Corton: Ordered off the list. Oxidative nose, coffee, toffee and anise. Deeply toned but remains fresh. Small bubbles. Apparently 50% was made in solera style. Noticeable oxidative note like a sherry makes this a unique champagne. Some may disagree but this is not unlike a NV champagne from a big house that has been cellared for 20+ years. I, DP lover, find this interesting and enjoyable but not special. YMMV for sure.
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Dégorgement 2005 Quel vin somptueux ! Une opulence exceptionnelle au nez comme en bouche. Des arômes de fleur d'oranger, de pomme coupée, de cire, de miel d'acacia. Une bulle trés lègére et douce. Grande rémanence des arômes. bref, le nirvana.
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This wine always impresses me. A powerful nose of caramel and parmesan. Complex flavor that lasts for ages. Superbly well balanced and incomparable to anything else in the wine world that I've tasted.
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Very intense and perfumed, unusual nose for a Champagne with hyacinths, lillies, yeast, wood, chocolate and some apples. The taste follows the noes in its intensity and style. Although a very solid and excellent Champagne, it is also very special and slightly outside of my preferences.
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Honey colored. Fine, light mousse. Initially served a bit too cool- really opened up as warmed. Ripe, fallen apple oxidative notes. Ripe and full-bodied. A Champagne for grownups.
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Degorged 2002. A beautiful champagne with mushrooms and tropical fruits. Green apples. My experience says that Selosse must have close to 10 years in bottle after degorgement. As beautiful and special as this is it becomes a bit heavy when getting warmer. Its almost like chewing the champagne. A grand champagne nevertheless.
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Opened and aired for an hour before drunk. Paired with sashimi. Outshined a 1997 Salon. Similar notes to what I wrote in late 2009. Disgorged July 2008.
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Okay, let's start by saying this is a champagne that needs decanting. How strange is that? Also, use some white wine glasses to get better aeration, and don't overchill. Okay, enough of learning from my mistakes, onto the wine. Popped and poured, and while there was certainly a great amount of complexity, there was also some sharpness and bitterness at first, to go along with the aged, honeyed apricot and apples. This sharpness eventually faded in the 2nd and 3rd hours, and this just kept developing complexity. Despite the pronounced "honeyed" element, there is no true sweetness here. But there is profound complexity, earthiness (terroir?), and a unique champagne/aged Burgundy experience. It's hard to justify the cost, but it is a very different and thought-provoking experience for those who can splurge.
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taken in to RN 74, corkage waived. finally, i'm face to face with the beast of champagne. followed in a chardonnay glass for four hours. disgorged october, 2009. not unlike a salon, but i didn't think this bottle was as oxidative as i was led to believe it would be. zero mousse. nutmeg and a fine liqueur, anise hint + honey nut cereal. hefty mouthfeel and tremendously long finish. difficult not to be smitten by this very unusual wine. highly recommended.
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Double boiled chicken essence with soy sauce, unami . Extremely aromatic. Broad based mouth filling palate. A bit cognac n fino. Pure drips of delicious savory juicy golden apples. Wholesome and round. Savory honey !
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Brought this for Lylepalooza. Disgorged Dec '08. Color: Dark golden yellow. Aromas of roasted chestnuts, bread and rhubarb. Rich tasting, orange blossom honey, Brioche, sherry qualities, reminiscent of a Vin Jaune. Savory. Would say this was an older wine if I didn't know better. A penetrating wine.
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Super duper. Soy sauce notes in the nose. Chicken essence, some butter and honey and light lemons and limes which are semi-sweet/sour and apples. Weighty and savoury. Excellent balance with the fruit, and acidity.
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Burgundy 2011 Day 2: Dinner at Ma Cuisine (Ma Cuisine, Beaune, Burgundy): Disgorged 23 December 2009 - this was crazy good. It had a beautiful nose that kept developing in the glass - white meat, chicken stock, slightly browning apples, umami tones of mushrooms and soy sauce, rich yellow fruit scents, a kaleidoscope of lovely aromas that kept shifting with time. Towards the last pour, there where accents of honey, some caramel - just lovely stuff. The palate had really fine mousse, incredible balance and a rich, almost Grand Cru Burg weight in its pure red apples and honeyed tones on a deep, savoury background with lots of umami, preserved limes, lemons and figs. There was tremendous depth and complexity here, but the wine carried it ever so effortlessly with a mouth-watering freshness behind its mouth-filling flavours, so that it was always immensely friendly and drinkable all the way into a focused and detailed finish where bits of mineral, spice and a sherry-like savouriness laced the palate. Outstanding, and even more beautiful when paired with grilled scallops. A brilliant Champagne. It may not be to everyone's taste with its slightly oxidative, sherry-like accents, but I absolutely loved it.
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A big, rich champagne with a wonderful yeasty complexity. Tastes like a 15-year old vintage champagne with lovely notes of honey, hazelnuts, lemons and minerals. This is well-made juice.
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Typisk Substance i doften, plommon, blommor, exotiska frukter, lite sherrytoner. Något av en besvikelse i smaken, lätt tunn och smaken hänger inte kvar som den brukar. Låter resten stå till imorgon för att se om något händer.
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Dégorgée le 04 Decembre 2008. Deep golden color. Fresh aromas of bee pollen, pine nuts, honey, bourbon vanilla bean and tangerine. Mouthfilling bouche. Great cut. A chewy, knife-'n-fork champagne, but with real finesse and litheness. A singular champagne: Selosse's solera/fractional blending system adds richness, resinousness and an umami experience unlike anything outside Andalucía. Great wine, but please give this plenty of air before passing judgment.
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Drunk with a Doll- even D stopped a bit and savored, rich and smooth, a bit nutty, a bit dry . i can see the cross between a great sherry and a good white burg. this was a lovely rich and long bottle of bubbles
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Dinner with Charles (Washington, D.C.): Disgorged December, 2008. Full yellow, almost light honey colored. Very tight, exuberant mousse. Fantastic nose-honey, ginger, a touch of brioche, orange. Moderate dosage, very powerful with great drive and persistence in the mouth. Fabulous Champagne. If I owned this particular batch, I would be drinking it over the near term while the fruit is still fresh and before it takes on a more oxidative character, but that's just me.
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Disgorged Dec 08, drinking very well with the trademark oxidative notes yet with some fresh fruit, and got persistence to last 5hrs plus. A bit too strong as an aperitif, would be good for an after dinner champagne.
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Deep golden yellow color. Aromas of sherry, orange peel, green apples and almonds. Very fine, lively mousse. I decanted the wine for 10 minutes. It took another 30 minutes in the glass to exhibit its best qualities. Ripe, mature fruit in the mouth with great complexity and acidity and an intense, long, lingering finish. Amazing combination of maturity and freshness. The wine got more powerful and complex with every sip. Great with the foie gras as well as the lobster and halibut of Bibou Restaurant. Still not yet at peak.
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If we have to pick unique Champagne producers, Jacques Selosse is definitely one of them.
Many people considered Jacques Selosse is a Champagne producer with strong Burgundy influence. All its wines are fermented in used small oak barrels from top white burgundy producers. The wine will also have lees stirring once every week. This may be the reason why Champagne produced by Selosse is having strong Burgundy influence.
Of all the Champagne produced by Selosse, I believe Selosse Substance is the most unique and special one. Annual production is only 3,000 bottles. This Champagne use Solera production method which is normally used to produce Sherry. In simple term, Solera production method separates wines of different vintages into barrels of different layers. The top layer is the newest one while the bottom one is the oldest. When there is new wine produced, they will be added to the top layer and some wines from the top layer will be transferred and mixed into the next layer down. Wine to be bottled will be from the bottom layer which is the oldest.
Other than special wine-making technique, Selosse believes the most critical factor affecting the quality of Champagne is the grape itself. Therefore, same as many Burgundy producers, Selosse's focus is on viticulture.
This Substance NV is a 100% Chardonnay from grapes in Cote de Blancs Avize Grand Cru with the oldest one from year 1987.
To drink this wine, Selosse recommended to decant and using normal Burgundy white wine glass instead of Champagne flute. Initially, the wine has a very strong smell similar to Sherry. Yet underlying the Sherry smell is a refreshing smell of citrus similar to many Champagne.
After an hour, smell of Sherry became weaker and what is emerging is aged Champagne smell of honey and caramel. Again, refreshing citrus is still there. Just like a champagne mixing aged and new Champagne.
Harmony II (The Ledbury): Deep gold, but vigorous, spicy oak nose with ripe round sweet fruit and sour green apple. A very solid match with the course, the acidity grew a little disjointed with time. This bottle disgorged in 2008.
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This is a wine I've wanted to try ever since having the Intiale a couple of years ago. A miraculously cheap restaurant list made this possible. I was simply blown away, it's a freakish hybrid of Montrachet, a great Manzanilla sherry and Champagne. Completely atypical of course, but just so much definition and focused power. Perfect food champagne.
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Deg April 2006. Substance efter maten är aldrig fel! Mörkt gyllengul, nästan stilla vin i glaset , plommon, torkade frukter och blommor i lukten som följs upp i smaken med kännbar mousse, choklad, nötter och tydlig sötma. Lång eftersmak. Helt enkelt ett riktigt , riktigt bra vin. Vinner verkligen på att ligga ett par år efter deg.
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Ever so slightly oxidized in aroma with white flowers, orange peel, honey, almonds. Rich mouthfeel and fairly aggressive bead. This is one of those wines where I say to myself wow....Wow....WOW as the flavors evolve. Incredible persistence, complex.
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Dégorgée le 06 Juin 2005. Unbelievable! Bee pollen, flowers, pine resin, perfect harmony of solera age and post-disgorgement bottle age. I could drink this all day long.
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Bright golden colour. Sherry, hazelnuts, spices, fruits and floral on nose. On palate: wow, umami! Reasons for quality: balance, length, concentration and complexity (but not typicity). A unique experience!
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Disgorged December, 2008. Light honey/orange color. Less flamboyant aromatics than the several bottles of Initiale I've had, but wow, what complexity and beautiful evolution-caramel, flowers, ginger, peach, and citrus. Full body, medium dosage. This is about much more than the fruit, which is hard to characterize. For its weight and depth, you could swear there was something apart from Chardonnay in the wine. Incredible harmony throughout with a touch of youthful bitterness at the very end. Distinctive, fabulous Champagne.
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My first Selosse. Very unusual, dry and slightly oxidated. Interesting, serious wine, but I'm not sure I really found it enjoyable, and didn't justify its price in my mind. Can get an interesting, slightly saline slightly oxidated white in a Coulee de Serrant for not much more than 1/10th the price.
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Deep golden yellow with superfine mousse. Honey, with some spicy notes and sherried notes on the nose. Very rich, golden fruit, chalky minerals, and a slight citrusy component. YUM! I really really liked this wine. 11/20/2007 disgorgement.
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Deg april 2007, tredje Substance på kort tid Dem mörkaste av de jag druckit. Dofter av blommor, violer, torkad frukt , fikon, hjortron. Lång och bra eftersmak, många av dofterna åter i smaken. Tillsammans med Salon den som klarar tiden i glaset bäst. Kvällens andra vinnare.
Deg April 2007, My third Substance in a short time, the darkest of the ones I tasted Aromas of flowers, violets, dried fruit, figs, cloudberry. Long and good taste, many of the scents back to the taste. Together with Salon theone that handle time in the glass best. This evening's second winner.
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When this was first poured, I thought for shore it was oxidized given that it was a young BdB, yet almost rose in color. While the palate revealed that it was not completely oxidized, it is an oxidized style wine that exhibits burnt tangerine and pink grapefruit and is quite sweet. I prefer more lemon, white fruit and brioche when I drink a BdB.
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Deg 2006, Som alltid med Selosse, den går inte riktigt att jämföra med de andra vinerna, Doften pekar mer på sauternes eller ett annat sött vin, det här är inte champagne men ändå champagne, det finns ett sådan djup i doften att det är svårt att komma ihåg alla dofter, smaken, ja det är som en av kvinnorna i gruppen sa, en orgasm i munnen, allt kommer på en gång.
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Goldenrod-straw, orange-tinged yellow. Deep and dark with fine, dispersed bubbles. Fino sherry, charcuterie, soy sauce, pu-erh tea, underbrush. Sweaty, white chalk and saline, dried stone fruit, chamomile, oak... thin on the end palate but a steamy finish of spiced, macerated fruits and jamon. Esoteric and uncommon, a departure from everything you would expect.
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Powerfully sweet honey aromas permeate along with a bouquet of citrus fruits and spices. Layers of peach, tangerines, and the slight bitterness of grapefruit mist (when you peel the fruit away from the skin). Soft, rich, well balanced and not overly acidic. Lingers long on the palate with a slight chalkiness on the final finish. Strong, dark amber in color.
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phenomenal wine, brought by peter liem to dinner. he said that this bottle was particularly good. deep golden color, oxidative nose of ginger root and roast nuts, with incredible palate staining impact. great purity and energy, great definition of flavor and aroma. was at its bet an hour after opening and might have continued to improve, but by then it was gone.
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Stunningly rich golden colour that is a visual delight in itself with very fine and smooth bubbles. Certainly not the type of champagne that appeals to everyone due to its oxidative style. However, those who love mature champagnees will enjoy its intensity, multitude of rich flavours and long finish. Plus.. the story about Selosse himself and his unique winemaking outlook is a great conversation piece at a small private dinner amongst friends !
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Dark yellow. Intriguing and intense nose of yeast, chalk, ginger, apricot and licorice. In the mouth this has unreal intensity and more of the same flavors. While I can appriciate that this very high quality and a unique style I find it to be just a bit overthe top.
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(Bought @ Crush, took to Craft) Ohmigod. Outrageous fusion of the sherry barreling with incredibly pure Champagne. It totally rings our bells in a unique way. Great quality with personality.
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Delicious Stonefruit and baked candied apple flavors with this wine. It was unbelieveable and the solera style really shows through. Reminds me of Gravner BReg Amfora but Sparkling and more clear.
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Pegau Reserve Vertical Tasting: (Deg. 2007) Straw to amber color, showing mature signs. Intense nose with nectarines, paint, orange peel, sherry with flor yeast and sweetness. Concentrated on the palate with many layers of smooth apricot, caramel, burned sugar, yellow plums and mirabelle. On the midpalate and finish there are distinct, oxidized notes of sherry. Still the acidity remains pure and through-cutting, youthful. Very expressive and with unique character. Amazing.
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Disgorged 20 Nov, 2007. Baked apple, toffee and saffron nose. Clearly oxidative. On the palate, rich and luxurious but still very precise with bright, citric acidity. There's a granitic minerality that evolves into a dense chalky finish. This was a little disjointed at first, took about an hour before it really started to show.
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Much better than last time, when I suspect it was slightly corked. Deep gold colour and impressive mousse. Very dry in the mouth with fireworks of different flavours, superb.
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Disgorged June 6 2005. Golden coloured. The nose is of green apple, honey, seaweed, earth and the typical Selosse oxidative character. The palate is fantastic - so much complexity and interest here along with brilliant acidity.
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i agree that this is not Champagne for everyone. Lovely gold colour with small bubbles, you can tell that this is a mix of many older vintages as you get notes of'sherry' , it is also very very dry, can't be much of dosage here..! Wonderfully complex, in fact I liked it even better day two, when it was very smooth.
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Ripe coxs yellow, a hint of woodsmoke, rounded deep apple, youthful but slow bubbles, very rich full style, grew richer in the glass. Calm oxidative notes in background. Very good
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Deep gold in color with few bubbles and a light mousse. On the nose brioche, spice and sherry continued through the palate. A very long finish. The style is very oxidative - this a champagne not for everyone. Fantastically complex. In fact about half of the people who tried it were not impressed while the other half raved. Do not serve this as as apertif wine as it needs time to open up and be served with food. It was excellent champagne but I found that there was not the magnitude of difference between the Initiale and the Substance as the price might indicate. $$$
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Selosse Champagne (Blue Hill): This didn't strike me as vastly different in character from the standard Brut, except the effervescence here is even more restrained -- there is only the barest hint of bubbles at all, just the occasional pinhole -- and it smells a little more evolved, the only wine in the lineup, to my taste, that suggested anything oxidative with the slightest sherried scent.
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Wines and BBQ (Claus B): Lovely fresh wonderful floral nose shows. The mousse is more dense than Vilmar. It kind of plays on the tongue and seemingly not giving all it got. A bit closed? I like this wine, but the others that tried this before told me that this was an unusual showing for a Substance.
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Slightly sweet honey and orange peel impression with more than a hint of sherried, oxidative richness. Manages to use its oxidative qualities to its advantage - something a number of similarly styled wines don't pull off so well. Delicious.
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Dinner with the Cassettas (The Square, London): Massive rich bakers yeast and peach nose, very smooth, refined palate, supple with soft but present acidity, a surprising lack of oxidative notes. Super.
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Tasted on 2005-03-05. On nose, some isoproply alcohol to start; developed some vanilla, pine forest, resin-like smells (but good); on palate, complex, long, excellent oak integration, some bruised apple character, very low end of brut (guessing around 5 g/L); rich and full. Outstanding.
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4/19/2024 - BradE wrote:
I'm a fan and this was a fun bottle. Intensive, rich, oxidative style.
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4/5/2024 - JRockEsq Likes this wine: 97 Points
Method: tasted at the domaine (in the cellar) with Anselme; disg. 2018
Nose: nuts, baking spice, brown apple, brown butter, caramel
Palate: salted caramel, brown butter, browned red apple; long finish of nuts, mineral, light salt; full- vinous, creamy body; medium strength pinpoint bubbles; medium+ to high- acidity; low- tannins
Overall thoughts: Wow! Insane complexity, richness, and mouthfeel, with great structure and balance to keep everything honest. 97... almost 98 points. Truly excellent wine!
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4/3/2024 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
2023 disgorged. This is drinking wonderfully well. Complex aromatics of spice, orchard fruits, candied peel and chalk. So deep, rich and powerful with no excess weight. Great presence and drive and a very long, chalky finish.
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4/3/2024 - wineton.mee wrote: 96 Points
18 disgorge. Everything that has been praised about this cuvee has been mentioned here. Nothing more to add. Nutty, oxidative, creme brulee, spiced pear, big vinous nose only matched by an equally vinous bottle, without a mineral, reductive, salty finish. Consistent showing, quite fabulous, and truly classic of Selosse.
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3/31/2024 - Mag357 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Disg 08 base 01
Smokey lard and leesy scents introduce a citrusy, overtly complex mouthfeel, with plenty of tension from a top of the slope plot in Avize. Marvellous depth of flavors here.
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2/22/2024 - glou.sf Likes this wine: 98 Points
May 2022 disgorgement. Wow, what a great wine! Deep nose with lemon, slightly oxidative flavors, minerals, brioche, apple, chamomile, and dried flowers. Great acidity with a hint of nuts, more lemon, crushed rocks, apple, orange, and a hint of smoke that emerged with air. Long and lingering finish. Fantastic wine that has a lot going on but it never loses precision. Amazing experience and consistent with previous bottles.
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2/12/2024 - oxwombat Likes this wine: 94 Points
Opened at L'Envol in HK. P&P and slowly enjoyed over dinner.
Very good Champagne, very Selosse. No extensive notes taken - this wine was somewhat overshadowed by the big red line-up that came immediately after. However, I did note that this gets better with a bit of air. Would be very keen to revisit when there's a less crowded line-up, letting me focus more on this wine as it evolves.
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1/26/2024 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
A 2023 disgorged bottle. Complex aromatics of candied citrus, chalk, peach and cumquat. The palate is explosive, so rich and intense. It builds and finishes with loads of chalk and is super saline. Simply wonderful.
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1/19/2024 - aquacongas Likes this wine: 99 Points
not blind, disg. 2002
A perfect bottle, multi layered, deep, powerful in nose and the beginning but the finish is surprisingly fresh. Bottle was very quickly finished. 99
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1/14/2024 - Oli_Vilmo Likes this wine: 96 Points
Incredible, structured, elegant
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1/12/2024 - matage Likes this wine: 96 Points
Purchased this bottle (disgorged 2012) almost exactly 11 years ago back in the day when they were readily available.
My fist experience with Substance and a bottle that really performed on top. White fruit with a yeasty madeira/sherry note and an oxidative buttery whiff.
A marvellous match with flame grilled A5 wagyu skewers with oscetra where the fatty charred wagyu brought out brown butter and caramel notes of the champagne.
I'd wager this is not for everyone but three of us had this as the winner over the Bollinger GA -02 and one person preferred the brighter GA.
Glass: Riedel Veloce Syrah
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1/5/2024 - ASMB Likes this wine: 97 Points
Disgorged 2019. First experience with substance. Lived up to the hype. Pure deep wine. Mild acid. Darker yellow color. Was worried this was too young, but this was drinking incredible upon open.
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1/2/2024 - Philolesen Likes this wine: 95 Points
First time trying Substance from Selosse and unsurprisingly I loved this wine. I tasted this up against the V.O. and frankly I preferred the V.O. What I observed as the main difference was the Substance was more pure, elegant and "classical" in the expression whereas the V.O. was even more sherry like and full bodied and textured - both on the nose and on the palate. There was obviously no doubt that both wines comes from the same wine producer but when loving oxidized champagnes V.O. is the favorite of the two. Worth noting that most people disagreed with me and preferred this one.
Disgorgement dates:
VO: 2020
Substance: 2022
Not sure two years would make such a difference? I have had a few VO's with the exact same character.
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12/5/2023 - wjl88 wrote: 100 Points
Disg 2014.
The most special bottle of Selosse I have had -- the dense concentration loosening just enough to form layers on each and every note. Flavors effortlessly swirl and last, full range of umami, sherry and fruit brought to life by a dancing acidity. Incredible echoing finish that lasts a good ten minutes after the sip.
The best wines are wines that warp your sensation of time just a little bit, as the palate just feels long and time seems to slow down so you can feel every detail of it effortlessly.
Selosse perhaps at absolute peak, actually, maybe just wine drinking at absolute peak (at least for now)
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11/28/2023 - Sundbyberg wrote: 95 Points
Tasting: My second time with Substance and this time with a couple of years in the bottle, discorged 2019.
Really nice champagne with not so much oxidation yet. In a nice spot now. Richer than other champagnes from this producer.
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11/20/2023 - Irish_Wine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Layered, developed nose with cooked and bruised apple, dried apricot, hazelnut and a savoury mushroom touch. Hazelnut and brioche. A chalky streak. Fantastic palate intensity with fresh apple touches and very persistent on the finish. Certainly unique and delicious but questionable as to whether it's worth the price tag!
WSET notes:
Medium gold. Fine mousse.
Pronounced on the nose with fresh, cooked and bruised apple, dried apricot, chalk, brioche, hazelnut, mushroom, savoury notes, caramel and honey. Developing.
Pronounced and dry on the palate. Light body, medium alcohol, high acidity, long finish.
Can drink now but has potential for aging.
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10/19/2023 - rocknroller wrote: 92 Points
Judgement of Eagan (Jason P's, St. Paul, MN): Medium dark gold color. Drank a glass over 45 minutes plus. This was disgorged 10/22/10, from a Solera dating to 1986. This is certainly unique; shrouded in a highly oxidative character; surprisingly floral, orange peel, liqueurish, lanolin, honeycomb, baked apple and citrus, savory, with virtually no mousse at all. I was very happy to get the chance to drink this and the next one. I, like galewskj, am kind of baffled by the the hype and hysteria. First, I like this Champagne, and I found it intriguing on an intellectual level. That said, from a sheer pleasure standpoint, it didn't resonate with me. Very vinous, but in the way of an old white burg that has seen it's best days, but clings to its yesteryears that we wish were still vibrant. For those that gravitate to a highly oxidative style, this will really satisfy. I'm just not that fond of Champagne that is essentially no longer Champagne and the essence has left the bottle. And again, I liked this, but it wasn't a transcedent experience. This actually reminded me of a a couple bottles of 2002 Cristain Senez that a few of us picked up a couple years ago and drank over the last 2 years. It was really quite similar. The next bottle which was a V.O. BdB was very similar in style to the Substance. I am truly grateful to Jason and his generosity for opening these to give us all a chance to experience them.
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10/19/2023 - WineBurrowingWombat Likes this wine: 97 Points
Cracking the whip; 10/16/2023-10/23/2023 (Eagan, MN): N: Gentle blend of cantaloupe and pears, wet stones and pebbles. Clean and airy.
P: Very golden fruits, white berries, and a crisp, gentle saline along with some nicely bitter stones on the finish. The acidity along with the saline note gives the impression of a savoriness, even providing for an airy yeasty note.
For some reason, this was nothing like the bottle I tried for the first time. My only guess is maybe that the disgorgement dates are different, and I don’t even know if that makes any kind of difference on the palate. More fresh on the fruits this time whereas the first time reminded me of some tasty creme brulee. Nonetheless, still good!
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10/19/2023 - I'd Rather Be Drinking Wine Likes this wine: 97 Points
Judgement of Eagan Wine Tasting (Jason's House): Not sure if this bottle was a hair below the last one, or if the "WOW" factor was slightly less having had this wine before. Still, an excellent wine for my palate and I am a big fan of this style. Not sure I can put my finger on why I love this wine, but probably because I find it so different from many others. Yes, I have oxidative and reductive Champagnes in the past, but this is different, while it is totally in that style, it still retains some youthfulness and a lot of complexity, minerality and fruit. This is what I imagine a top aged white Burgundy with a little effervescence would taste like.
Nuts and bolts: This wine was golden in color, showing its age...2010 disgorgement. The bubbles were so fine, they were hard to observe, but very present on the palate, albeit, it came across as a delicate Champagne. Plenty of baked apple, citrus, Unami and saline, with hints of fresh ginger and honeycomb. Just as delicious as I remember. An expensive Champagne, but worth the money in my book. Wish I had a lot more! Easy 97 for my palate!
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10/19/2023 - galewskj wrote: 92 Points
Judgement of Eagan (Jason's house): Rich and umami, tangy, a dusty funk, oxidative. This was fun to drink but I don't understand the ravenous fans.
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10/7/2023 - hprphf wrote: 93 Points
Off-Track Leroy BYO (Manhatta): 29 AVRIL 2009, organe color, citrus, fresh, powerful, lovely linerarity. Notably fresher and sweeter than a lot of the 2008 disgorgements. 93-94
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10/6/2023 - hprphf wrote: 93 Points
2 OCTOBRE 2015. Surprisingly on the sweet side, lollipop, not as acidic as most older Substances. Young and racy with fine bubbles on the palate. 93-94
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10/5/2023 - JulianSkeels wrote: 96 Points
Unfortunately no discouragement details. Much fresher than expected, with kernel notes and some apple cider but with a real precision, cut and rich mouthfeel. Very easy to drink, and a marvellous cigar pairing. I always feel Substance needs up to 10yrs in bottle to shine and suspect this has only had ~3yrs to date. 96pts (and with age potential for 97-98pts)
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9/17/2023 - jviz wrote: 97 Points
This was the 2013 DG. I’ve had Initial a few times and a couple lieu dits but this was the first round with Substance. Expecting it to be a little more extreme and polarizing than it was, especially with 10 years in bottle. The nose was ravishingly complex, and along with baked apples, you have all these little details of spice and grated ginger. The wine was in lovely balance, great intensity. I can’t find a flaw here.
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9/16/2023 - shallowdrift Likes this wine: 95 Points
dg 2015. Nose of Caramel, hazelnut, mushroom, lemon curd. Bruised apple, honey, butter, walnut sourdough toast, tangerine, sherry in the mouth. Finish felt yeasty with some lime and a beguiling note of calvados. My first time trying a champagne in this style to limited scope for comparison but highly impressive.
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9/15/2023 - glou.sf Likes this wine: 97 Points
May 2022 disgorgement. Very expressive nose with orange notes, grapefruit, apple, minerals, and lemon. Lovely acidity with very interesting and continuously changing flavors of lemon, citrus zest, dried flowers, ginger, and minerals on the palate. Very long finish. Wow, this was outstanding! Beautiful, deep, and complex wine that blossomed with air.
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9/1/2023 - Theamateurwinesnob Likes this wine:
1.16.13 dg. My first bottle of Selosse. Got it for a really good deal (relatively speaking) and shared it with a friend.
Dried pineapple, ginger, caramel, nutty, and yeasty bread. Smelled just like an aged Sauternes. Wow, I could just sit here and smell this wine all night without even drinking it.
But of course I did and got very very fine bubbles, as if it were in the background, unlike any effervescence I’ve experienced in a wine. Everything was so integrated, so balanced, beautiful persistent finish. Truly grateful to have experienced this bottle and producer. An experience I’ll never forget.
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8/10/2023 - jakakun Likes this wine: 97 Points
22 dg.
This needs some air. At first pour, it tasted kinda thin with hallmark oxidative selosse characteristics. The length was impressive on the first sip. Nonetheless, I was slightly disappointed.
In the first hour, a lot of the mineral core started showing. Some other commenters here mentioned "bitterness", I think this is what was being tasted.
However, after the first hour, it started singing. It put on weight but still felt so crisp and delightful. The fruit also started showing more, overtaking the mineral-ness. As a result, it showed everything that I wanted from something like this: delicious fruit, weight, length, savory and oxidativeness, fine mousse.
Before I knew it, the bottle was gone :( Absolutely delicious!
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7/10/2023 - Mario17 Likes this wine:
Beau Champagne expressif et assez en rondeur, crémeux et une richesse bien dosée.
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7/8/2023 - Zunga Likes this wine: 95 Points
What a showing! Disgorged in 2014 and I’ve had since 2016. It was everything I hoped for. The palate was savory and bursting with grilled apricot. Just the right amount of acidity and oxidation. Loved it! It’s why Selosse is Selosse!
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6/6/2023 - csimm wrote: 97 Points
TOP SHELF WINE WEEKEND: The Solera methodology employed here really makes for a truly unique and special profile, one in which I can’t rightly say I’ve ever experienced with Champagne. The complexity is just flat-out crazy, with old-meets-new-meets-old-world flavorings, as if history is unfolding on the palate. The phrase of the day with this wine was “liquid crème brûlée,” as it seriously was as if the caramelized sugar topping was oozing along the execution of flavor and melting in the mouth. Too sweet sounding for ya? Not at all. A nutty oxidative note swoops in and lifts the would-be saccharine element into a more in-line bitter (not astringent mind you) relief that keeps the focus unexpectedly on-point and driven. Peach, smoke, dried apricots, candle wax, coriander seed, ginger powder, and toasted hazelnuts make for a luring experience that begs for another sip. I was somewhat concerned about freshness on the first few pulls, but it manages somehow to remain airy enough to maintain beautiful weight throughout delivery.
If there was ever a Champagne that could be categorized as epitomizing savory or umami, it is this Selosse. I mean, it almost has that chicken soup for the soul kinda thing going on with it…that, and a psychedelic twist of crazy flavors that keep building off of one another. I want to use the word “flavour” instead of “flavor” just because the extra “u” accentuates the feeling of stateliness in the Selosse’s overall contour and behavior (or rather, “behaviour”).
Disgorged 2011. Drink now cuz it's awesome.
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5/27/2023 - WineBurrowingWombat Likes this wine: 98 Points
Memorial Day Weekend, Day 1: Inglourious Basterds: Aromas of deeply honeyed wax but also very clear and clean. An awesome bitterness from an unevenly burnt creme brûlée.
If you can somehow get a crispy burnt top of a creme brûlée but on pristine honey instead of the custard, that is what you get on the palate.
Sounds heavy but it actually stays crisp and fresh. With time, it develops some weight and still somehow manages to stay fresh and crisp. It's as if she gained some sexy curves and showing them off by wearing nothing but sheer fabric.
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5/27/2023 - I'd Rather Be Drinking Wine Likes this wine: 98 Points
Wild and Crazy Memorial Weekend - Saturday (Chris' Castle aka Melissa's Manor): Someone said they were bring a Selosse....my first reaction was "your bringing whaaaaat??" Obviously, I am not up on my Champagnes! I actually had to look this up to see what it was! Of course, I was stunned when I saw the price, and thought "you need to taste this Champagne you never heard of!" Thanks to Bryan (bsomoba), I had the opportunity!
So in a Champagne flight featuring a 2013 Cristal, a 2006 Salon, a 2008 Egly and this Champagne, I was totally blown away! Then, Bryan's friend, Cameron, provided two huge tins of caviar, i.e., a tin of Beluga and a tin of Osetra...OMG, thought I was dead and in heaven! Of course, I was only half right, i.e., in heaven!
OK....nuts and bolts...So of all the Champagnes, this one stood out most! It is very reductive and oxidative in style, to the point that it really had a unique taste....I mean there would be no mistaking this in a blind tasting! In fact, I am probably more bullish on this Champagne just for its uniqueness (well, certainly unique for me!) Don't get me wrong, it is an excellent Champagne in its own right, but this is one of those moments where you totally get the "WOW" factor! Of course, all the Champagnes were wow'ers to a degree, but this one more than the others because to its unique flavor profile. I ranked this a hair below the Salon because the creaminess of Salon totally floats my boat! But this was excellent! Oxidative and very lively with plenty of acidity and lemon, fresh ginger and Unami, with lots of minerality to accompany it! An outstanding Champagne I need to seek out! 98+
Note: If anyone wants to open a 2008 vintage Selosse Millesime....I would be happy to drink with you!!
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5/27/2023 - bsumoba Likes this wine: 99 Points
Memorial Madness at Case de Chris y Melissa - Day 1 of 2: Disgorged 2011 - Epitome of great champagne. Now my benchmark. Next to the Cristal, Salon and Egly, this one sort of separated itself from the rest with its slightly oxidative and unique nose. This felt light, but at the same time had power and punch and danced on the palate as if it was trying to awaken the taste buds. I left some in glass for an hour and the profile got more creamier, more refined and weighty. The finish was incredible and lingered like the feel of a first kiss from a hot date. Lovely acidity which allows this wine to age. Even at its price, it is hard not to buy more.
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5/19/2023 - AndrewSGHall wrote:
Insane good. '21 disgorgement so decanting was discussed but this was off to the races from the opening glass and never let up. Immaculate combo of sherry notes, richness, umami and layered acidic spine that held it all together. And utterly perfect with omakase at Côte.
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5/14/2023 - MissChow Likes this wine: 91 Points
Disgorged: 18 May 2017
12,5% alcohol
Open a night before for slow aeration. Enjoyed in Spiegelau Definition Bordeaux glass.
Elegantly pronounced nose of fine Manzanilla sherry, blend of dried and fresh white and yellow blossoms, preserved lemon zest, dried ginger, salted French butter, subtle lactic note like Morbier cheese (earthy and savoury), touch of liquorice wood. Very fine expression.
The palate reflects the nose, with nuanced salinity and acidity, velvety texture and medicinal hint and light gingery finish. Very fine bitter touch.
Overall, more lineair expression compared to 2016 disgorgement (enjoyed in May 2021). A great wine.
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4/16/2023 - mye wrote:
Selosse Lieux Dit Tasting: 2013 DG.
Again unmistakably selosse. definitively oxidative in style, with layers of fruit, mushroom, and earthiness. Good acidity keeps it fresh. lovely wine.
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3/18/2023 - astroman Does not like this wine: 91 Points
Sushi and Champagne (Sushi Yuki): Blinded. Disgorged May 2020. Dense golden, reductive with pronounced notes of cheese, flint, hint of yellow flowers. Not showing much on the palate, linear and dense with med acid. Opens up a little after sometime in the glass but reductive. Probably needs decant for a couple of hours before serving.
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3/18/2023 - melvinyeowq wrote: 91 Points
Caroline's birthday at Sushi Yuki: Disgorged May 2020. My first Selosse, a very generous pull from a friend. Thought this was a Pinot-dominant house from 2012, how wrong I was. Rather weighty and oxidative to the point of being excessive for my preference as I don’t like sherry notes in wines. Did improve with air as it tightened up. I read a discussion about Initial vs Substance a couple of months ago and can see why this wine is divisive - guess I will belong to the camp that prefers the Initial (if I ever get to try one).
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3/3/2023 - finediningnyc Likes this wine: 98 Points
Always say around 5 years post disgorgement is the happy zone for Selosse. This beauty, disgorged in July of 2018 with the coveted 2008 being its youngest vintage, was an absolute stunner. Substance is the Selosse flagship that uses a solera style blend with vintages dating all the way back to 1986. It has explosive aromatics that you really don’t get from Champagne. It’s infinitely layered with crazy depth to its aromatics and has such a singular texture that you just can’t forget. Caramelized orchard fruit, roasted hazelnuts, coffee beans and lavender honey waft from the glass. It wraps around the palate with incredible volume and intensity before giving way to a salty mineral laced finale with stunning length and persistence. The best.
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1/20/2023 - aquacongas wrote: 96 Points
blind, not noted the degorgement date
The most complex wine of Selosse. I guessed right, very concentrated but still fresh in the finish. For me best with food. 96
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12/31/2022 - hprphf wrote: 94 Points
Blind. Quintessentially Selosse BdB but not as white as the lieux-dits... How is this the first time I become aware that Substance is actually BdB? Latest disgorgement (2022 or 21) but not printed on the back label. Lovely white fruit and slick minearlity. Fresh and bright with aged class from solera reserve. 93-94
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12/29/2022 - TWSA Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nose: coconut, vanilla, honey, sponge cake, brioche, hints of honeysuckle
Notes: very nice and delicate balance. Disgorged in Jan 2020. A beautiful and warm nose. Very long aftertaste offered by this wine and I have enjoyed it. This is quite ready for consumption so I guess there's no need to wait any further. I have for a moment mistaken and thought this was an Exquise until I was reminded it was a Substance instead. I'm thinking I have this feeling as the Champagne was a little on the sweeter side. Nevertheless this is a fantastic wine and I have very much enjoyed it.
Rating: 91
Drink: now+
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11/18/2022 - Volleyball Likes this wine: 95 Points
Americana + James Bond Dinners and Ang and Adrian’s; 11/18/2022-11/19/2022 (Byron Bay): Weighty and full flavored, a serious champagne to start the night. Lees contact & some dosage made for an excellent balance of ripe peach and breads/yeasty flavor.
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10/12/2022 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Disgorged 1/12/21. Complex aromatics of grilled nuts, backed apple, citrus and chalk. It is rich, vinous and powerful, with elements of floral beauty. It builds through the palate, is so fresh and invigorating and with awesome depth. The finish has chalk, chew and awesome persistence.
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9/19/2022 - NickNYC Likes this wine: 96 Points
Disgorged in 2008. What a treat. Typical Selosse, but could have been an aged Krug Grande Cuvee with orange peel notes and beautiful bitterness.
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9/5/2022 - glou.sf Likes this wine: 98 Points
April 2019 disgorgement. Phenomenal nose of lemon, peach, strawberry, brioche, cake, minerals, floral notes, and oxidative character. High acidity with complex notes of peach, peach skin, orange, lemon, and minerals on the palate. Very long finish. Outstanding wine that strikes a perfect balance - rich and powerful, yet completely refined and elegant. 98+
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9/3/2022 - finediningnyc Likes this wine: 97 Points
Disg. 7/17…Always with explosive aromatics that are rarely achieved in Champagne, July 2017 disgorgement of Substance is superb today and layered with infinite depth of ripe stone fruit, roasted nuts, lavender honey, coffee bean and smoky minerals. It exhibits the vibrancy of a young Champagne with the complexity of a mature one and wraps around the palate with incredible intensity, texture and exhilarating energy before giving way to a saline and chalky mineral inflicted finale with fantastic length and persistence. The best.
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8/12/2022 - Bullethead Likes this wine: 97 Points
First Substance. Disgorged in 2017. Paired very well with sushi. Gold in appearance. Nose wow almond, cinnamon, mineral and baked bread. Palate has depth, complexity, good acidity and is elegant. This is so good and tastes like 30 years old champagne. Much better than Initial which was a bit awkward when combining younger wine with unintegrated oxidative elements.
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8/9/2022 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
From the solera, with the youngest vintage of the composition being 2012, of which there is only 4% representation. There are grilled nuts, preserved lemons, and a suggestion of tarte Tatin. It is rich and layered in the mouth, showing plenty of spice. It has so much chewy structure and a finish laden with salt and chalk.
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6/20/2022 - Winetex Likes this wine: 95 Points
2006 Disgorgement - very fantastic Champagne - so focused and beautiful after time in the cellar.
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6/3/2022 - Elvis1969 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Teatergrillen. Degorgerad oktober 2020.
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5/31/2022 - Elvis1969 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Disgorged in 2013. Amazing wine!
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5/25/2022 - hprphf wrote: 95 Points
23 Décembre 2009, decanted. Clear, sharp, rich but heavenly. Nobody else does as oxidative but as clear bottle of wine. What a balance of “substance” and Champagne lightness. 94-95
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5/8/2022 - jkoenen wrote: 98 Points
Deg. 4-5-2017
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5/8/2022 - Zweder wrote: 96 Points
Occasional dinner group: A mixed set.. (@ Bouwkunde, Deventer): Very special and beautiful. Nutty and marzipan impressions. Also some sherry and oxidized impressions. Beautifully fresh acidity. Great and complex wine.
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5/8/2022 - Peter Z. Likes this wine: 100 Points
Deg 2017
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4/30/2022 - vinkeger wrote: 94 Points
Deg. 31 mars 2008
En veldig oksidativ og tertiær nese. Kamfer, kaffe og tørket frukt er i førersetet. Men med litt tid i glasset kommer det faktisk frem friske og kjølige aromaer, som grønne epler. Vinen er på en måte veldig ungdommelig i munn. Aromaene er stort sett modne også her, men den har et skikkelig grep. Oppleves som stram, frisk og konsentrert. Moussen er i god form, og preges av masse knøttsmå bobler, som gir et luftig og delikat inntrykk. Lang finish.
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4/5/2022 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Disgorged 14th Jan, 2021. This is a rich and powerful Champagne, showing baked apple, grilled nut and preserved citrus aromas and flavours to begin. It has intriguing savoury notes, including teak and black truffle. There's some cinnamon spice too. A glass the second night had cracked wide open, with sweet peach and granny smith apple at its core. The finish is laden with chalky, is chewy and supremely long.
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4/2/2022 - kenv Likes this wine: 95 Points
1999 Barolo Dinner (Chez Goldberg, Greenwich Village, NYC): [Pop and pour. Disgorged 29 September 2020. Brought by Jared.] Bright amber color. Nose of mandarin oranges, apricots, and cinnamon. Complex with a very long finish. A terrific Champagne.
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3/29/2022 - JohnnyBark wrote:
This ‘17 bottle was banging delicious. My wife took one whiff and said, “Selosse?” Classic dried rose petals. The rose petals from 40 years ago when roses actually had a beautiful floral smell to them. Always a nice treat to open one of these. I have no experience with vintage Selosse, but out of all the others, Substance is a brawler.
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3/26/2022 - hprphf wrote: 94 Points
13 OCTOBRE 2014, direct from the cellar. Tastes more zero dosage than intensely oxidative, big, structured, quite fresh in fruit. 94
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3/8/2022 - Vas19 wrote: 94 Points
2017 disgorgement. Pretty singular style as has been well documented. Not something I always would crave but very much enjoyed this bottle.
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3/7/2022 - Vinum Deorum wrote: 96 Points
Long, rich, creamy, finely chiseled texture, elegant and very refined bubble, intense flavours, aromas of nuts, apple, citrus, butter, brioche. Focused, sharp and generous at the same time. Long and vibrating with an almost palpable energy. Disgorged in 2019. A truly great wine.
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3/5/2022 - AllRed wrote: 96 Points
Lot LSU0920, disgorged Sept 29, 2020. Courtesy of tlv. Deep color. Aromas of baked honeycomb, dried apricot, brown butter, toasted popcorn, and sautéed pear. Changes every time one goes back to the glass. Definitely something to pour and follow. Short mousse. Fine bead. Flavors of sautéed pear, candied orange rind, macadamia nut, baked apple, and hints of brown butter and caramel. There’s a bit of a baking spice component as well.
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2/15/2022 - aquacongas wrote: 98 Points
not blind, deg. 2015
Sublime, never get fooled from a Selosse colour. Golden, but the wine is brilliantly fresh and precise. The acidity helps to discover the powerful (oaky) notes. Honey, biscuit, lemon tarte and some dried fruits as apricot. Balanced. 98
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2/13/2022 - jnewman77 Likes this wine:
2009 disgorgement; first sample of the Substance; initially quite oxidative on the nose as expected; nutty, sherry like, bruised apple, with some underlying minerality; with air this became fresher, but the nose stayed in the oxidized zone, but it was enjoyable and complex; the palate gained freshness throughout the bottle with the fruit becoming more delineated and the nutty/mineral notes became less obvious. The depth and complexity of the palate are excellent. Overall I liked it quite a lot, but be warned it is far from your typical Champagne; if you go into it with expectations appropriate you will be rewarded.
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1/25/2022 - sdr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Selosse (Oceanic, Pompano Beach, Florida): As expected, the Substance was the darkest in color and the most full bodied of the series. Clearly oxidative, just as intended by the winemaker due to the solera starting from 1986. Yet the fruit was energetic and the finish long and lingering. Caramel and oak rather than yeast. Ripe apple and baking spice. Not exactly tiring to drink but lacks the finesse of the lieux-dits examples that followed. If you ever want to match a champagne with meat, this could be an excellent choice. A real success in this extreme style.
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1/22/2022 - Neuneuil Likes this wine: 94 Points
With Greg & Ksenia
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12/29/2021 - BenBlu Likes this wine: 95 Points
Disgorged 2015 a bottle chosen after a lovely lunch with Coche, Roumier and Rayas to be the final treat to refresh the palate. Rich and oxidative, so very Selosse and so very good for lovers of this style.
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12/28/2021 - canan wrote: 96 Points
Champagne Brunch (@Terkel): Amazing depth but also an almost wild acidity. There is plenty of stuffing for a huge wine but it is still very young.
Showing mushrooms and yellow apples but also some fruit sweetness. A very impressive wine! Deg. 26/04-2019.
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12/28/2021 - canan wrote: 97 Points
Champagne Brunch (@Terkel): Packed with red apples and sweet marzipan. Amazing balance and flavor depth. An absolutely stunning wine!
Tightly wound acidity and very "pure" flavors. Deg.June-2010.
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12/19/2021 - Collector1855 wrote: 94 Points
Deg 2017. Rich and oxidative, the richest of all Selosse we had during this Champagne trip. Nuts, marzipan, orchard fruit. Good material for sure but I think the aromas are too much in the Sherry spectrum
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12/15/2021 - palfr2 wrote:
Disgorged 17 - more oxidative than Initiale and The BdN Sous le Mont I had within 24 hours. Very substantial wine with oxidative notes that become a bit overbearing with bottle air. Very well made and complex for fans of this very singular style. The Initiale and BdN were more in my wheelhouse.
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11/8/2021 - thewiz Likes this wine: 94 Points
(Base year 2012)
The intensity on the lengthy finish is just wonderful already.
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11/8/2021 - Elvis1969 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Disgorged on 6 October 2020.
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11/8/2021 - Sundbyberg wrote: 95 Points
Tasting: Very complex, with depth and a bit like "supersized". Latest discorgment. Will not open my own bottle for a couple of years (my own bottle discorged January 2016).
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10/23/2021 - mye wrote:
DG in 2015. Lorrddyyy. What an intense and intellectual wine. Rich citrus fruit, mixed with orchard apricot and peach. Bready/oxidative with a richness that carries forward to the palate, with quite a low level of effervescence. Immensely long finish that makes you sit and think.
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10/16/2021 - glou.sf Likes this wine: 97 Points
Disgorged November 2019. The nose was beautiful and complex with notes of lemon, baked apples, some minerals, and herbs. Lovely mouthfeel with good acidity, slightly oxidative notes, citrus, and crushed rocks. Long finish. An outstanding Champagne with lots of appeal. Next to the 2008 Cristal, I thought it was the more interesting wine, although the Cristal may turn out to be the "objectively" better wine given a few years time...
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9/28/2021 - AValdes Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deep gold color. A serious, brooding champagne not at all like it’s bubbly brethren. On the nose it has an almost b flat note, like something that should be discordant but is in harmony. One of the others at the table mentioned this savory note gave an edge of chorizo - an association I very much agree with. As the night progressed so did the wine, showing more depth and joy.
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8/28/2021 - Javachip wrote:
San Diego Superspeader 2021 (Solare Restaurant, Liberty Station, Point Loma, San Diego CA): Two bottles tasted, both disgorged July 2011, procured from same distributor and retailer. Clear deep yellow-gold color with coarse bubbles that faded quickly. Oxidative notes of musty varnish, ginger ale, apple cider, sherry, underbrush, fallen leaves, nuts. One experienced taster thought it was an off bottle, corked or heat damaged or past prime or all of the above. Second bottle was noticeably lighter in color (still deep yellow) with fresher bouquet. Both bottles improved with air. Perhaps the solera process accounts for the distinctive oxidative profile. Group's SECOND PLACE in this flight despite initial concerns.
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8/18/2021 - Joe Gabagool wrote:
This is a massive wine. Golden. This bottle only got better the longer it was open. We all noted the RS seemed a little high. Maybe around 10 grams? The RS balanced nicely against the 'mature' notes. Yes, it's complex. It should be. It's expensive. It lives up to the hype. I paid $280. I'd pay $280 again.
Discorged November 2019.
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7/20/2021 - jamesabdavis wrote:
Disgorged 2019. gorgeous. Marvellously complex toasty nose, lovely fresh acidity, super.
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7/9/2021 - finediningnyc Likes this wine:
Disg. ‘19- Smoky and complex with typical solera style aromas and oxidation, but there is also an alluring freshness to this disgorgment. Very much needed a decant, but shows so much character, singularity and an expansive palate with a very persistent finish.
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7/6/2021 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Disgorged 11th February, 2020. really vinous and complex with notes of truffled honey, Granny Smith apple, white peach, cinnamon and vanilla pod. It is rich and layered, with great intensity and structure. the finish is savoury and expansive and there's so many interesting subtle flavours with a finale of salty tang.
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6/17/2021 - fcxj wrote: 92 Points
Rich, complex, lengthy.
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6/15/2021 - hprphf wrote: 94 Points
02 SEPTEMBRE 2008. Always consistent, so rich, almost orange in color, spicy and dancing on the palate. Nutty notes and vibrant acidity pair really well with the scamorza. 94
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6/10/2021 - Vinum Deorum wrote: 95 Points
Disgorged in 2017. A really great Champagne. Distinctive Selosse nutty nose,with a hint of marzipan. Impressive structure with a great balance, long, rich, creamy, with tension and salinity. Loved it but I thought afterward that I should have decanted it. Delicious.
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6/4/2021 - merlotsmile wrote:
Vinminnen 2 (Fiskaregatan Lund): Vinminnen 2
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5/24/2021 - aquacongas Likes this wine: 97 Points
blind, disg. 2015
Lovely so elegant, even the discreet pinenut scent put me closer to Krug than to Selosse. I prefer the Selosse 5-10 after disgorgement and this bottle is the best proof for that. Powerful, more on the citrus than the oxidative notes. Brutally fresh. 97-98
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5/21/2021 - finediningnyc Likes this wine: 95 Points
Substance 09 Disg. was superb with a nose to die for. Like old rum barrels and caramelized orchard fruit. Layer upon layer of complex flavor. Fades a bit over time, but to drink amongst four was perfect. No decant necessary.
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4/25/2021 - aquacongas Likes this wine: 95 Points
blind, deg. 2019
typical roasted pinenuts in the nose. This time a bit more oxidative style but still a monster acidity. 95
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4/22/2021 - Elvis1969 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Degorgerad i mars 2016.
Honung, söt doft, otroligt bra i munnen, mognad, ekfat, enorm power.
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4/16/2021 - merlotsmile Likes this wine: 96 Points
Deg juli 17.
Bärnstensfärgad
I doften en enorm komplexitet. Känns som det är helt öppen direkt och man blir nästan attackerad av lager på lager av olika doftnoter - en hel blomsteraffär (hyacint), orientaliska kryddor, ingefära, kanderad apelsin, mormors hårda karamell, gräddkola, farinsocker, honung, viss rökighet, något slags skumgodis (inte banan) och trocadero (som tydligen är en blandning av apelsin och äpple). Väldigt intensivt, koncentrerat, kraftfullt, komplext och dynamiskt.
I smaken är det minst lika komplext och en stor del av noterna återkommer här. Stort, kraftfullt, koncentrerad kropp. Lager på lager på midpalate och finishen är superlång och fylld med kvalitetsnoter. Oerhört fin balans mellan alla komponenter.
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4/13/2021 - hprphf wrote: 94 Points
02 SEPTEMBRE 2008.
Presumably made in 2002, the structure is immense. Delicate aged nose, with toasted brioche, dried flowers, salinity. Color is slightly darker than usual; this can be drunk soon. Lighter weight upon popping but kept improving. 94-95
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4/13/2021 - aquacongas Likes this wine: 98 Points
not blind, digsg. 05/2016
A gem, perfectly balanced. Roasted Pinenut, spicy, lemon tart and beautifully acidity. At his peak. Not oxidative. 98
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3/26/2021 - bill00 wrote: 94 Points
Great as always. Mineral, bread dough and lightly oxidative nutty notes. Restrained power. Lots of acid. Everything in harmony.
Disgorged 7/25/12.
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3/25/2021 - flat wrote: 94 Points
dég 2016
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1/20/2021 - flat wrote: 95 Points
For KH
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1/15/2021 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 94 Points
[Blind] Nose is warm yellow apple with nice smoke and more savoury notes. Fresh citrus. Clean, bright, and lively but definitely has some development and maturity behind it. Palate is rich, crisp, sand sharp. Impressive staying power. Big acidity drives a long finish. Slightly oxidative stylistically, but not over the top in a way that makes it obviously Selosse as opposed to maybe a middle aged Krug. Weighty. Delicious and powerful. Toasty. Light golden colour. Disgorged 05/30/2013.
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1/14/2021 - robertek wrote: 95 Points
deg nov 15 - one of the best I've had :)
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1/12/2021 - osordal wrote: 94 Points
Degorgement 2010. Dark strawyellow and still nice bubbles. Initially a bit funky, after 30minutes in the glas a complex and philosofical bouquet with mature green apples, hazelnuts, brioche and mushrooms. Broad and oxidised style. An intriging palate and good balance with a good residual acid and fruit with dried apricot and mature apples and some candied lemon. Earthy notes and mushrooms.
A dividing wine among the tasters and I guess its down to preference, but in my opinion mature, complex and interesting. I will probably decant my remaining bottles.
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12/31/2020 - pawa wrote: 94 Points
Disgorged 24 September 2003. Evolved as expected but not old. Over all, oxidation was not as noticeable as anticipated so this bottle got an "approval stamp" from my wife.
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12/26/2020 - Kepos Likes this wine: 90 Points
super interesting, for sure not what one would expect from a classical Champagne, very Solera like, sweet, very long finish, great structure and also very deep, I liked it a lot although usually I prefer dryer versions
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12/23/2020 - mat600 wrote: 90 Points
Un champagne d'exception qui malheureusement ne me fait pas vibrer autant que sa rareté et son prix prohibitif. Néanmoins, rancio, pomme verte, des bulles fines, légères notes pâtissières. 90 sur 100
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12/9/2020 - Burgnick Likes this wine: 93 Points
Disgorged on June 20 2005. Base wine is either 1995 or 1996 with oldest wine being 1986. Incredibly youthful which takes an hour plus to express its mousse, custard, nut fruit, caramel and cake. While it is initially one-dimensional and quiet, it becomes deep, explosive and vibrant with abundant acidity and verve. 93-94
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12/5/2020 - steinersing wrote: 96 Points
Great energy and extrovert - very impressed
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11/7/2020 - Voodoo_Champagne Likes this wine: 100 Points
Joe Biden is Substance, so what else to do , pop it and like it we did, like the new President.
Solera 1986-2010 deg.11/12/2017, my last bottle, not buying anymore, was great.
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11/4/2020 - _water.into.wine_ Likes this wine: 93 Points
30 Oct 2018 disgorgement. Solera back to 1985. Nuts and marzipan. Classic Selosse. A meal in itself! No formal notes but wanting to document having this. From DrK
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10/23/2020 - _water.into.wine_ Likes this wine: 93 Points
Served blind and thought Selosse. This was absolutely massive. Oxidative in style and whilst the maker was obvious, I called blanc des Noirs due to the size and structure. This was even better with air as it softens and smoothens out. Disgorged in 2012 with reserve wines back to 1986. From SJW
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10/7/2020 - jchan1 wrote: 94 Points
Disgorged 23 December 2003. Yeasty / biscuity aromatics. Deep, oxidative white-burgundy like palate. Elegant mousse and classy finish. A bold champagne that I need to study more closely within the context of multiple disgorgements.
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10/7/2020 - hprphf wrote: 94 Points
23 December 2008.
Baked apple, orange, chamomile, caramel. Superb energy, soil, sharp acidity and long finish. The big of age really made the difference. 94-95
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10/4/2020 - javierbb Likes this wine: 96 Points
Degüelle Abril 2007
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9/10/2020 - hprphf wrote: 93 Points
2 Juillet 2017.
Just stretching its young self, very pure, energetic and structured. 93
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8/21/2020 - kaifas wrote: 94 Points
Dinner with Anna & Calle 2020-08-20: Deg april 2019
Wonderful
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7/24/2020 - Hanibal Likes this wine: 94 Points
How not to like this ! LOL
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7/11/2020 - RolfT wrote: 93 Points
2017 disgorgement
Another beautiful substance.
A bit on the young side. Save.
93+
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5/30/2020 - vinkeger wrote: 94 Points
Gylden gul. Rik og oksidativ stil. Kompleks. Gul nedfallsfrukt. Kamfer. Grønn te. Svak mint. Massiv i munn. Intens og med vanvittig konsentrasjon. Kompleks også her. Hasselnøtter, sødmefull gul frukt, sitrus. Nydelig sammenvevd og integrert. Lang!
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5/29/2020 - Voodoo_Champagne Likes this wine:
This wine is the best of A.Selosse, so pure, minerals and a fantastic finish with a unique balance a freshness. No oxidative notes anymore .
Solera 1986-2009, deg. 21/11/2016
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5/24/2020 - MWiking wrote: 94 Points
deg september 2013.
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5/3/2020 - Jowh wrote: 96 Points
Gogged february 2015. Never drink a Selosse before its 5 years past its gogging.
Extremely expressive nose. Marzipan and orange zest the most notable. The rest of the crew thought it showed tertiary characters but I disagreed vehemently.
Sadly it faded quite fast in the glass after 30 minutes.
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4/29/2020 - Ltim BE Likes this wine: 95 Points
Disgorged 31/03/2015
Amazing champagne, stewed fruits and fino sherry oxidation. Complex and refined. Stunning.
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4/10/2020 - Mrboudin wrote: 94 Points
Not as good as the previous bottle
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3/20/2020 - Martin Max Likes this wine: 96 Points
degorgement 2010, wonderfull solera style, oxidative champagne.
incredibly complex and layered, I love it.
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3/11/2020 - _water.into.wine_ Likes this wine: 92 Points
Disgorgement date of 23/11/2011. Gold to Amber. Medium bubbles. Baked apples and honey. Mushrooms. Medium sweetness. Medium to high acidity. Medium bodied. Medium finish. Structured. Sharp with a slight bitterness. Complex. I called Selosse when served blind due to oxidative style. Ready to drink now.
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2/20/2020 - Derek Darth Taster wrote: 95 Points
30 bday session at Maison Dakota. Tasted blind. Drank over 3 hours. Drank in Gabriel Standart.
Appearance is clear, deep intensity, gold colour. Thin legs. Fine frothy bubbles.
Nose medium+ intensity, with aromas of oxidative nuttiness, toast, marzipan, rich red apples, golden apples, honey, cream. Developed.
On the palate, dry, real high acidity (I got some reflux despite the pasta & pizza), medium- alcohol (12.5%), medium+ body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with rolling flavours of rich red apples, glorious golden apples, yellow peaches honeyed almond nuts, toast, caramel cream, all that minerality locked somewhere within. With more air, and drunken thoughts - this really reminds me of a youth camp bonfire. Vibratingly long finish.
Disgorged January 2014.
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2/10/2020 - aquacongas Likes this wine: 98 Points
not blind, disg 01/14
In perfect shape. The most complex wine of Selosse. A bit oxidation that gives depth and length but always with a brutal acidity and refreshing Lemon in the finish. Roasted pinenut, almonds, Lemon, orange peel. Creamy without being too fat. At least 5-8 years bottle aging are perfect to all Selosse wines in my opinion. 97-98
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2/8/2020 - jkoenen wrote: 96 Points
An evening with Sine Qua Non 3.0 (Restaurant Bottles, Sas van Gent): Deg. 25/03/16
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1/27/2020 - fizz wrote:
2016 Disgorgement.
Bright, mid gold. Honey, yeast and sherry oxidation on the nose. Palate is so bright and balanced. Lemon, nutty, stone fruits. Mineral notes. Delicious.
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1/22/2020 - Jammy Wine wrote: 90 Points
Not all Selosse Substance develops in the same manner as the 2009 disgorgement, this 2012 disgorgement Substance is fully mature and is already showing first signs of tiredness. Not tasted blind - Fully mature nose of dried apricots, sherry and ripe citrus fruits. Full bodied with good ripeness, a powerful Substance but needs to be consumed soon. (90/100)
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1/1/2020 - tcosgriff Likes this wine: 95 Points
Orange color with a bouquet and flavor of dilute balsamic vinegar, very typical of older Champagne, with dry apple and some steely notes as well. Very rich and deep with lovely acidity. Very good balance with a very long finish. Small bubbles. Wonderful wine to match the lobster, and caviar, our traditional New Years repast.
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12/31/2019 - Voodoo_Champagne Likes this wine:
Enjoyed over 2 hours, was initially very closed, but became more developed with some old apples, cinnamon and exotic fruits like peach.
In the beginning some oxidative notes that got away, great bottle, deg. 09/03/2016 , solera 1986-2008. Had a fresh acidic background which made it elegant and delicious.Happy New Year everybody from Copenhagen.
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12/12/2019 - Elvis1969 wrote: 92 Points
Degorged in 2014.
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11/8/2019 - champagne99 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Provade ett glas på Sthlm Food & Wine.
Flaskan är deggad i juli 2017 och öppnades upp strax före vi skulle prova den. Självklart skulle den må bäst av mer tid, både i källaren och i glaset, men det hade vi inte nu. Jag lät den ändå få vila en liten stund i glaset för doften var verkligen härlig. Det är en BdB - Solera - där äldsta årgången är 1986.
Mörkgul/guldig i färgen. Små fina bubblor. Härlig doft som sagt, lite rökig nästan, bränt med tyngd, hö/halm? Den smälter nästan i munnen med en viss syra som inte alls tar över. Inte så distinkt blommig som många andra BdB, honung och "gyllene". Ligger länge i munnen på ett mycket bra sätt. Redan nu mycket bra och väldigt glad att jag fick prova den!
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11/4/2019 - Trydebull wrote: 93 Points
Helblint 191013 Skåne BYOB
Mörkt gul
Doften ger parfym, mogen banan, skumbanan, hyacint (Det här måste bara vara Selosse...)
Smaken - Mogna päron, bra syra, balanserad, mjölkchocklad
Gott - framförallt efter tre timmar och framåt när den öppnar något
Visade sig såklart vara Selosse. Substance. Deg december 2016
Borde fått vila fem år till minst - men alltid en ren lycka att få inmundiga!
93+++
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10/21/2019 - BURGHen Boy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Rustic start, Madeira flavor profile jumps out then oxidize sherry notes abound. Settles into a nice long bold finish with a fine Sauternes sweetness and spice. Unique in style
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10/21/2019 - Darjeeling Likes this wine: 96 Points
Not my style of champagne, but I did enjoy its different flavor profile. Nutty; apple, white bread - yeasty, feel the layers of flavor and vintages combining. Enjoyable due to the difference of oxidativative style. Not personally my style of champagne, but the effort put into the thoughtful wine shines through and its fun to drink something that doesn’t hit your palate, but is so well done that it shines.
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10/6/2019 - Burgaddict wrote:
Degorgement 2010. Great Substance, balanced, reductive and acidity tones, very long finish. Enjoyed glass after glass and suddenly the bottle was empty.
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9/7/2019 - Kim Gerner wrote: 93 Points
Jacques Selosse - semi blind horisontal and vertical tasting (14 wines) (Nordsjaelland): BdB Solera principle. Disgorged 6/2017. Extremely nice aromas. Fresh and slightly oxidative at the same time. Brioche, toffee and a little sherry-like, but not too much. Med finish. Fresher than usually from Selosse. 93++
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8/28/2019 - RolfT wrote: 95 Points
Disgorged 2008. Wow. Such a massive and dense wine. Dessert wine almost. Fully ripe and at a peak. Faded a bit in glas 30+ min in. Almost wish we had drank this a aperitif instead of the V.O. and saved the V.O. for the meal instead.
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8/25/2019 - the godfather wrote:
just your typically mind blowing Selosse. This one had quite a bit of oxidation, tremendous complexity, and oh so food friendly. LOVE
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8/17/2019 - mjdixon Likes this wine: 90 Points
Not really my style.
Has a sherry taste whereas I like the brioche/lemony style.
Nice if you like that...
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8/10/2019 - acyso wrote: 93 Points
Disgorged December 4, 2008. Caramel colour -- and it smells and tastes the way it looks. From the pop and pour: quintessential old chardonnay smells: slightly mushroomy, a bit bready, and fairly nutty too. There's a hint of orange peel, coffee, and caramel as well. The palate is quite intense, but there are certainly some sherry/madeira oxidative qualities here. Nonetheless, this is extremely complex, and it's abundantly clear that this is a wine that will need lots of air to open up. Tons of acidity and chalk.
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8/9/2019 - fcxj wrote: 90 Points
2008 disgorgement. Orange gold. Quite oxidative style.
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7/29/2019 - Jowh wrote: 97 Points
Gogged October 2009. Absolutely stunning substance. TN in line with previous note but even more powerful and long. Unfortunately served slightly too warm but that’s what happens when you’re thirsty.
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7/12/2019 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 94 Points
2006 disgorgement. Golden yellow. Ripe golden delicious apple, honey, brioche notes. Still lively in its levels of acidity and mousse. The oxidative style was a bit polarizing to our tasting group- some loved, others disliked. Certainly this sits at the far end of the spectrum. Terrific tonight- room for further maturation.
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7/8/2019 - Ms. Bubblehead Likes this wine:
Disgorged in 2016. Not much different view vs my previous notes, it was expressive, mineral, light yeasty toasty sensation and along with very nice and ripe raspberry fruits and solid acidity, particularly concentrated on mid to back palate. Another great bottle, just love it.
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6/16/2019 - fcxj wrote: 92 Points
Kelley Jura. Rich, yeasty.
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6/9/2019 - LWI wrote: 93 Points
60-års dag og blinsmaking: Blind. Deg. 2013. modne glassepler, svak kaffe, noe kamfer -- men en ren og flott duft; lang og intens, utvikler seg i glasset. Veldig fin vin!
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5/27/2019 - Jammy Wine Likes this wine: 95 Points
Tasted blind - The combination of oxidative ripe stone fruits, oak spices and cream soda reminds me of no other producer except for Jacques Selosse. It’s oxidative style is so unique even his ‘disciples’ cannot imitate. Though the tricky part about blind tasting Selosse is to guess the grape variety, especially with their Substance, which was aged in Solera system. I mistaken the richness of the red berry fruits for Pinot Noir. Selosse? Le Bout de Clos? disgorged in 2016? (95/100)
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5/11/2019 - Kim Gerner wrote: 92 Points
Jacques Selosse - horizontal tasting with Anselme Selosse (L'Esprit du Vin Copenhagen): Latest disgorging. Med. gold colour. Aromas are very nice like Version Originale but more refined and elegant. Nutty, brioche and bread dough. Develops in the glass and gets more and more oxidative but in a good
more slow and controlled way than Version Original and Initial.
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5/11/2019 - RolfT Likes this wine: 94 Points
Disgorged 30 Oct 2018 - 2009 base?
Deep, tropical, honeyed, very selosse - yummi. Lacking a bit on the mid palate. Can drink now. Among the top three wines of the tasting. My second time tasting a Substance - this time a clear step up from the Initial and V.O. 94+
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5/3/2019 - Voodoo_Champagne Likes this wine:
Golden color, nose mature apples, mature peach and espresso coffee, taste a touch of apples with a ginger afterglow, amazing long aftertaste, a masterpiece.
Solera 1986-2007, disgorged 25/02/2015.
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4/27/2019 - mflesh wrote: 95 Points
Compared to a 2008 Bollinger Grand Annee, the complexity here and overall mouthfeel outdid the Bolly. I was wondering what everyone was crowding around in the back room, but quickly figured it out. Pours to a light pale straw hue. Nose of creme brulee and cashew. Entry with small bubbles. Very oxidative style and does not care what you think about that! Does not have high acid. I was getting peaches and pears, with a nice oxidative bready creaminess with a rather smooth and long tiny bubble finish. Wow. Not sure I've ever had a Champagne like this.
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4/20/2019 - lifebreath wrote: 93 Points
Disgorged Jan 2015. Nutty, complex and dry, slightly oxidative with underlying sweet note. Benefited from some exposure to air.
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4/20/2019 - aquacongas Likes this wine: 97 Points
Chablis and Champagne Weekend; 4/17/2019-4/21/2019 (Au bon Manger, Ingo's castle, Rocaille, Le Pot d'Etain): Not blind, degorged 2015
One of the best, maybe the best I had. Everything what you want from "The Papa". Minimal oxidative style, fresh, orange peel, dried fruit, candied lemon, roasted pinenuts, honey and long clean finish. 97+
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4/2/2019 - AV2012 wrote: 93 Points
(disg.2015)
Coffee - so much of it in fact! Some oxidative note, soft, juicy, fruity and buttery, also some exotic fruits. So much is happening here, pure joy! Loved it.
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4/2/2019 - acyso wrote: 95 Points
Comprehensive Selosse (Chicago, IL): Disgorged November 2017. Alongside the nutty oxidative elements is a fume of reductiveness that goes away when you swirl this a lot. Of the "base" cuvees, this was my favourite, as it clearly showed the most complexity and depth. If you really want to get an idea of what Selosse is about, I think this would be the most archetypical example. The breadth and power, coupled with the brown, nutty, oxidative elements, but with acidity that is so vibrant and zesty...
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3/8/2019 - LWI wrote: 94 Points
Deg. 2017. Rather closed at first but open up considerably with air; smoke and nuts on the nose, minerals; fresh, structured, long and intense, quite a mouthful after a while. Promising.
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3/5/2019 - Ms. Bubblehead Likes this wine:
Selosse Substance disgorged 2016
Blind tasted it, guessed it was 2016 disgorged Substance. :D It showed strong characteristics of Selosse wines, that lingering acidity, expressive and oxidative fruits style, richer body structure and complex texture with strong minerals, gave the sense that it was Selosse. However, Despite being oxidative, it was pretty fresh on the nose, still got some exotic white flowers and fresh citrus peel, felt that it must be pretty recent disgorgement wines. Anyway, another excellent work from selosse.
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3/2/2019 - robertek wrote: 92 Points
A little disappointed this time.
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2/14/2019 - hprphf wrote: 95 Points
09-07-2018.
Yeast, sea, meat, chestnut, caramel, apricots, spice, herbs, iodine, honey, candid fruit, lemon. Intensively oxidative, deep nose with a long, broad and textured palate. With time this will be quite interesting. 95
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2/9/2019 - eschaefer wrote: 91 Points
Very good. Deeper golden color. Rich texture. Aromas of Buttered rum candy and sourdough toast. Long finish. Fruit profile leans toward ripe apple and pear. Delicious overall. Highly recommend.
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2/2/2019 - Ms. Bubblehead Likes this wine:
Disgorged in 2016. A bit young at this stage, although oxidative style it offers freshness and floral sensation, on the palate, acidity was quite crisp, modestly nutty and yeasty, red berries foam and various minerals. Personally I like Substance with a bit more age post disgorgement, as the wine typically gains a lot more weight and layers and the acidity will be even more focused, I will wait for a coupe more years to open another Substance that disgorged in 2016.
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1/5/2019 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
November 2017 disgorgement. Immediately accessible with complex notes of baked apple, brioche, grilled nuts and orchard fruits. There's a core of pure peach fruit and delicious brown spice nuance. It is full, rich creamy and powerful. Length is great and loaded with chalk.
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12/30/2018 - Burgnick Likes this wine: 92 Points
Disgorged in Feb 2014. Breadcrumb, brioche, and yellow fruit. Deep and powerful but lacking a bit of acidity and vibrancy for a very good substance.
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11/17/2018 - acyso wrote: 95 Points
Nebbiolos, white truffles, Volume III (Chicago, IL): Disgorged Oct. 22, 2010. I had a single-vineyard Selosse early this year from a similar disgorgement date, but I found this to be the better wine by far. Yes, it's still nutty and sherry-y and oxidative, but I felt that this didn't feel as tired as the aforementioned Carelles. Plenty of salinity, nuts, and browned apples, but still sufficient acidity for the freshness to show. Presumably pinot heavy -- I never remember the stats and I always rely on my unreliable palate to tell me the cepage.
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11/10/2018 - appel54 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Lite mörkare gul färg, pigg mousse
Smörigt, ek, röda mustiga äpplen, äppelcider, vaniljkex
Runt, bra syra, fet även i munnen, väldigt härlig längd.
En champagne som växer med mer tid i glaset. Dock inte den bästa Selosse jag druckit.
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11/9/2018 - BSA wrote: 92 Points
Deg 03/10/2011. As much as I still (and will for always) remember my first Substance, an epic and completely mind boggling experience, there is now to me so much more pleasure and excitement to be drawn from Selosse’s Intials and VO with some age. I need to remember this rather than thinking that another bottle of Substance may take me back to that first encounter. Because it never does really. 92p on my enjoyment scale.
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11/2/2018 - hajoha wrote: 95 Points
Vidunderlig duft på denne!
Rik med sødmefulle epler, florale toner, krydder og syltet appelsinskall.
Høy intensitet.
Livlig mousse.
Sleggekraft i anslaget - svær frukt med nydelig modning.
Med en ypperlig syrestrek.
Kraft med en dråpe eleganse.
Veldig sterk kurve - holder koken helt til slutt.
Sitter imponerende lenge med en pen miks av modningstoner, mineralitet og syre.
Hele munnhulen får kjørt seg.
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11/2/2018 - Jowh Likes this wine: 95 Points
Gogged 26.2.2015
Smoky. Orange zest. Rich. Marzipan.
Very solid concentration. Long and broad. Maybe the most broad shouldered Selosse I have ever drunk. Toasty ending. Youthful.
Doesn’t last too long in the glass. Fades and acidity contracts and becomes more hollow.
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10/26/2018 - MaxSiegel Likes this wine: 98 Points
June 2012 disgorgement. A stunning Substance. Like a sparkling Meursault Perrieres.
Has all of the richness, complexity, and power I associate with this wine, but with tremendous elegance and a fair amount of freshness, despite the oxidative flavors. A wide variety of caramelized fruits and dessert flavors, plus abundant nuttiness and some floral notes. Even takes on some minty and peppery qualities. Toasty and yeasty notes underneath all of this. Its origins in Avize are evident from the first whiff and come through in the combination of creaminess and minerality on the palate.
Six years out seems like an ideal moment to drink this. Better closer to cellar temperature than chilled. Evolves substantially after opening.
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10/23/2018 - Ms. Bubblehead Likes this wine:
Three Substance wines side by side, interesting comparison of different disgorgement years - 2008 vs 2014 vs 2016.
2008 - golden brown color, clearly the modest oxidative among the three. on the nose, toasted almond, walnut, caramelised apple, extremely nutty, baked honey, modest yeasty, it was very complex on the nose, on the palate, caramelised dried flowers, a touch of asia spices, roasted walnut, treenut, and toffee. The acidity was still quite vinbrant and dynamics on the mid to back palate. Wow! What a wine.
2014 -light yellow color, the most elegant among the three, drank very well on its own, but not as refined / complex as compare to 2016 and 2008 disgorgement wines. On the nose, white flowers, Canadian honey, mint, rosemary, citrus fruits, on the palate, white fruits along with citrus peel and lemon zest, acidity seems slightly higher along with lighter body weight. Still an awesome wine but I prefer 2008/2016.
2016 - medium yellow color, fresh roasted almond, white flowers cream, modest sense of toffee and baked salted nuts, light butter almond cake, on the palate, citrus flavour macaron, light yellow fruits, peppery spice, the bubbles were the most refined among the three, I would say it offers the highest complexity on the nose and the palate among the three, see great ageing potential ahead.
10/22 dinner - Selosse Substance (disgorgement years 2008, 2014, 2016) and JJ Confuron RSV (2000, 2001, 2011 vintages) dinner with BurgNick and The Littlehorse. All 6 wines tonight were beautiful.
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10/22/2018 - Burgnick Likes this wine: 93 Points
Disgorged in Oct 2014. Very deep and powerful substance that was overshadowed by the 08 and 16 disgorgrment with less finesse. The bubbles were also less refined than the 16 given both of them were young champagne. This bottle tasted a little older its true age. It tasted more like a superb VO than a benchmark substance tonight. Again, when you compare different disgorgement side by side, it creates a first world problem.
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10/22/2018 - Burgnick Likes this wine: 95 Points
Disgorged in Sep 2008. Very nutty with caramelized fruit, creme brulee, and grilled hazelnut. Lots if complexity and finesse. The aging certainly helped unwrapping all the layers. Superb. The finish was expansive and long. It was the oldest disgorged substance I had.
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10/22/2018 - Burgnick Likes this wine: 94 Points
Disgorged in Nov 2016. Cake, perfume, apricot, peach, salt and lemon peel. Very refined and complicated. We decanted half bottle in the decanter and left half in the bottle. It had more bubble and power in the bottle while the bottle was more elegant.
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10/13/2018 - Ms. Bubblehead Likes this wine:
Disgorged in November 2016. Super aromatic, honey roasted almond, raw walnut, rubbed whiite flowers, salt minerated lemon peel and citrus foam, on the palate, generous white and yellow fruits, quite tangy, precise and focused acidity, modest pepper spice sensation on the finish, the finish was very long and compact. Love it.
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9/29/2018 - nphase Likes this wine: 93 Points
Missed the disgorgement date. PNP, super oxidative upon initial pour. Probably could have used a decant. Extremely fine bubbles, huge sherry and nut presence, but with a strong acidic backbone. Somewhat of a reddish twinge to the golden tones in the glass, but that could just be the lighting at RPM Steak. About an hour in, the wine starts to show itself: baked apple, mushrooms, twinges of orange honey. Very obviously a Solera.
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9/19/2018 - Elvis1969 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Deg mars 2016. Julgodis. Lika bra som alltid.
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9/15/2018 - Voodoo_Champagne Likes this wine:
Solera Tasting of Lieux-dits ended with Substance deg. 12/2014, contains 1986-2007 Chardonnay.Color slight golden, nose almonds citrus, sherry notes of oxidative kind some saltiness behind, taste is big and full dryness in the background. Completely harmony through all those years, later a massive train of apples arrives to make it even more complex. My best Substance ever.
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9/8/2018 - Ms. Bubblehead Likes this wine:
Disgorged in August 2016. Another classic Selosse's beauty. Fragrant on the nose with white flowers, almond, spices, stony fruits and natural walnut, on the palate, very smooth acidity and solid backbone with generous fruits and minerality to support it. It continued to evolve over next 3 hours of drinking. Very complex with lots of dynamics. What a great wine !
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8/17/2018 - forceberry wrote: 97 Points
100% Chardonnay from two organically grown plots in Avize: Les Chantereines and Les Marvillanness. Made with a solera method, where the wine to be bottled is drawn off from a stainless steel tank, topped off with reserve wine from oak barrels (70% new according to some sources), which are in turn filled with the wine from the most recent vintage. Selosse's solera was started in 1986, so the wine should still contain all the vintages from the past 30-or-so-years (although in diminishing quantities with all the older ones). The amount that's drawn off is normally at 22%, so logically the newest vintage makes up of 22% of the reserve wine aging in oak barrels. To my best understanding, this wine still remains the only true solera Champagne, as all the other "solera Champagnes" are actually perpetual reserves made from wines kept in single barrels which are always drawn off and replenished with the most recent vintage, lacking the multi-tier system a true solera requires. After having been bottled from the tank, Substance is normally kept on the lees approximately 6 years. This specific bottle is disgorged on 1st of October 2015.
Medium deep straw yellow color. Very complex nose that is all about oxidative nuances: chopped nuts, oaky creaminess, some bruised apples, a little bit of browned butter, light smoky tones, a hint of stony minerality and a touch of very ripe citrus fruits. Immensely attractive - I find no aldehydic Sherried notes whatsoever of which Selosse has been criticized by some Champagne critics. The wine is moderately full-bodied and expansive, yet bone-dry and surprisingly weightless on the palate for the style. There are very intense and immensely complex flavors of steely minerality, bruised ripe apples, panna cotta, some buttery tones, a little bit of wizened citrus tones, a hint of caramel and an oceanic touch of saline tang. The wine is high in acidity, as a good Blanc de Blancs shouls be, and the mousse feels very smooth, fine and gentle with good persistence. The finish is extremely long, complex and pretty oxidative in style with intense flavors of steely minerality, chopped nuts, some tart Granny Smith apples, a little bit of peanut butter, light creamy notes of oak, hints of saline minerality and chalky bitterness and a touch of baked apple.
A wine contrasting beautifully the playfulness, surprisingly light body and pronounced minerality of a young Blanc de Blancs to an expansive, muscular and moderately oxidative notes of a well-aged, mature Champagne. A fascinating experience that reminds me a lot of the wonderful, oxidatively made wines of Krug and Bollinger, but in a more poised, lighter and mineral style - it's astounding how light and ridiculously drinkable this kind of big, complex and oxidative Champagne can be. Furthermore, I really don't understand the Selosse critique of some Champagnes - although oxidative, this wine is by no means oxidized in any way, there are no sherried tones and even the oak character feels very judicious. Overall a riveting Blanc de Blancs with stunning depth. A true hallmark for the oxidatively made Champagne style. I'm not sure if the wine (or any wine) is worth the 180€, but if there is no competition and people are happily willing to pay, I guess the wine is priced according to its quality. Very highly recommended.
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8/1/2018 - Derek Darth Taster wrote: 95 Points
Drank slowly over dinner at Basilico. Bottled disgorged 18 May 2017.
Appearance is clear, medium intensity, gold colour. Legs. Fine bubbles.
Nose medium+ intensity, with aromas of honey, toast, almond nuts, citrus lemon curd, chalky limestone minerality, salty saline minerals, caramel cream, slight Sherry, iodine. Developing.
On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium- alcohol (12.5%), medium+ body. Pronounced flavour intensity, with mouth-filling flavours of toasty almond nuts, honey, citrus lemon curd, orange pulp, apricot, salty saline and iodine, chalky limestone minerality. Very long finish. More Sherry-like with more air.
Outstanding quality. Rich complex powerful champagne. Oxidative style for sure, balanced off with loads of other stuff and that lovely high acidic lift.. Wow. Got better with air.
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7/15/2018 - stefad Likes this wine: 96 Points
Nez type oxydatif sur curry, noix, foin, salin.
En bouche jus suave et plein, belle matière riche, palais sur la noix, longueur incroyable sur la salinité avec belle fraîcheur portée par une acidité bien maîtrisée.
Grande sève !
Superbe cuvée. 96/100
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7/9/2018 - Ms. Bubblehead Likes this wine:
Disgorged May 2017. Every time I open a Selosse Substance, makes the day special. Such an unique and almost irreplaceable moment when having the wine, it is bold with intensity but compact and enjoyable. Bright golden color, on the nose, strong yeasty, nutty, with some Sherry sensation, but balanced with minerality and freshness; on the palate, it is dynamic and lingering acidity, minerated lemon, dried apricots, hazelnut, and roasted almond. Would be interesting to do a Substance dinner with different disgorgement dates.
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7/3/2018 - LW31 Likes this wine:
September 2013 disgorgement. Wonderful balance and depth. Classic bottling from Selosse, one that perhaps best represents who he is as a wine-maker. Gains in complexity and depth with air. Bravo.
NB: I could not really tell difference between this and the July 2013 disgorgement I had a few years ago (probably my failure as a taster!).
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6/24/2018 - RolfT Likes this wine: 96 Points
2007 disgorgement.
Awesome wine - I love these old Selosse with lots of bottle age.
I have a hard time registering a huge leap in quality between this NV and the two lesser - Initial and VO. All three have been quite wonderful to taste every time Ive tasted them.
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6/8/2018 - Jowh Likes this wine: 93 Points
First impression is the acidity. It's like Coutelas 1809 on an acid trip. Really firm and strong acidity. Really present. Feels kind of old and tired at the same time.
After 1 hour it improves. The acidity feel recedes somewhat. Minerality and smokiness appears. The former disjointed parts become a part of the whole.
Disgorged september 2013. Should be prime but I would wait longer with this disgorgement.
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6/7/2018 - dcwino wrote: 94 Points
2006 RC and 2006 DRC Montrachet dinner - Stanley Cup Final (Proof Restaurant - Washington DC): More oxidize/sherry than the last few bottles. Very complex Amaretti and Fino dominating nose, a hint of lemon, strong yeast and dark spices. Fully integrated palate, subtle citrus and oxidized apple peel driven palate impression, bright acidity, medium abundant fine mousse, earthy mineral and a medium to long Fino and Amaretti driven finish.
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6/5/2018 - Superjojo57 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Superbe Champagne sur de légères notes oxydatives typiques de Selosse, à la fois riche et très sec, j'adore, quelle complexité.
Dégorgement 2012
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6/2/2018 - Zunga Likes this wine: 91 Points
2008 disgorgement. This bottle was extremely dark in color. I would describe it like copper. The wine itself had an apricot and honey flavor which I had not experienced with this wine before. It did pair very well with the food.
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5/7/2018 - ESTEELE90 Likes this wine:
Blind tasting. Brief note. Deep golden yellow in the glass. Nicely oxidized nuttiness that doesn't poke out like a sore thumb, red apple skin, yes, rich lees, and fine powdery chalk. Finish is a bit autolytic and nutty while still maintaining and very focused freshness with lemon and apple coming through. Upon revealing I was shocked that this didn't show the same way my first experience earlier in the week showed, however, with a fair amount of time the next glass came around to show what my previous note details. I could nose this all day long. Seems to be slight bottle variation so would suggest leaving this open for a long while before drinking to let it air out. It really needs it. Huge thanks to Bryan for bringing this. It appears lightning can strike twice (and in the same week no less!)
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5/6/2018 - EMichels wrote: 93 Points
Nice nose - interesting; Tastes older; Slight oxidation; Gold color; Great complexity; Nutty
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5/6/2018 - mrbry83 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Probably the best champagne I've ever had, leaps above Krug GC and Taittinger Comtes. PnP'ed - initially you can definitely tell it's got age on it with the color and nutty/oxidativeness on the nose/palate and so much complexity going on and with robust acids to balance. Nose has that oxidative brioche. Palate is very balanced, right in my wheelhouse being not too oxidized/nutty. However - about 2-3 hrs later, this thing went into another gear. Nose just blossomed like a crazy white burg with white flowers, light citrus fruits, minerality. Palate was similar to a white burg too, oxidation went into the background and juicy fruity acidity came to the forefront. A wow wine. 2015 disgorgement date.
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5/6/2018 - fred o. Likes this wine:
500th note -- thanks esteele90 for the motivation, and MrBry83 for the very generous treat. Dark golden color. Nose nutty, hint of honey. Palate nutty, oxidative, but golden florals/honey flavor, great acidity with a green apple note, nice silky texture. Deep, intense, unique, amazing stuffing here. In a word, wonderful. 96 pts, WOTD for me
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5/4/2018 - Burgundy Al wrote: 91 Points
La Fête de La Paulée in Chicago (Formento's - Chicago IL): 2016 disgorgement. Rich and powerful, this is forward and extremely pleasurable, albeit in its oxidative style. I'd think this best to enjoy young.
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5/4/2018 - nihraguk Likes this wine: 97 Points
Citrus and salinity on the nose, with some brioche notes peeking through. On the palate, long and complex, with honey, brioche, cheesecake among other things. March 2016 disgorgement. Eye-opening and brilliant.
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5/1/2018 - ESTEELE90 Likes this wine:
Boneyard Fried Chicken and Bubbles with the Boys (Sherman Oaks): At dinner. Brief note. 2015 disgorgement. 1986 base. This is on another level of champagne and the house style is so unique it cannot be compared to other champagnes. Nose and palate show fine herbs, muddled dill, peeled button mushrooms, alpine air, fern trees, an oxidative kaleidoscope that's a little nutty and a little autolytic. Then all of a sudden your transported to a flower bed full of geraniums, rosy florals, and honeysuckle. Crunchy red apple skins start to poke through with some almond meal, mountains of salinity and crushed oyster shells. The freshness of this wine cannot be stated enough. It is mind boggling how this maintains two spectrums of freshness and oxidation in such good balance. This was the single most revelatory bottle of champagne I've ever had. Huge thanks to EG for bringing it!
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4/30/2018 - tcarter Likes this wine: 99 Points
This was my first Selosse, but I hope it won't be my last. Spectacular, transcendent stuff. Completely vibrant and youthful, but the flavors had that wonderful oxidized thing happening of a very old champagne. Such an interesting contrast. Absolutely loved this. Too bad it's such a unicorn wine and hard to come by.
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4/9/2018 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
A May 2017 disgorgement. The solera for this features wines from 1986 to 2008 inclusive, with 8% of the blend being 2008. It is complex, showing some green apple, crème patissiere, lemon, Turkish delight and salt. It is all Avize Chardonnay and has such authority whilst preserving elements of beauty.
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3/13/2018 - Mrboudin Likes this wine: 94 Points
Amazing
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3/7/2018 - Burgaddict wrote:
Degorgement August 2013. Good drinking Substance, concentration, fruitiness, minerality, oxidative tones. However this is not singing as some examples of Substance do. A lesser example or a bad phase?
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2/10/2018 - Pavan wrote: 93 Points
Dégorgé Oct 2007 and showing age. Colour of Sherry, vital yet virtually no bubbles, full-bodied with an oxidated twist
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1/6/2018 - CamWheeler wrote: 94 Points
SLDS January BBQ: Dec 2015 disgorgement. Lemon, orange, sea spray, mineral and white floral notes. Really twangy palate, with excellent acidity kicking through. Great texture and freshness, with layered complexity already. Excellent wine.
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12/24/2017 - gendrideal wrote: 89 Points
Usually my favourite champagne, but this bottle disgorged in 2006 was way too oxydized.
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11/25/2017 - Hamersly wrote: 94 Points
Just wonderful with very fine bubbles, a yeasty nose and a beautiful dry finish.
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10/31/2017 - aquacongas Likes this wine: 98 Points
Wahnsinn pur. So gigantisch frisch. Viele monieren, dass ältere Selosse Degorgements oxidieren würden. Ich habe bestimmt schon über 50 Selosse Weine genießen dürfen und abgesehen von 1!! Flasche kann ich dieses Problem nicht bestätigen. Im Gegenteil sie gewinnen an Frische, Länge und Komplexizität. Orangenschalen, Yuzu, reife Grapefruit, dazu etwas Melone, Tabak, Vanille und orientalische Gewürze. Dabei immer präzise und erfrischend. Rytis Jurkenas nennt ihn Papa. Das zu Recht. Für mich bleibt Anselme das Maß aller Dinge beim Champagner. Je oller desto doller. 98+
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10/14/2017 - drwine2001 wrote:
Birthday Dinner for a Vintage 1970 Friend (San Francisco): Disgorged October, 2014. Deep yellow, transient mousse. Caramel and nuts. Full, sappy, dry, tart, sherried, and herbal. Much too extreme in the oxidative vein for me to enjoy.
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10/7/2017 - Burgaddict wrote:
Leiden visits Fitzgerald Restaurant in Rotterdam for 50 year Anniversary: Degorgement March 2015. I always love drinking the champagne. The combination of oxidative tones and fresh, sweet, nutty, fruity tones is very appealing. Opens up further in the glass. Again very special.
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9/27/2017 - bengemarräng Likes this wine: 95 Points
Disgorged 12 December 2004
Fantastic mousse, acidity with layer after layer of mature apples and concentrated citrus. Evolves into a deep autumny mushroom forest on the nose. Feels very fresh and could easily stay five years in the cellar.
I do believe Selosse's wines should be drank with ≈10 or more years cellaring.
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9/19/2017 - LW31 Likes this wine:
December 2008 disgorgement. Another bottle of this disgorgement, similar notes as before, but this was even darker (like an amontillado), touch more oxidative with complex, savory notes. Really elegant and thoughtful wine.
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8/24/2017 - Patrik H Likes this wine: 95 Points
Deg. May 2014
Golden
On the nose, Horseradish, oxidation, nougat, marzipan, white flowers and a hint of sherry
On the palate, Much fruit, apple, sherry, marzipan
Long finish
Same as prevoius, a brilliant champagne but you have to like the oxidized tones.
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8/4/2017 - abh wrote:
2009 disgorgement. Amazing how this combines oxidiative character with freshness. Really shouldn't be possible. Quite different to the much younger bottle that's the only other time I've had this. So many layers..
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7/31/2017 - Vinum Deorum wrote: 98 Points
Best Substance I've had until now (drunk around 20 occasions). Rich, creamy, very slightly oxidised, aromas of butter, brioche, cashew nuts, orange peel. Incredibly long and complex. Reminds me of a top Batard-Montrachet, with refined and light bubbles in it. A vibrant and gorgeous "vin de Champagne".
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7/15/2017 - retired_and_roving Likes this wine:
Q3 - 2017 Tasting - Champagne & Caviar - OH MY!! (New York, NY): Wine 12/17 tasted blind - (disgorged Jan-2014) must admit I tried this wine twice and got distracted in conversation both times and failed to take notes. I have an indication that I enjoyed it, but not much else. This is a shame as this was one of the ones I brought and I was really excited to try it. Group voted 2 pennies.
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7/15/2017 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Champagne & Caviar: a lesson in decadence (The Apt): Wine #12: The issue with this tasting is there just weren't enough pennies. I had in my notes that this was a pretty good champagne. Lots of nuttiness and toastiness to it. Also some hints of spice which I found I really liked. Good wine. (2 pennies)
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7/10/2017 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Disgorged in 2006 this was fabulous. The nose had some struck match, grilled nuts, and white mushroom. The palate was intense and deep yet possessed real finesse. The finish was so chalky and long.
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7/5/2017 - Burgaddict wrote:
Degorgement 2015. Wow. This is very special. Dark yellow colour. Taste fresh and at the same time oxidative tones. Taste so terrifically balanced, sweet, acidity, nuttiness, complex. Montrachet kind of wine. Drinks so well. Gorgeously fine.
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6/30/2017 - LW31 Likes this wine:
December 2008 disgorgement. This is superlative. Wonderfully rich, nutty, and balanced. A golden color with moderate bubbles. A vinous, textured wine with pleasing bitter walnut notes after about 40 min in the glass. I would say at its apogee at this point.
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6/25/2017 - hajoha wrote: 91 Points
Gogget september 2013.
Mye trøkk, men synes stilen blir for oksidativ.
Har smakt bedre flasker av denne.
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6/23/2017 - KimHartman wrote: 94 Points
Deg 2013-09
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5/27/2017 - BSA Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deg. 12/09/2013. Decanted 20-30 minutes before consumption. From perhaps 60-75 minutes it came around. The colour alone is 95p, so appealing. Love it. Much fresher and less oxidative than I have tended to find in his wines - both on the nose and palate. Incredible depth still and as always when paired with seafood (in this instance a creamy crayfish & prawns salad) it is just singing. Yet, think I will wait with a couple of years before I visit this disgorgement again. 93-94.
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5/13/2017 - TinMan Likes this wine: 94 Points
Deep, dusty, funky, yeasty, VERY well balanced juice which should stand up to almost any food! Excellence.
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5/6/2017 - Vinophiliac559 wrote: 97 Points
Absolutely delicious. Rich and creamy, masculine style champagne with finesse. Toasted nuts and other light oxidative notes while maintaining an uncanny freshness. I am always impressed with the complexity in Selosse champagne, and this bottle was no different. Disgorged 10/2014.
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4/28/2017 - Nanda wrote: 88 Points
Masters of Syrah (Sixteen Restaurant, Chicago): Just way to oxidative for my tastes. I had a hard time getting past the nutty and sherry notes. Others enjoyed this a lot more than me, so probably just a stylistic issue for me.
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4/28/2017 - acyso wrote: 95 Points
Masters of Syrah (Chicago, IL): I missed noting down the disgorgement date, but I believe this was a 2015 disgorgement. This is an incredibly dense champagne, with heaps of oxidation and bruised apples. Very concentrated and dense on the palate, with a lot of the same rich oxidative flavours. This tastes like a concentrated version of Krug Grande Cuvee: this is not a fresh champagne, and it's one more for a main course than an apertif, not that I'll complain.
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3/30/2017 - dcwino wrote: 97 Points
Comprehensive Jacques Selosse dinner (Source by Wolfgang Puck, Washington D.C.): The best and the freshest example of Substance of my life. Mature and complex yet energetic nose displaying dry peach, lemon curd, apple tart, marzipan and sweet spices. Energetic and harmonious palate, very fine mousse, sweet yellow fruit driven palate impression, perfect amount of acidity and mineral and a long yellow fruit and sweet spices driven finish. The Polished and detailed palate reminds me a mature Chevalier Montrachet. The first bottle of Substance that I have not noticed the sherry note. Beautiful showing.
Per David White, author of But First, Champagne.
"Dosage: 0-4g/l
A solera of Avize Chardonnay created in 1986. Spends about 6 years on lees.”
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3/21/2017 - giba ochman Likes this wine: 95 Points
Aya restaurant - São Paulo - Brazil. Beautiful mature Selosse (disg. 2006). There is no better wine to drink with Japanese food. Drink now
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3/13/2017 - Raycheng77 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Disgorge 7 Dec 2011.
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2/11/2017 - Periko Likes this wine: 95 Points
Bottle disgorged 10/2012. Another great showing.
Typical onion-like color and the oxidative style, with mature white fruit and remarkable red berries flavor on finish. Elegant and explosive with a savory mousse that leaves a mouth coating feeling of minerality and red fruit flavor. Superb.
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2/3/2017 - jkoenen wrote: 96 Points
Deg. ??/10/12
Best Substance I ever had.
Delicate oxidative notes are present, but they really add to the complexity and mystique of this fantastic and utterly complete wine. Awesome! 96-97/100
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2/3/2017 - ekessler Likes this wine:
Delicious. Strong apple and citrus notes. Some minor oxidative tones but flavor is all tart green apples. Paired well with rich food. Disgorged July 29, 2013.
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2/3/2017 - Zweder wrote: 95 Points
Game dinner with friends Champagne and Northern Rhône: Great to taste this again. Good freshness, focused, minerals, slightly oxidized impressions. A mouth full of good wine with good acidity. Very rich and full bodied Even some red fruits, nuts and a good length. 95+
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1/1/2017 - Sorrowless Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wonderful champagne with great complexity, a lot of oxidized notes and ripe apples but with a wonderful acidity that backs it up. Best champagne I had this year.
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12/31/2016 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 93 Points
2013 disgorgement. Oxidative and dry, I found this less complex than other bottles and without the same upside.
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12/16/2016 - robertek wrote: 95 Points
Love it. Works as a night cap as well :)
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12/16/2016 - Edouard84 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Disgorged april 2015.
Amazing Champagne.
Very oxydative nose after opening, that turned beautifully to more floral notes after an hour in the glass. I'm not used to decant sparkling wines, but in this case I strongly recommend to do it.
The density of this wine is fantastic, and the length incredible
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12/11/2016 - Mrboudin Likes this wine: 95 Points
Was so good that we finished it before the food that was supposed to go with it.
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12/11/2016 - Frank Schneider wrote: 95 Points
Montrachet with bubbles ! Mmmmmmmmmmmmh
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11/21/2016 - Elvis1969 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Provad på Franska Vinlistans champagneevent.
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11/11/2016 - NostraBacchus Likes this wine: 96 Points
Served in a spectacular horizontal tasting of different Selosse Champagnes. Unfortunately I didn't write down the disgorgement date.
Beautiful notes of brioche, roasted nuts, raisins, oak, some oxidative notes and dried fruits, as well as some smoke. It's full-bodied and dense, but with impeccable balance, has medium-high acidity and an excellent length. Touch of bitterness is adding complexity. Another total showstopper... (96+)
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11/9/2016 - Seth Rosenberg Likes this wine: 94 Points
Oct 3 2011 disgorgment. Lost my formal notes, so from memory. This was singing on the nose - spicy and zingy. Much fresher than I expected with some peach and apple fruits as well, yeast and oxidized notes. More ox and cidery notes on the palate, soft mousse, but good energy. This has the extra textural element creamy/powdery on the nose and palate that really distinguishes Selosse from everyone else. Always a joy to try when someone else is buying, but for the money I go for the Initial, or would splurge on my favorite Lieu-dits. 17/20.
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11/3/2016 - galenico Likes this wine: 96 Points
Sboccatura gennaio 2014. Champagne unico, completo e emozionante.
Il calore del miele, la resina e il legno gestiti a meraviglia. Caldo, ma vibrante, lunghissimo, accomodante e scorrevole. Lieve suggestione ossidativa e timbro stilistico di un produttore fuori dal comune. Credo possa durare ancora tanti anni, ma è già maturo e godibile a due anni dalla sboccatura. Capolavoro
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10/15/2016 - BradE wrote:
Drank two bottle of Substance yesterday. Disgorged in April 07 and March 08. Both were terrific, but I had a strong preference for the 3/08 disgorged bottle, which seemed to have higher acidity and presented more focused. Fun bottles - looking forward to more. As a side note, I preferred them both to a recent vintage 96 Selosse.
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10/13/2016 - giba ochman Likes this wine: 95 Points
Deg 09/05/2006. The deg date is essential to Selosse and show the evolution of the wine and the best moment to drink. I like older champs and to me this is so good. Oxidative and secundary flavours, with honey, toast bread, spicy. Very good with Japanese food. Drink now.
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10/1/2016 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
My first Substance, iirc, and oh dear, I hope it's not my last. The energy here, the freshness, it's palpable. Such finely misted aromas of orchard and citrus mixed with some wild, savory, almost meaty aspects as this warms in the glass. If stranded on a desert island, this would be in the top 3 wishes - even though I've had 'better', there's something about this, its honest, lovely personality that makes it more of a friend than a wine. recommended
Served non-blind; tasted over 3 hours. All sips were the best, if for different reasons.
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9/29/2016 - RaphaelMalago Likes this wine: 94 Points
Jacques Selosse Substance NV. 08 Degorgement - it's poisonous the perfum of this wine, something that surfs between ripe white fruits, yeast, beeswax, orange peel. A full, oxidized palate but with amazing acidity that lifts up the palate with great freshness
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9/24/2016 - drwine2001 wrote:
Disgorged September, 2013. Full yellow, quite lively. This started very much like the 2002 Pol Roger Winston but finished with more exotic notes, herbs, and a rush of acidity. Fresher and more exciting than some previous experiences with Substance. Outstanding, but tonight I preferred the classicism of the Cuvée Winston.
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9/3/2016 - fatboi Likes this wine: 94 Points
disgorgement 07 january 2007.Beautiful golden hue. delicious with food. complex and continued to evolve.
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9/3/2016 - acyso wrote: 93 Points
Dinner at Ruxbin (Chicago, IL): Disgorged October 29, 2014. What can I say, Selosse is Selosse. This has always been one of my champagne benchmarks for the style. Immensely powerful and broad, this has almost sold its racy chardonnay soul for some serious pinot noir power. The nose has all the hallmarks of a heavily oxidative-style champagne; brioche, nuts, and baked apples. The palate does carry the chardonnay acidity, but at the same time, all the weight of this old solera. It's not a crisp champagne to have with seafood -- this is the sort of white wine you serve with red meat.
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9/2/2016 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 94 Points
October 2010 disgorge. Rich and full but with sufficient structure. Deep flavors with further complexity yet to come
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8/25/2016 - Paul S wrote: 95 Points
Epic Champagne dinner (Taberna, Bukit Merah): Superb. We had three bottles of Sunstance, and three VOs on the night, each with different disgorgment dates, and hence different characters. I am just putting down my notes of my favourite bottle each (of the Substance and the VO). This had a good bit of bottle age on it, and was just lovely - besting the 1996 Selosse vintage for me. The nose was characteristically Selosse in its expressiveness, with sweet notes of apples and slightly oxidative pears, along with wafts of exotic wood spice, shisho leaf and liquered yellow fruit. A deep, rich, impressive bouquet. It was the shape of the wine that first hit me on the palate, full, rich and juicy, with tons of energy and power showing in its flavours of white fruit, dried lychees, and oxidative white meat and salty, sherryish hints, all this again seasoned with woody cardammon and other exotic spices. There was a lovely richness on the finish too, with notes caramel, toffee leading into a soft, round, but extremely long and powerful backpalate, just before more woody hints showed up in a surprising bittersweet kiss right at the end. Very nice indeed. Drinking nicely, with tons of character on it. Bravo.
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8/19/2016 - Vinum Deorum wrote: 96 Points
Disgorged in April 2015. Golden yellow robe, aromas of nuts, honey, brioche and butter, creamy texture, long and balanced. Very refined bubbles, complex on the palate, long and vibrant. This is absolutely gorgeous and should obviously age pretty. The distinctive Selosse oxydative hint is much more discreet on this particular bottle. Maybe because of its relative youth?..
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8/9/2016 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Creamy full and rich. It has a truffled honey sweetness and plenty of yeasty bready things going on. There's a pleasant whiff of fennel. The finish is loaded with dry extract and it shows great persistence.
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8/5/2016 - dcwino wrote: 95 Points
French and Italian wine gathering (The Grill Room at Rosewood DC): One of the freshest examples, recently disgorged. Quite unique meaty nose, ham, fresh peeled apple that has oxidized slightly, lemon curd, dry almond palate, a hint of chlorine white chocolate and anise. Fully integrated palate, nicely layered, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and very long finish. Very good showing but still not sure if I like this a lot more than Initial.
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6/25/2016 - Paul S wrote: 94 Points
Dinner at Ming San's (Ming San's): Disgorged 29 April 2009. Not the strongest Selosse Substance I have had (possibly because it was the "youngest"), but this was a superlative Champagne nonetheless. The nose was typical in-your-face Selosse, with lovely blasts of honeyed pears and caramel apples alongside oxidative touches of browned fruits and earthy aromas. You either like the style or you don't, and I really did. Same thing on the palate - it had power, intensity and plenty of youthful vibrancy in the mouth, with a creamy mousse and lovely acidity running through deep, pure, powerful flavours of browned pears, lemon citrus and a long, earthy, minerally finish. A wine of real strength and character, and a great way to end the evening.
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6/2/2016 - isaacjamesbaker wrote: 96 Points
Good lord this is so good. Intense, powerful, yet seamlessly integrated in its flavors and mouthfeel. Brooklynguy nailed it with his analysis: so much going on that it's impossible to pick out individual elements when the wine is so naturally harmonious. This is gorgeous stuff!
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5/20/2016 - brooklynguy Likes this wine:
Wonderful wine. Took the better part of an hour to show at its best (this was disgorged in February 2014) but when it did, it really sings. Intensity and focus, detailed nose and flavors that show exotic and gingery and lemon cream and all sort of other things that i cannot name because they are seamless and show so harmoniously that picking them out individually is an act of will and not something that presents itself naturally. Intense and memorable, best in class.
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5/13/2016 - yopeyo Likes this wine: 99 Points
Dég: 2007-08-30
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5/11/2016 - Blaireaux wrote: 96 Points
I just love this, brioche nuttiness, but slightly less citrusy and less oxidative than my only previous experience
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4/30/2016 - Pacalet Likes this wine: 94 Points
13 disgorged, another excellent showing, recent disgorgements seem to be slightly fresher, still oxidative but not overly so. Can never have enough of this.
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4/18/2016 - bg2167 wrote: 96 Points
December 2000 disgorgement
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4/3/2016 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Has some Sherry like nuttiness and iodine notes. It is explosive in the mouth with loads of intense lemon, citrus peel and chalk. It breathes in the glass and shows some delicious spicy traits. Length is superb. Disgorged 1/10/15.
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4/1/2016 - FamilyLarsson wrote: 96 Points
Degorgerad 12 okt 2006.
Som vanligt en helt strålande champagne. I doften nymalet kaffe, citronskal, honung, rostad mandel, torkade aprikoser och dessa underbara oxiderade sherrytoner. En otroligt djup och komplex champagne som man bara kan älska.
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3/23/2016 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 94 Points
October 2011 disgorgement. Oxidative notes, ripe pear, faint apple and subtle notes of fresh ginger. Wood notes with some air time. Significant but smooth acid, particularly on the finish, complemented by pecan and walnut flavors. This bottle could have benefited from another few years. 94+
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2/19/2016 - Papies wrote: 96 Points
2nd of Feb 2011 disgorgement. Easily the best one we have crossed paths with.
Starts with a lovely rich, light sherry nose, oxidative. Ripe apple. On the palate it bursts with energy and has that explosive palate feel that we only come across in Selosse. Complex, elegant and very long. A very special champagne and a worthy 96.
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2/18/2016 - acyso wrote: 93 Points
Syrah dinner at Formento's (Chicago, IL): Disgorged September 12, 2013. Well, what's there to add? Selosse is Selosse. Mushroomy, oxidative, and super rich. Peaches, baked apples, bread, the whole gamut. Powerful with a palate-numbing concentration; this is definitely not as fresh as the Initial, but shows a more mature side of things, although there's an incredibly amount of acidity here. This'll keep dentists occupied for years.
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2/6/2016 - LW31 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Superlative. Incredibly deep, resonant and vibrant. Suited wide range of food like uni and crevettes beautifully. Nose took about 40 min to open and don't serve this on ice after you start pouring, needs a little warmth. July 2013 disgorgement.
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1/22/2016 - derrock Likes this wine: 95 Points
One of a kind. However, it's not for those who prefer lighter Champagnes and aren't into the whole oxidative thing
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12/31/2015 - Kellch wrote: 96 Points
Degorged in 2011.
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12/22/2015 - MWiking wrote: 96 Points
Återigen vilket vin. Behöver inga ord, det bara så sjukt gott och prisvärt om man använder det ordet på viner av denna nivå
Deg feb 14
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12/22/2015 - mmh wrote: 94 Points
Disgorged 23.11.2011. Amazingly complex both on the nose and the palate. Toast, suryp, vanilla, flowers, grilled lemons. Long, great acidity, great balance. Still quite young.
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12/14/2015 - PC73 wrote: 89 Points
Not my preferred style. Oxidised in nature, but still has lovely balance.
Definitely not one for aperitif. Perhaps with desert or cheese?
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12/6/2015 - bill00 wrote: 95 Points
Another great Substance. Lemon and almonds. Typical size and richness but kept in beautiful balance by fresh acidity. 11/20/13 disgorge
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12/4/2015 - Zweder wrote: 94 Points
Game dinner with friends and 11 special wines.: No formal notes this time. Consistent with my previous notes. Very special and always a great pleasure to drink this.
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11/29/2015 - WEB,III Likes this wine: 93 Points
December 7th, 2011 disgorgement.
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11/25/2015 - rlove wrote: 95 Points
Exotic nose of dried apricot, anise, almond skin, and caramel. Warm, rich, and oxidative, with a full body and great acidity. Selosse has the most wonderful, unique style and of his offerings this seems the most pure expression. Drink for 5+ years. (Disgorged 29 October 2014)
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11/19/2015 - dcwino wrote: 96 Points
Barolo gathering at Aggio (Aggio restaurant, Baltimore): IMO, the style of Jacques Selosse is quite unique and this has to be the most unique one in their regular line-up, ie no experiences with lieux dits. Very complex mature nose displaying sweet yellow fruits, anise, toffee, white chocolate that becomes stronger with air and mineral. Very harmonious palate, white chocolate driven palate impression, nicely layered complex fruit, just right amount of acidity and mineral, and long resonating finish that ends with a hint of sherry note. I like this a lot more than the bottle drank in 2012 as it is fresher. Really nice showing.
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11/11/2015 - Lilja wrote: 95 Points
Absolutely outlandish stuff. This is quite far from what to expect from a Champagne. Deg. 2009.
Deep golden, almost with hints of amber. Viscous with distinct legs and with a bit of cloudyness.
Nose is all over the place with lots and lots of ripe, browned apples, baking spices, curry, butter, tropical fruit, a bit of funk, nuts and gravel. Complex and multi layered. Brilliant!
Quite round on the palate but with fresh acidity. A fat texture, full bodied, high intensity and a long, long finish. Not a lot of mousse. Given a few minutes this would easily have been mistaken for a full bodied white wine.
Very interesting, very good and a big treat to try. Wouldn't recommend it for lovers of Champagne, but if you're looking for something out of the box this is a sure bet.
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10/22/2015 - M DU VIN Does not like this wine: 70 Points
Disgorged in 2009. This champagne was a major disappointment as it was overly oxidized and well past its time.
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10/18/2015 - BSA Likes this wine: 91 Points
Deg. 22/10/10: possibly, I was too much looking forward to this bottle, and possibly I should have chosen to pair with something richer and meaty than fresh lobster & aioli. That said, we did also pair with foie gras as starter - when I guess it was showing better but still not great as I have hoped (and experienced before). My preference is to give the Substance more room to breath than the bottle only. This time I kept 1/2 in bottle and 1/2 in decanter. Still, irrespective of vessel, I felt the sherry notes overwhelmed the palate. It did however improve slightly when the bubbles were less. I have not waited this long from disgorgement, and should now probably revisit my 2013 disg. within short. 90-91p.
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10/17/2015 - nikos wrote:
42 Grams (42 Grams): My first Selosse. Felt the wine was well balanced with good concentration. The chard def showed. All in I wouldn't seek this out. RDK
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10/17/2015 - Burgundy Al wrote:
Champagne and Burgundy Dinner (42 Grams - Chicago IL): 2012 disgorgement. Very tart fruit flavors and aromas. Certainly extreme degree of oxidative, toasty character. Not my preferred style of Champagne.
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10/17/2015 - Zunga wrote: 91 Points
I had the same feeling about this bottle as the last although it was disgorged in 2007. It tasted like a good, but not great Batard Montrachet with some effervescence and pineapple on the palate. The color was more sherry than the last, but there wasn't a huge amount of oxidation. Overall, quite nice.
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10/3/2015 - KimHartman wrote: 93 Points
Deg 2010-12
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9/19/2015 - peternelson wrote: 94 Points
Sour calvados apple notes with a touch of flor-yeast, oxidative but round and walnutty; Very vibrant in the mouth with a rounder and denser mouthfeel than V.O. without the aggressive acidity. Excellent bubbles lasting a long time, very intense, really cool wine. Enjoyed this, reminded me slightly of Bollinger RD with the complexity, density, vinous/oxidative quality, but obviously very different wines.
BdB from 2 Avize GG sites, Solera started in 1986 ("erasing the effects of vintage and focussing on character"). This bottling: wines from 1986 to 2003, bottled in 2004, disgorged in 2014. Stainless steel and foudre both used in the solera.
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9/17/2015 - coremill wrote: 89 Points
7/2012 disgorgement. Nutty and bready and mineral on the nose, which is beautiful, but I found the palate a little too oxidatively nutty for my taste, not showing much fruit, not especially rich despite the oxidative character, and not especially powerful. Quite good, and certainly very interesting, but as David says, it fails the "Krug test" (which may just reflect my preferences), and that's a problem at these prices.
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9/15/2015 - Elvis1969 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Degorgerad i december 2009. En typisk Substance med skön mognad.
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8/21/2015 - BuzzzzOff Likes this wine: 94 Points
Slightly transparent yellow. Apparently disgorged October 2010. White Burgundy with tiny bubbles properly served in big-bowl glasses. Aromas of bright fruit with toasty French oak, oxidative notes and subtle minerality. Rich, luscious, deep, complex and should last for quite a few more years. If she is not the belle of the ball, she most certainly is one of the most sought after gals for the prom!!!
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8/3/2015 - Ludi Likes this wine: 91 Points
Oro antico. Il naso, dal profilo godibilmente ossidativo, declama cedro candito, albicocca matura, anche secca, liquirizia, anice, iodio, zafferano e sensazioni decisamente salmastre. Bocca affascinante, con lunga persistenza che richiama il bergamotto. Non eccelsa la freschezza. Degorgement del luglio 2009
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7/29/2015 - yacobove wrote:
Dinner at Batard: A bottle disgorged in July 2002. Poured blind. Vanilla, raspberry and custard on the nose with hints of caramel and citrus on the back-end. There is a great richness in the nose, but it still shows signs of youthfulness with some oxidative qualities. I had a feeling this was a Blanc de Blancs from a high quality producer, but thought from the richness this was a top-notch Mesnil producer. After finding out this was Selosse Substance, I assumed this was from one of the more recent disgorgements and was seriously surprised this was from 2002 and even more surprised when I found out this was one of the bottles stuck in the WineCare / Hurricane Sandy fiasco, so at least one positive data point.
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6/30/2015 - Sennma wrote: 93 Points
HDH Auction - disgorged Dec 08. Golden color is quite striking. These wines walk such a tightrope somewhere between oxidized, acidic and fruit. Great stuff.
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6/27/2015 - WhiskySomm Likes this wine: 95 Points
Yeast, earth, funk. Medium high acid, beautiful bubbles for those that enjoy a truly old world style.
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6/27/2015 - acyso wrote: 98 Points
HDH auction tasting at Tru (Chicago, IL): Disgorged December 4, 2008. Dark colour -- almost the same as the rose. A heavily stylized wine, you really have to be into the style to enjoy this one. So much mushroom and earth on the nose, it's practically an old Burgundian funk. Power beyond power on the palate. This has insane density -- stone fruit and chalk shows very prominently. Another enamel-stripping wine; I'm going to have to visit the dentist after this.
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6/27/2015 - tooch wrote: 97 Points
HDH Auction (Tru - Chicago, IL): Disgorged 12.8.08.
Smelled oxidized, in a Selosse-y type of way. The color was a dark golden...just beautiful. The palate was so acidic and energized with great orchard fruit, Just dizzingly deep and complex with layers of fruit, earth, and floral notes. Hard to find fault.
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6/12/2015 - MWiking wrote: 96 Points
en härligt lätt oxiderad doft m kola kaffe, ekfat, fudge och mineral
smaken dominreas av kola-äpplen och är faktiskt nästan perfekt.
Ett mästerverk
95-96
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6/11/2015 - FamilyLarsson wrote: 96 Points
Helt underbar champagne!!!
Nymalet kaffe, honung, mandel och denna underbara oxiderade Selosse karaktären som om man hällt i några droppar riktigt bra torr sherry. Låter konstigt men när det gäller Selosse så ger det bara en extra dimension och komplexitet som gör att jag verkligen älskar denna champagne.
Slarvigt nog glömde jag notera när den vara degorgerad.
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6/11/2015 - Ramberg wrote: 96 Points
A fantastic nose!
Fine ripe fruit, lovely oxidized, tale tell Selosse, with apples, minerals, oak barriques and some coffee.
Palate is super complex & very elegant, dry, with coffee and fudge, apples, exotic fruits, deep, with nice balance and acidity to stich everything together.
Incredible length on the finish.
An overall amazing Champagne from Selosse, completely wonderful stuff.
(95 – 97)
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6/11/2015 - Patrik H Likes this wine: 97 Points
Golden
On the nose, fudge, oxidation, beeswax, coffee, honey and a hint of sherry
On the palate, honey, coffee, fudge, marzipan
Long finish
A brilliant champagne but you have to like the oxidized tones.
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6/6/2015 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 93 Points
Disgorged September 2013 and clearly a younger bottle than the last one that I sampled. Did not display the same depth of flavors veering much more towards the honey and floral than the nutty and oxidative. Edgy and energetic but with an overall refinement, this paired well with hackleback caviar and creme fraiche.
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5/24/2015 - JOsgood wrote:
Did not wow me like my first taste. The bottle was lacking the energy and verve of previous experiences. Very delicious and unique but not worth the price for me.
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5/15/2015 - bg2167 wrote: 97 Points
2006 Disgorgment...
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5/1/2015 - mnor Likes this wine:
(Deg Juli 2012). Riktigt, riktigt kraftig champagne med äppelsmak, päron och sherrytoner. Väldigt väldigt gott, skulle passa väldigt bra med mat. Finns bra syra och mycket liv kvar i champagnen. Mycket bra redan nu.
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5/1/2015 - Zunga Likes this wine: 91 Points
Almost like drinking Montrchet with bubbles. It has a long finish that lasted for a really long time. This wine was bought from the Weyland collection auction and was disgorged in 2004.
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4/19/2015 - LWI wrote: 93 Points
Some Champagnes: (Disgorged 2010, Solera from 1986). Wonderful creamy mousse. Structured and intense wine, yet very big boy - almost on steroids.
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4/6/2015 - salil wrote: 91 Points
2008 disgorgement. A much more oxidative style of Champagne than what I'm familiar with; rather deep in colour with a strong fino-like aroma showing vivid nutty, creamy, toasted and doughy elements around rich lemony fruit. There's great intensity and power on the palate, bright acids and effervescence keeping it very fresh, and it finishes quite long. Very impressive, though not quite my style of Champagne.
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3/22/2015 - KenPlace Likes this wine: 94 Points
Thinking man's wine. Oxidative and has a Sherry Fino character. This wine transforms and evolves in the glass like crazy. Super minerality. Suggest pouring a glass and letting it be for an hour or so.
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2/21/2015 - KenPlace Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wow! Initially, this wine seemed to be just apple cider, but as it opened up, it just kept revealing layer after layer. This is what great wine do - they evolve in the glass and keep revealing their secrets. Great minerality. Tropical aroma and flavors, a touch oxidative, some oak. Excellent. Suggest a 1-2 hour decant prior to serving.
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1/29/2015 - aagrawal wrote: 94 Points
Joel's Birthday Party (The Palace, Mission, SF): Disgorged 2/14. Nose of apple, pear, great fruit, some rich toasty brioche; palate is full bodied, fabulous acidity, yeasty, apple; long finish. Just superb with fabulous complexity and great fruit, slight oxidation per their usual style. Much more unique in style than the 96 Dom (and thus more polaraizing). 93-94
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1/27/2015 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 95 Points
Nose of pecan, spices, oxidative elements, dried apricot, light sage, sweet hay smoke, and sweet lemon in the background. The nose bursts out of the glass. This wine is very rich in the mouth with a strong back palate grip. A bright front palate (with even a light ginger beer bent at times) with mid palate spice and nut. This was the right bottle at the right time. Paired with caviar and eggplant dip on toasts.
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1/23/2015 - NostraBacchus Likes this wine: 96 Points
Produced in Solera System. Explosive notes of nuts, oak, raisins, dried fruit and some slightly oxidative note (probably from the Solera). It’s full-bodied and rich, with medium+ acidity adding freshness and great length. Finishes with a touch of bitterness. A very unique style of Champagne and one of the top Champagnes of the weekend. It’s probably not for everyone but I really liked it a lot.
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1/8/2015 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine: 95 Points
Holiday dinner with Washington DC Winos (Ripple Restaurant in Washington D.C.): A style of Champagne that takes some getting used to, given its oxidative aspects. This is made up of multiple vintages reaching back to the mid 1980s. Some critics, like Tom Stevenson, in an article he had published in the World of Fine Wine last year, would prefer a little less oak and a little less oxidation (http://www.worldoffinewine.com/news/champagne-selosse-the-house-that-jacques-built-4205321). But there is no denying the expressions of fruit and depth of flavors one encounters in this wine, and with most Selosse wines in general. Once you get past the initial note of hazelnut on the nose, the palate exudes quince, mango and other tropical fruit aspects in a vibrant fashion. Full bodied and a long finish, with high flavor intensity. Certainly very different from the Dom Perignon style, for example, but vive la difference and thanks to Amy Ray for sharing this bottle with us.
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12/25/2014 - NotNYC wrote: 96 Points
Absolutely a "WOW!" wine.
The complexity and balance combined with the strength and unique qualities makes this is my favorite Selosse.
Having tasted most bottlings but the single vintages, that is saying a lot.
Perhaps it was the additional aging, disgorged Sept 24, 2003. Something about this bottle distinguished itself as starting at 11 and just going higher as it developed/opened across the hours of the evening.
Wow
For my tastes, Substance benefits from additional aging.
Over time the Initial, Rose and others do not seem to gain as much.
I would drink those sooner before the youthful expression falls off.
In my limited experience, Substance develops the desired mature Champagne characteristics. This 2003 in 2014 was truly exceptional.
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12/13/2014 - paul clark wrote:
Bubbles 2014; 11/15/2014-12/19/2014 (Home): Dégorgement in Aug 2009
Dried lemons and a salty sherry nuttiness are the primary notes. An undertone of lime with a light smokiness. Delicately truffled.
This champagne is very atypical. There isn't any creaminess or lactic notes. It shares a lot in common with Chardonnays from the Jura, with agrumes being the primary note. Extremely good, marked by it's freshness coupled with profoundly rich characteristics.
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11/27/2014 - Harley1199 wrote:
Selosse by Roberto Petronio (Vila Viniteca - Madrid): Mixed, Sherry solera system-like, old champagnes and new ones all together. Since 1986 until these days.
If you like blended, why not...without oxidation signs, neither any grace I have to say.
Beheaded January 14
Mezcla al estilo de soleras, mezcla de vinos antiguos y nuevos.
Del 86 hasta hoy.
Si te gustan los blend.... Pero sin oxidación ni gracia.
Degollada enero 14.
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11/22/2014 - steinersing wrote: 93 Points
2009 disgorged. Quite evolved color. Aromatic and broad, great intensity.
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11/19/2014 - mikdal wrote: 95 Points
Disgorged 2007. Today, an absolutely fantastic experience!
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11/17/2014 - tsverdrup wrote: 93 Points
Tiny perfect bubbles. Slightly darker color than the other three wines in this flight.
Much fruity aromas. Yellow apples.
Very nice mouthfeel. Large round taste that fills the mouth. Maybe some over ripe apples in the aftertaste. Long!
50 + 5 + 13 + 16 + 9 = 93p.
Other wines in this flight, all tasted blind:
1996 Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin La Grand Dame (90p)
1997 Bollinger La Grande Annèe (91p)
2002 Dom Perignon (90p)
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11/16/2014 - Jowh wrote: 96 Points
This is Montrachet with (fine) bubbles. Needs a lot of time to open up in the glass but well worth the wait. Rich and alluring smokiness on the nose. Fine minerality that just keeps on. Citrus and cream. Broad and long. Fine acidity that doesn't steal the show but highlights all the great flavors that dance on your buds.
Disgorged Sept 13.
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11/15/2014 - hajoha wrote:
Trangt. Eikepreget.
Svær konsentrasjon, intens heftig vin!
Veldig ulikt noe annet.
Den sitter uendelig lenge i munn!
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11/14/2014 - Shiaxonna wrote: 90 Points
Tasted blind against Dom Perignon 2002, Veuve Cliquot Grande Dame 1996 and Bollinger Grand Annee 1997. Unknown degorgement date, but seem to remember it was around 2010. Darkest color of the lot. Nose is full of toast, toffee and lots of ripe fallen apples. Fresh and expressive on the nose. Palate gives me lots of bubbles on the tip of the tongue paired with a good acidity. This wine is by far the most complex of the lot on the palate, but also has notes of bitter almonds which skewes the balance away from perfection for me. But all in all this is the most intriguing champagne I have ever tasted, and a charm. Loved it!
50+5+13+14+8 (90p)
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10/25/2014 - Papies wrote: 93 Points
8 Sep 2004 disgorgement date.
Dark gold in colour, shows its age. 10yrs since disgorgement this is now more of a fine rich burgundy than a champagne, the bubbles are light and delicate the palate rich and round. Depth and mature fruit expression. Healthy though and alive but lacks the explosive character of Selosse's wines when they are younger. Some stargazing here for sure plays on our rating but we did love it. 93 and drink this disgorgement date NOW.
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9/6/2014 - thewiz Likes this wine: 93 Points
Golden yellow colour with extremely fine bubbles.
Shows an intensive tone of cognac mixed with citrus and minerals and a very long nice finish.
This bottle disgorged 2012.
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8/10/2014 - the godfather wrote:
Mind blowing nose, definitely more oxidized than some of the other bottlings, possibly needed more air
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8/2/2014 - aquacongas Likes this wine: 95 Points
degorg. dec 2008, cod with mustard sauce, nice, crispy acidity without any sharpness, many-faceted, , wood, vanilla, brioche, dried figs and dates, toast, long finish, complex, honey, Krug-style, there is still potential, but for me at the peak, fits perfect to food, creamy, toffees
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7/30/2014 - SveHj wrote: 92 Points
Nonvintage Jacques Selosse Substance
Dark golden yellow, clear. Medium bubbles, small. Fallen fruits, honey and reductive notes (12). Nice balance between acidity and sweetness. The bubbles fills the mouth and decreases nicely with fading of tannins. Bites perfectly. Round and nice. A little oak. Fine minerality. Breadbaking and dough in the background. The wine is made with the so-called Solera method. Where, in this wine,14 vintages are mixed in the same barrel. Wine is constantly taken out of the content, so that the oldest vintages disappears from the barrel with time. This was bottled in 2009, with vintages from 1986 and newer. Strikes me as mature and balanced. A bottle that I have to try again one day.
Much said, much unsaid ... Scoring with balls from a noob:
55-5-12-13-7 (92)
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7/27/2014 - stefad wrote: 96 Points
Notes oxydatives, noix curry, crayeux, bulles fines, soyeuses, très long… superbe !
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7/11/2014 - javierbb Likes this wine: 96 Points
Degüelle 18/04/2007
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5/23/2014 - bill00 wrote: 96 Points
Stunning aromatics of almond oil, minerals, brioche and a fino-like nuttiness. Broad, rich and deep but superbly balanced. Mellow finish that doesn't quite get to the same level of intensity of the aromatics and palate. Regardless, this is really amazing stuff. Notably fresher than previous bottles of Substance. Disgorge 10/14/09.
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5/17/2014 - Gian wrote: 92 Points
dark gold color , little honey than citrus , mineral , on the palate youthful , great power and long finish. deg 2010
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5/15/2014 - AndrewSGHall wrote:
(Disgorged 4 Dec 2008) This was delicious, but seemed on the other side of maturity with some fur and not-quite-right oxidation notes.
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4/26/2014 - Zweder wrote: 95 Points
Wow! This is something special. There are some (beautiful) oxidized impressions and I recently learned that this is because of the type and toast of the oak. (Thanks Dave!), beautiful minerality, crisp citrus, very taste and a great length. Beautiful and complex Champagne.
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4/26/2014 - jkoenen wrote: 96 Points
Game and wine ('t Jachthuis, Eksel): Deg. 151012
Liquid gold in colour, broad and seductive nose of smoke, truffles, peat, guave, orange rind, hint of oxidation.
Very soft and focussed in the mouth, tiny pearls, hardly noticeable on the pallet. A very delectable bubble.
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3/23/2014 - rm wines wrote:
Disgorged December 4 2008. Tremendous wine, yet again. It's just beginning to show some mature notes, but the intensity and focus on the palate are second to none. The finish carries on-and-on, with a fantastic saltiness at the end.
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3/12/2014 - Burgundy Al wrote:
Pre-Paulee Birthday Dinner (Jardiniere - San Francisco CA): This is an extreme styled Champagne. Very large and monolithic to me, coming across as slightly underripe. There is something very exciting and energetic about this wine, but it's just not a style intended for me.
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1/17/2014 - Raycheng77 Likes this wine: 96 Points
50+5 (color)+13(aroma)+18(Flavor and finish)+10(Quality and Potential) = 96
Pronounce, complex, crazy bubble, Intensity of nose is really great.
Peach, apple, yeasty, biscuit, creamy, lemon. Long finish.
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1/4/2014 - JLeader Likes this wine: 92 Points
Both super-rich and fresh at the same time. Tremendously complex and layered. In a blind tasting, most found this hard to believe this is a Blanc de Blancs, though that must be due to the wealth of vintages blended here. Really excellent stuff.
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1/3/2014 - Yme wrote:
Very attractive nose with elegant lemon & mandarin oranges, brioche and hazelnuts. Medium bodied with plenty of acidity though the wine had a good balance. This bottle was disgorged 3 years ago but is still too young to drink. The palate was quite tight and quite restraint. Despite this, the palate comes across quite elegantly with citrus, bread, hazelnuts, pineapple and caramel notes. Long length. Very nice. Our 1st experience of Selosse and looking forward to trying one with more bottle age.
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1/1/2014 - j30 wrote: 92 Points
Sweet nose of cane sugar, chocolate cake, buttery flavor and slight oxidative note. Smooth palate that's sharp and refreshing.
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12/31/2013 - kthornton78 wrote: 95 Points
10/3/2011 disg. deep golden yellow and vibrant in the glass with a fine bead. initially very tight - showed primarily oxidative notes and was almost sour on the palate. with a couple of hours this was singing. nose of freshly roasted coffee, beeswax, hazelnuts, and sliced pear. the palate shows laser-like tension with gripping acidity framing the citrus and stone fruit driven palate which finishes nicely with a bitter orange and roasted nut quality. one of the more contemplative champagnes i've had the pleasure to taste and a lovely way to welcome 2014. cheers.
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12/25/2013 - burgburgburg wrote:
Degorgee Oct-2011. This bottle is simply too young to drink right now. Typical yet beautiful bouquet but shows limited stuffs on the palate. It should be cellar for at least one to two years. NR.
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11/30/2013 - Paul S wrote: 95 Points
Dinner at Megumi (Megumi, Sentosa Golf Club): Wow - this may not be to everyone's liking, but I thought it was a fantastic Champagne. I have only had the Substance once before, and this bottle had a quite a bit more bottle-age than the last one I tried, having been disgorged way back in 2 November 2005. I am not sure it was any "better" qualitatively than the last bottle, but I did really enjoy the more mature notes here. It had a beautiful nose, with brown pears and ripe apple aromas along with some kumquats and then slightly oxidative stylings of white meat with a light drizzle of soy sauce, and then deep whiffs of earth and toast and mineral. A very complex, shifting bouquet, very masculine at first, but opening up into sweeter notes of honey and flowers in time. Really nice. It had a wonderful palate too. This unfolded across the mouth in a great show of layered depth and intensity, with strong flavours of browned pears and red apples echoing the aromas picked up from the nose, and then a midpalate that added earth and white meat, with a linear spine of super fine bead and fresh acidity kept the wine ever so defined and focused. A super long finish then set-in with honey and kumquats pulling away into the distance. This was a wine that offered both power and effortless grace, so that it came across with style and finesse in spite of its weighty depth and persistent strength. A beautiful Champagne, drinking wonderfully on the night.
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10/19/2013 - KimHartman wrote: 94 Points
Mörkt, mäktigt vin med mogna äpplen, hallon, jäst, söt limpa, parfym, choklad, kryddor och lakrits. Tydligare ek och mindre oxiderade toner än vad jag minns från förra flaskan. Kanonvin! Deg 2010-12
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10/19/2013 - JOsgood wrote: 97 Points
My first taste of Selosse. Wow, what a deep and thrilling Champagne. Massive nose. Rich and coating on the palate. Butter, pear, apples and peach. So much going on. Fantastic - Yam T'cha, Paris.
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8/13/2013 - Peech Likes this wine: 95 Points
dégorgée à 20 Novembre 2007 - This was another beautiful bottle, showing a lovely, aged nose thanks to the solera system of blending back to 1986. So much honey, caramelized sugar, Chinese licorice, sugar cane and desiccated coconut in the nose. Very complex.
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7/21/2013 - Vstalam wrote: 94 Points
April 2013 disgorgement. Oxidative nose with brioche, apple, and citrus. Full-bodied mid-palate. Highly acidic, almost astringent finish that mellows with air and is true to Avize barrel samples. Truly a great wine, but will benefit from 2+ yrs of cellar time.
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7/5/2013 - canan wrote: 98 Points
Piedmont and Champagne (Østerbro): Super intense nose filled with oxidized hazelnuts and coffee.
Lovely oxidization of the palate also with an explosive array of coffee flavors. There is also a lot of Fino Sherry flavors with some oak influence.
A stunning wine that is just adorable!! Extreme stuff..
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7/1/2013 - robertek wrote: 93 Points
Perfect to drink now although will hold for many years and even develop into something else down the road - not less likable I might add.
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6/23/2013 - Vintjener wrote: 96 Points
Beautiful deep color, and very intense and mature - without any signs of being too old. THis will live for a long time.
Just absolutely stunning.
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6/15/2013 - Vintomas wrote: 92 Points
Fine wine BYO (Stockholm): Appearance: gold with amber hue
Nose: winter apples, nuts, oranges, oxidation notes, clearly developed, some perfume.
Palate: yellow winter apples, spice, quite good acidity, long aftertaste.
Summary: wonderful development, but more slender than the previous wine, 92 p.
Disgorged 2007. Tasted alongside Substance Oct 2008, they were initially similar, but this one diverged as it sat in the glass. It showed less oak in the nose and was more slender on the palate.
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6/15/2013 - Vintomas wrote: 94 Points
Fine wine BYO (Stockholm): Appearance: dark gold with amber hue, darkest among the four white Champagnes
Nose: red apples, old winter apples, oranges, some oak, deep fruit notes with spice, slightly oxidised notes, some perfume.
Palate: good concentration, apple, grapefruit, spice, some nuts, strong mineral notes, high acidity, fresh and long aftertaste with some green apple.
Summary: wonderfully developed, 94 p.
Disgorged 29 October 2008. Slightly darker and more powerful than Substance disgorged 2007 when tasted alongside.
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6/9/2013 - fhirsch Likes this wine: 96 Points
Disgorged in 2009. Bruised apple, oxitative notes, sweet, long; one of the most impressive and idiosyncratic champagnes around.
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6/8/2013 - Zweder wrote: 95 Points
Dream tasting (@ Merlet): Second time this year I can taste this wine and what a great pleasure again! A really beautiful and complex bouquet. Expressive with good minerals and pleasant reductive impressions. On the palate the same impressions with some nuts, beautiful minerals and acidity. Dry, but not completely bone dry and that is what adds to loving this beautiful and slightly drying in the finish Champaign.
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6/8/2013 - jkoenen wrote: 95 Points
Dreamtasting #5 (Restaurant Merlet, Schoorl): Disgorged 2011. Minimal mousse, clearly some oxidation-notes, but I expected that. When you like apple skin, hazelnuts, roasted almonds, brioche and biscuit, pine kernels and a small sigh of that miraculous seabreeze, than this is the deal! And it's very creamy too, like creme brulee, with an extra shot of peach-yoghurt. And coffee. And caramel. I could go on and on. Man, is this an awesome wine. Luckily for me, I might like his Initial even better... :) 18.5-19/20
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6/7/2013 - jharrals Likes this wine: 95 Points
Beautiful nose with brioche, melon and white flowers on the nose. On the palate, yeast, mild citrus and a hint of cream. Flavors were layered and the complexity was wonderful.
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6/5/2013 - Bill Bucklew wrote: 94 Points
2001 disgorgement, second bottle as the first one was corked. Lemon oil and a hint of minerals and oxidation on the nose. A great balance on the palate between tight citrus fruit and minerality. This opened up more after an hour in the glass showing stone fruit but holding on to its acidity.
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6/5/2013 - Bill Bucklew wrote:
Rare Wine Co. Tasting - Corked
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5/30/2013 - -E- wrote: 95 Points
Blanc de Blancs smaking (Oslo): Klar, gyllen gul. På nese moden gulfrukt, autolyse, røde epler, nøtter, hint av fersken og et lett sherry preg. Fantastisk frukt! Kompleks, intens og presis med masser av kraft og fylde. Bred, men elegant. Mild sødme. Nydelig balansert. Frisk, presis syre. Finkornet mousse. Svært lang med kompleks kompleks ettersmak av nøtter, voks, epler og mineraler.
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5/24/2013 - Seth Rosenberg Likes this wine: 92 Points
The Champagnes of Jacques Selosse (featuring all 6 Lieux-Dits) by the Rare Wine Co. (NoMad Hotel Penthouse, New York, NY.): Disgorged 2001. From the get-go I got musty notes in this I couldn't get past. The somm showed me another bottle that was corked, and it was nothing like my glass, and way worse. I took it to Peter Liem and he said he liked his glass a great deal, smelled mine and proposed that it might have been the glass itself. Got a fresh glass and also a glass from the other bottle, but by that point in the evening, it was hard to get back on track. To me, the new pour didn't have the mustiness, but was fairly reticent. Some cider and honey and nuts. Not showy - chalk and minerals on the palate with good acid. Nose - 5/6, Palate - 5/6, Finish - 5/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 1/2 = 16/20.
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5/24/2013 - Seth Rosenberg Likes this wine: 95 Points
The Champagnes of Jacques Selosse (featuring all 6 Lieux-Dits) by the Rare Wine Co. (NoMad Hotel Penthouse, New York, NY.): Disgorged 2011. Creamy with lots of oxidized notes. Some orange, oldpear, wax? Nuts? Very full and rich on the palate but with huge acid - waxy with toast. Really mouthfilling and dense. Baroque but with great drive and structure. Verging on heavy, but not. Nose - 5/6, Palate - 5.5/6, Finish - 5.5/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 1.5/2 = 17.5/20.
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5/17/2013 - Lype Likes this wine:
No formal notes, a bit lighter than expected, nice fruit, oxidised. Very good.
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5/17/2013 - Lype Likes this wine:
No formal notes, deep yellow colour, toasty flavours. Very good.
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5/17/2013 - avp wrote:
Deg. 22juillet08
Oxidative apple purée nose with orange peel, lilacs, dusty earth and olive oil richness.
Dry palate with rich fruit and energetic acidity. Rounder from mid-palate on with buttery feel and notes of orange peel and vanilla. Lengthy.
Took some time to open up properly. Very good with fine intensity and complex aroma profile.
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5/17/2013 - avp wrote:
Deg. 15oct02
Rich as hell on the nose with oxidative apple character, lime zest, nuts, plaster, meat and butter.
Dry but rich and round on the palate with rather energetic structure though not much of a moussé. Hazelnuts, oxidative apple and saline touch. Long.
Quite aged but still youthful at the same time. Just lovely.
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5/8/2013 - awilliamson4 Likes this wine: 94 Points
A truly unique wine...this was so much rounder than any other champagne i have had and it took a little getting used to at first...beautiful golden 'montrachet' like color...wonderful notes of citrus fruits and later some nuttiness like roasted almonds and honey...the oxidization was apparent but not overwhelming.
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4/26/2013 - Pacalet Likes this wine: 94 Points
Disgorged in 09, light golden color, quite fresh and not as oxidative as I would expect a substance will be. Fresh citrus fruit, green apple, nutty and very yeasty. After 2 hours in glass roasted almonds emerged, coupled with a very long finish. Fantastic now will be better in a few more years.
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4/22/2013 - Vintomas wrote: 93 Points
Prestige Champagne tasting with Munskänkarna - blanc de blancs and 1995s (Stockholm): Nose with sherry notes – almost fino sherry-type notes – and hazelnuts, dried fruit, ripe apricots, flowery and aromatic with some sort of “scented oil” impression. Quite concentrated on the palate, spice, high acidity, green apple and nuts, long green appel-y aftertaste. Could probably develop some more, 93(+) p.
Disgorged July 2012
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4/6/2013 - Mascalese wrote:
- Yellow brown color.
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3/21/2013 - aagrawal wrote: 93 Points
Anselme Selosse (Jacques Selosse) Legendary Dinner (Spruce Restaurant, San Francisco): 2001 Disgorgement, solera style. Medium-golden color; fuller body than the recent 2011 disgorgement, rich, buttery, still a huge amount of acidity. Very young still. 93
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3/21/2013 - aagrawal wrote: 92 Points
Anselme Selosse (Jacques Selosse) Legendary Dinner (Spruce Restaurant, San Francisco): 2011 disgorgement, Solera style. Medium-golden color; huge acidity, fresh, very young. This did not have as much oxidation as I expected. It is excellently made and very enjoyable, but I think I would probably choose the initiale as my foray into Selosse. 92
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3/21/2013 - Papies wrote: 95 Points
The Champagnes of Jacques Selosse (Roberson Wine, South Ken, London): Disgorged 21Oct2010. 100% Chardonnay, 12.5% Alc, <5g/l dosage. Solera since 1987
Decent colour, glossy honey. Rich on the nose, spice, cinnamon & floral notes intermix with ripe apple. Selosse palate too, that fine mousse that engulfs with light popping candy feel. Powerful and oxidative on the finish and reminded us of a Tondonia Blanco GR finish. Very elegant and with a gigantic finish. 94-95
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3/5/2013 - bg2167 wrote: 96 Points
October 2011 Disgorgement
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3/3/2013 - mikdal wrote: 90 Points
Too oxidized...
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2/23/2013 - fatboi wrote: 94 Points
Certainly the oxidative side of Selosse, but snapped into form with a half hour of air as they seem to do. Layered and complex aromatics. Lots of minerals and a bit of brown sugar. Dark and warm. On the palate, a bit of that amontillado thing in the background, but didn't detract from the otherwise fresh flavors. Lots of lemony acidity and rich fruit, kind of golden delicious. Disgorged in April 2007, everything was really well integrated and at peak drinking in my opinion.
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2/16/2013 - kstoddard wrote: 88 Points
G6 (Rick): A very odd wine. Sticking out like a sore thumb in the tasting but not in a good way. Deep golden color. Vanilla oak nose of tropical fruit that is oxidized and sherry like. Orange blossom, melon, cranberry, and lemon fruit on the palate. Rich and full boided. Heavy handed winemaking. Followed over several hours. I'm not seeing why people are so attracted to this wine. Apparently not in my wheelhouse. Interesting to try nonetheless.
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2/8/2013 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
This is the OCtober 5, 2011 disgorgement. The comment that it drinks like white burgundy seems to nail it dead on to me. More like a big massive white burgundy than Champagne. Delicious, very oxidative.
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1/1/2013 - Peech Likes this wine: 96 Points
disgorged November 20, 2007 - how can I not love this wine?! Made only with Chardonnay from the Grand Cru vineyards of Avize, using a solera system which blends every vintage starting from 1986… this is Champagne's equivalent to Tawny Port and Madeira - which I love so much. Trademark nose of caramelized sugar, straw, cotton candy, apricot, marmalade, salty plum (話梅) and honey.
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12/28/2012 - kultcha Likes this wine:
No formal tasting notes taken but wine of the night for the group and once again really enjoyed this wine.
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12/25/2012 - thewiz Likes this wine: 93 Points
This bottle vas disgorged 2/7/2012 and opened on 12/25/2012.
Golden yellow colour with an amazing amount of fine little bubbles.
On the nose there's apricot mixed with dried fruits and mature sweet fruits and a distinct tone of oak. Showing some resemblance with Madeira.
The palate is very intensive and ample with a round taste of oak, dried fruits and a crunchiness from the low dosage. The length in the aftertaste is very good and with a nice citrus tone.
It's the first time trying this Champagne and it really offers a different experience. All by itself it's both interesting, provocative and peculiar. But together with matching food it rises to a much higher level! We had it with risotto made of morels and it was a perfect match.
Next time we will have it with fillet of beef, morel sause and wild rice.
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12/25/2012 - VHJV wrote: 94 Points
A great Champagne with that wonderfully peculiar combination of youthful energy and mature aromatics.
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12/22/2012 - yotaiwan wrote: 91 Points
This one is good but needs a couple more years in the cellar I think.
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12/8/2012 - Pavan wrote: 94 Points
Different champagne style. A bit oxidated on the nose at first which then wears off. Vibrant and long. Full bodied with white flowers. Best with food.
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12/6/2012 - Vintomas wrote: 93 Points
Selosse tasting (AuZone, Stockholm): Golden yellow colour. Nose with mineral, ripe yellow fruit with slightly sweeter and deeper fruit note than V.O., yellow apples, orange, some oxidation and a touch of sherry nots, spice, perfume. Palate with mineral, ripe yellow apples and winter apples, citrus, rather high acidity, noticeably spicy. Aftertaste with powerful grapefruit notes. The nose is definitely gorgeous, but the palate doesn’t quite live up to the level of the nose.
Disgorged 24 October 2007.
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11/29/2012 - redders Likes this wine: 91 Points
Brittannia Group (Hix Mayfair): delicate green, small mousses and bubbles. Delicate floral nose, hint of sherbert lemon. Guessed B de B. Lovely rich palate kept clean by acidity but finish slightly clipped. very good
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11/20/2012 - vin2share wrote: 89 Points
Rich gold colour. First impressions on the nose were of honey and roasted nuts. On the palate however, it didn't follow through with the usual richness, intensity and oxidative style that I have previously experienced with Substance. Somehow, the wine came across as still being closed as it was fairly short with a rather "empty" mid-palate too. Perhaps it was the high expectation or maybe just this particular bottle not showing too well.
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11/16/2012 - jpb2007 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Diner anniversaire: Magnifique Champagne, avec une légère oxydation. Léger fumé et notes d'agrumes. Bouche très complexe mais conservant une belle fraicheur. Longue finale.
Superbe.
Encornet, écume et agrumes
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10/27/2012 - KimHartman wrote: 94 Points
Deg 2010-12
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10/11/2012 - Greg Pierce wrote:
Disgorged 7/6/11
Fantastic!
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8/23/2012 - Ki Punwar wrote: 95 Points
My First bottle of Substance...very enjoyable....truly like an old burg with bubbles...I really enjoyed this. Deep color with lots of toasty yeast, caramel and toffee. Oxidative but wonderfully full and balanced. Next to the 97 Salon I was tasting
it was much more full bodied and was a heavyweight.
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8/9/2012 - JeffW wrote: 94 Points
Very different champagne. Speaks of old Crystal, but lacks the finish. Everything else is great.
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6/27/2012 - carlwhat wrote:
oxidative style; but off the hook good... there is something about these selosse wines that i find very appealing... perhaps its the balance... this wine was disgorged all the way back in 2005.
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6/15/2012 - TOTOM wrote: 93 Points
6-7 sec. finish. 2010 deg.
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5/27/2012 - wineduggery wrote: 91 Points
An interesting and different experience of Selosse, but not for me. I prefer the freshness of young Champagne to this aged, oxidative style. Caramel and nutty flavors dominate, but this is still a beautifully balanced offering with a persistent finish.
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5/6/2012 - jtech wrote:
Deg 22.10.10
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4/5/2012 - Krugman wrote: 94 Points
I have been on a Jacques Selosse kick recently and this was my first tasting of the Substance. This is clearly one of the best Selosee champagnes in the line-up, but for me it was not any better than the last bottle of Initial I had and is certainly not worth the price premium over that wine. It did have a little bit more depth and complexity than the Initial, but it did not have the same level of freshness. This is presumably due to the older wines in the solera. However, it was still an excellent bottle of champagne in the rich Selosse style. I got wonderful flavors of honey, citrus, white bread, peaches, flowers, caramel, and saline minerality. This is very ready to drink right now and I do not believe that it will continue to improve with further aging. For me, I would rather have two bottles of the Initial than one bottle of Substance given their price points. However, this is definetly worth trying at least once as some people will certainly like this better than the Initial given its higher level of maturity and complexity.
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2/2/2012 - Shorepower wrote:
Degad 18 oktober 2006. Mörkt gyllengul, sötma, plonnon blommor, SELOSSE. Den är så typisk så svårt att låta bli att le. Har druckit Substance så många gånger att sitta och räkna upp smaker eller dofter blir bara löjligt. Den här hade svagare mousse än någon jag kan komma ihåg men hade samtidigt en större kropp som tog ordentligt med plats i munnen. Fortfarande bra syra men nu när den tonats ner något så blir vinet på något sätt mer integrerat och komplett.
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1/25/2012 - Alexis A wrote: 92 Points
Beautiful golden color, quite evolved. Nose of yeast and minerality, citrus and a tad of brioche. Strong body, loads going on and concentrated. Nice champagne and will last for a while.
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1/15/2012 - Shorepower wrote:
En av de mörkare Substance jag sett. Mycket blommor, plommon och choklad. Typisk riktig bra Selosse. Min första 2011 degade och som Initalen verkar Selosse ha lyckats ovanligt bra med de vinerna som degades just detta år. Intressant. Kan inte förställa mig att Initial och Substance legat lika länge på deg så något annat är det
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1/14/2012 - dcwino wrote: 92 Points
Baltimorean and one dcwino in NYC – Part 2 French at Corton: Ordered off the list. Oxidative nose, coffee, toffee and anise. Deeply toned but remains fresh. Small bubbles. Apparently 50% was made in solera style. Noticeable oxidative note like a sherry makes this a unique champagne. Some may disagree but this is not unlike a NV champagne from a big house that has been cellared for 20+ years. I, DP lover, find this interesting and enjoyable but not special. YMMV for sure.
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12/23/2011 - jpb2007 wrote: 94 Points
Dégorgement 2005
Quel vin somptueux !
Une opulence exceptionnelle au nez comme en bouche.
Des arômes de fleur d'oranger, de pomme coupée, de cire, de miel d'acacia.
Une bulle trés lègére et douce.
Grande rémanence des arômes.
bref, le nirvana.
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12/3/2011 - yacobove wrote: 95 Points
This wine always impresses me. A powerful nose of caramel and parmesan. Complex flavor that lasts for ages. Superbly well balanced and incomparable to anything else in the wine world that I've tasted.
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12/1/2011 - jantor wrote: 90 Points
Very intense and perfumed, unusual nose for a Champagne with hyacinths, lillies, yeast, wood, chocolate and some apples. The taste follows the noes in its intensity and style. Although a very solid and excellent Champagne, it is also very special and slightly outside of my preferences.
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11/25/2011 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 94 Points
Honey colored. Fine, light mousse. Initially served a bit too cool- really opened up as warmed. Ripe, fallen apple oxidative notes. Ripe and full-bodied. A Champagne for grownups.
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10/23/2011 - St Paul wrote: 95 Points
Degorged 2002. A beautiful champagne with mushrooms and tropical fruits. Green apples. My experience says that Selosse must have close to 10 years in bottle after degorgement. As beautiful and special as this is it becomes a bit heavy when getting warmer. Its almost like chewing the champagne. A grand champagne nevertheless.
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10/4/2011 - Corgi wrote: 94 Points
Opened and aired for an hour before drunk. Paired with sashimi. Outshined a 1997 Salon. Similar notes to what I wrote in late 2009. Disgorged July 2008.
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9/4/2011 - veniceslug1 wrote: 96 Points
three years for disgorgement and this wine is showing even better. Nice toasty notes have been added to the usual clean bright acid. great champagne.
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8/21/2011 - morellyn wrote: 96 Points
Okay, let's start by saying this is a champagne that needs decanting. How strange is that? Also, use some white wine glasses to get better aeration, and don't overchill. Okay, enough of learning from my mistakes, onto the wine. Popped and poured, and while there was certainly a great amount of complexity, there was also some sharpness and bitterness at first, to go along with the aged, honeyed apricot and apples. This sharpness eventually faded in the 2nd and 3rd hours, and this just kept developing complexity. Despite the pronounced "honeyed" element, there is no true sweetness here. But there is profound complexity, earthiness (terroir?), and a unique champagne/aged Burgundy experience. It's hard to justify the cost, but it is a very different and thought-provoking experience for those who can splurge.
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7/9/2011 - jeff nowak wrote: 96 Points
taken in to RN 74, corkage waived. finally, i'm face to face with the beast of champagne. followed in a chardonnay glass for four hours. disgorged october, 2009. not unlike a salon, but i didn't think this bottle was as oxidative as i was led to believe it would be. zero mousse. nutmeg and a fine liqueur, anise hint + honey nut cereal. hefty mouthfeel and tremendously long finish. difficult not to be smitten by this very unusual wine. highly recommended.
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7/6/2011 - Alex H wrote: 91 Points
Double boiled chicken essence with soy sauce, unami . Extremely aromatic. Broad based mouth filling palate. A bit cognac n fino. Pure drips of delicious savory juicy golden apples. Wholesome and round. Savory honey !
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6/3/2011 - canan wrote: 96 Points
BYO (Le Sommelier): Amazing mix of green apples, sherry and a huge acidity!!
Loved it :-)
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5/21/2011 - veronica770 wrote:
Brought this for Lylepalooza. Disgorged Dec '08. Color: Dark golden yellow. Aromas of roasted chestnuts, bread and rhubarb. Rich tasting, orange blossom honey, Brioche, sherry qualities, reminiscent of a Vin Jaune. Savory. Would say this was an older wine if I didn't know better. A penetrating wine.
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5/17/2011 - Mingmong wrote: 95 Points
Super duper. Soy sauce notes in the nose. Chicken essence, some butter and honey and light lemons and limes which are semi-sweet/sour and apples. Weighty and savoury. Excellent balance with the fruit, and acidity.
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5/17/2011 - Paul S wrote: 95 Points
Burgundy 2011 Day 2: Dinner at Ma Cuisine (Ma Cuisine, Beaune, Burgundy): Disgorged 23 December 2009 - this was crazy good. It had a beautiful nose that kept developing in the glass - white meat, chicken stock, slightly browning apples, umami tones of mushrooms and soy sauce, rich yellow fruit scents, a kaleidoscope of lovely aromas that kept shifting with time. Towards the last pour, there where accents of honey, some caramel - just lovely stuff. The palate had really fine mousse, incredible balance and a rich, almost Grand Cru Burg weight in its pure red apples and honeyed tones on a deep, savoury background with lots of umami, preserved limes, lemons and figs. There was tremendous depth and complexity here, but the wine carried it ever so effortlessly with a mouth-watering freshness behind its mouth-filling flavours, so that it was always immensely friendly and drinkable all the way into a focused and detailed finish where bits of mineral, spice and a sherry-like savouriness laced the palate. Outstanding, and even more beautiful when paired with grilled scallops. A brilliant Champagne. It may not be to everyone's taste with its slightly oxidative, sherry-like accents, but I absolutely loved it.
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5/7/2011 - dream wrote: 93 Points
A big, rich champagne with a wonderful yeasty complexity. Tastes like a 15-year old vintage champagne with lovely notes of honey, hazelnuts, lemons and minerals. This is well-made juice.
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4/2/2011 - Shorepower wrote:
Typisk Substance i doften, plommon, blommor, exotiska frukter, lite sherrytoner. Något av en besvikelse i smaken, lätt tunn och smaken hänger inte kvar som den brukar. Låter resten stå till imorgon för att se om något händer.
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3/24/2011 - j45 wrote:
Dégorgée le 04 Decembre 2008. Deep golden color. Fresh aromas of bee pollen, pine nuts, honey, bourbon vanilla bean and tangerine. Mouthfilling bouche. Great cut. A chewy, knife-'n-fork champagne, but with real finesse and litheness. A singular champagne: Selosse's solera/fractional blending system adds richness, resinousness and an umami experience unlike anything outside Andalucía. Great wine, but please give this plenty of air before passing judgment.
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2/23/2011 - reichken wrote: 93 Points
Drunk with a Doll- even D stopped a bit and savored, rich and smooth, a bit nutty, a bit dry . i can see the cross between a great sherry and a good white burg. this was a lovely rich and long bottle of bubbles
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1/22/2011 - drwine2001 wrote:
Dinner with Charles (Washington, D.C.): Disgorged December, 2008. Full yellow, almost light honey colored. Very tight, exuberant mousse. Fantastic nose-honey, ginger, a touch of brioche, orange. Moderate dosage, very powerful with great drive and persistence in the mouth. Fabulous Champagne. If I owned this particular batch, I would be drinking it over the near term while the fruit is still fresh and before it takes on a more oxidative character, but that's just me.
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1/14/2011 - Pacalet wrote: 94 Points
Disgorged Dec 08, drinking very well with the trademark oxidative notes yet with some fresh fruit, and got persistence to last 5hrs plus. A bit too strong as an aperitif, would be good for an after dinner champagne.
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12/31/2010 - hsacks wrote: 94 Points
Deep golden yellow color. Aromas of sherry, orange peel, green apples and almonds. Very fine, lively mousse. I decanted the wine for 10 minutes. It took another 30 minutes in the glass to exhibit its best qualities. Ripe, mature fruit in the mouth with great complexity and acidity and an intense, long, lingering finish. Amazing combination of maturity and freshness. The wine got more powerful and complex with every sip. Great with the foie gras as well as the lobster and halibut of Bibou Restaurant. Still not yet at peak.
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8/1/2010 - Lord Rayas wrote: 96 Points
Dinner with Dr Poon, Juliano and Brian (The Square, London): Golden colour resembles aged champagne. Rich and smooth with notes of roasted nuts, honey and sweet spices. Without doubt the best N.V. I've tasted.
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7/2/2010 - Manus wrote: 92 Points
If we have to pick unique Champagne producers, Jacques Selosse is definitely one of them.
Many people considered Jacques Selosse is a Champagne producer with strong Burgundy influence. All its wines are fermented in used small oak barrels from top white burgundy producers. The wine will also have lees stirring once every week. This may be the reason why Champagne produced by Selosse is having strong Burgundy influence.
Of all the Champagne produced by Selosse, I believe Selosse Substance is the most unique and special one. Annual production is only 3,000 bottles. This Champagne use Solera production method which is normally used to produce Sherry. In simple term, Solera production method separates wines of different vintages into barrels of different layers. The top layer is the newest one while the bottom one is the oldest. When there is new wine produced, they will be added to the top layer and some wines from the top layer will be transferred and mixed into the next layer down. Wine to be bottled will be from the bottom layer which is the oldest.
Other than special wine-making technique, Selosse believes the most critical factor affecting the quality of Champagne is the grape itself. Therefore, same as many Burgundy producers, Selosse's focus is on viticulture.
This Substance NV is a 100% Chardonnay from grapes in Cote de Blancs Avize Grand Cru with the oldest one from year 1987.
To drink this wine, Selosse recommended to decant and using normal Burgundy white wine glass instead of Champagne flute. Initially, the wine has a very strong smell similar to Sherry. Yet underlying the Sherry smell is a refreshing smell of citrus similar to many Champagne.
After an hour, smell of Sherry became weaker and what is emerging is aged Champagne smell of honey and caramel. Again, refreshing citrus is still there. Just like a champagne mixing aged and new Champagne.
http://hk.myblog.yahoo.com/hkwine-blog/article?mid=726
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6/9/2010 - Russell Faulkner wrote:
Harmony II (The Ledbury): Deep gold, but vigorous, spicy oak nose with ripe round sweet fruit and sour green apple. A very solid match with the course, the acidity grew a little disjointed with time. This bottle disgorged in 2008.
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6/8/2010 - abh wrote:
This is a wine I've wanted to try ever since having the Intiale a couple of years ago. A miraculously cheap restaurant list made this possible. I was simply blown away, it's a freakish hybrid of Montrachet, a great Manzanilla sherry and Champagne. Completely atypical of course, but just so much definition and focused power. Perfect food champagne.
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5/14/2010 - jknd wrote: flawed
Corked
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4/14/2010 - Shorepower wrote:
Deg April 2006. Substance efter maten är aldrig fel! Mörkt gyllengul, nästan stilla vin i glaset , plommon, torkade frukter och blommor i lukten som följs upp i smaken med kännbar mousse, choklad, nötter och tydlig sötma. Lång eftersmak. Helt enkelt ett riktigt , riktigt bra vin. Vinner verkligen på att ligga ett par år efter deg.
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4/1/2010 - AndrewSGHall wrote:
Wines from Spring Break; 4/1/2010-4/6/2010: Pretty much like note of a year ago. Amazing stuff.
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3/24/2010 - BillB656 Likes this wine:
Ever so slightly oxidized in aroma with white flowers, orange peel, honey, almonds. Rich mouthfeel and fairly aggressive bead. This is one of those wines where I say to myself wow....Wow....WOW as the flavors evolve. Incredible persistence, complex.
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3/6/2010 - j45 wrote:
Dégorgée le 06 Juin 2005. Unbelievable! Bee pollen, flowers, pine resin, perfect harmony of solera age and post-disgorgement bottle age. I could drink this all day long.
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2/27/2010 - Ikuyo wrote: 94 Points
Bright golden colour. Sherry, hazelnuts, spices, fruits and floral on nose. On palate: wow, umami! Reasons for quality: balance, length, concentration and complexity (but not typicity). A unique experience!
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1/23/2010 - drwine2001 wrote:
Disgorged December, 2008. Light honey/orange color. Less flamboyant aromatics than the several bottles of Initiale I've had, but wow, what complexity and beautiful evolution-caramel, flowers, ginger, peach, and citrus. Full body, medium dosage. This is about much more than the fruit, which is hard to characterize. For its weight and depth, you could swear there was something apart from Chardonnay in the wine. Incredible harmony throughout with a touch of youthful bitterness at the very end. Distinctive, fabulous Champagne.
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12/24/2009 - herberto wrote: 88 Points
My first Selosse. Very unusual, dry and slightly oxidated. Interesting, serious wine, but I'm not sure I really found it enjoyable, and didn't justify its price in my mind. Can get an interesting, slightly saline slightly oxidated white in a Coulee de Serrant for not much more than 1/10th the price.
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12/23/2009 - Greg Pierce wrote:
Let the holiday hedonism begin:
Deep golden yellow with superfine mousse. Honey, with some spicy notes and sherried notes on the nose. Very rich, golden fruit, chalky minerals, and a slight citrusy component. YUM! I really really liked this wine. 11/20/2007 disgorgement.
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12/17/2009 - BradE wrote:
Beautiful. A lot of oxidation, really nice.
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12/9/2009 - Shorepower wrote:
Deg april 2007, tredje Substance på kort tid Dem mörkaste av de jag druckit. Dofter av blommor, violer, torkad frukt , fikon, hjortron. Lång och bra eftersmak, många av dofterna åter i smaken. Tillsammans med Salon den som klarar tiden i glaset bäst. Kvällens andra vinnare.
Deg April 2007, My third Substance in a short time, the darkest of the ones I tasted Aromas of flowers, violets, dried fruit, figs, cloudberry. Long and good taste, many of the scents back to the taste. Together with Salon theone that handle time in the glass best. This evening's second winner.
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11/29/2009 - JJL wrote: 89 Points
When this was first poured, I thought for shore it was oxidized given that it was a young BdB, yet almost rose in color. While the palate revealed that it was not completely oxidized, it is an oxidized style wine that exhibits burnt tangerine and pink grapefruit and is quite sweet. I prefer more lemon, white fruit and brioche when I drink a BdB.
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11/28/2009 - Shorepower wrote: 95 Points
Deg 2006, Som alltid med Selosse, den går inte riktigt att jämföra med de andra vinerna, Doften pekar mer på sauternes eller ett annat sött vin, det här är inte champagne men ändå champagne, det finns ett sådan djup i doften att det är svårt att komma ihåg alla dofter, smaken, ja det är som en av kvinnorna i gruppen sa, en orgasm i munnen, allt kommer på en gång.
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11/6/2009 - foodie wrote: 92 Points
Goldenrod-straw, orange-tinged yellow. Deep and dark with fine, dispersed bubbles. Fino sherry, charcuterie, soy sauce, pu-erh tea, underbrush. Sweaty, white chalk and saline, dried stone fruit, chamomile, oak... thin on the end palate but a steamy finish of spiced, macerated fruits and jamon. Esoteric and uncommon, a departure from everything you would expect.
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9/27/2009 - Corgi wrote:
Powerfully sweet honey aromas permeate along with a bouquet of citrus fruits and spices. Layers of peach, tangerines, and the slight bitterness of grapefruit mist (when you peel the fruit away from the skin). Soft, rich, well balanced and not overly acidic. Lingers long on the palate with a slight chalkiness on the final finish. Strong, dark amber in color.
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8/25/2009 - brooklynguy wrote: 95 Points
phenomenal wine, brought by peter liem to dinner. he said that this bottle was particularly good. deep golden color, oxidative nose of ginger root and roast nuts, with incredible palate staining impact. great purity and energy, great definition of flavor and aroma. was at its bet an hour after opening and might have continued to improve, but by then it was gone.
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8/6/2009 - Terriorist wrote:
sherry-like, sherry-style. 1986 fruit. He says that the terrior cannot be shown as well (in most cases) if he were to make a vintage.
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7/28/2009 - Cheryl wrote:
Pol Roger, Krug, Dom, Selosse, Philipponnat, Egly and more (Eleven Madison Park, New York, NY): Sherry and fresh bread, light right out of the bottle and complex. Two hours later it was powerful, intense and concentrated. There was orange peel on the nose and the palate. Someone described it as "the zin of champagne." Nice.
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7/11/2009 - vin2share wrote: 93 Points
Stunningly rich golden colour that is a visual delight in itself with very fine and smooth bubbles. Certainly not the type of champagne that appeals to everyone due to its oxidative style. However, those who love mature champagnees will enjoy its intensity, multitude of rich flavours and long finish. Plus.. the story about Selosse himself and his unique winemaking outlook is a great conversation piece at a small private dinner amongst friends !
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5/19/2009 - Rupert wrote: 93 Points
Twelve grower champagnes in Islington (London): Ready for it this time, but still knocked out by its size - oxidative, oaky, but lifted by the massive fizz, amazing deep fruit
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5/8/2009 - Russell Faulkner wrote: 94 Points
Fish and Chips and Fizz: Clearly a fine wine, full of old oak, oxidative of course, big, not for wimps.
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5/7/2009 - Rupert wrote: 93 Points
Fish and Chips and Fizz (Masters Superfish, London SE1): Huge, rich and oaky, but with a pulsating energy which lifted it - very exciting
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4/24/2009 - gorm wrote: 94 Points
Dark yellow. Intriguing and intense nose of yeast, chalk, ginger, apricot and licorice. In the mouth this has unreal intensity and more of the same flavors. While I can appriciate that this very high quality and a unique style I find it to be just a bit overthe top.
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4/12/2009 - AndrewSGHall wrote:
(Bought @ Crush, took to Craft) Ohmigod. Outrageous fusion of the sherry barreling with incredibly pure Champagne. It totally rings our bells in a unique way. Great quality with personality.
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4/4/2009 - Willmerson wrote: 95 Points
Delicious Stonefruit and baked candied apple flavors with this wine. It was unbelieveable and the solera style really shows through. Reminds me of Gravner BReg Amfora but Sparkling and more clear.
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2/7/2009 - Terkel wrote: 95 Points
Pegau Reserve Vertical Tasting: (Deg. 2007) Straw to amber color, showing mature signs. Intense nose with nectarines, paint, orange peel, sherry with flor yeast and sweetness. Concentrated on the palate with many layers of smooth apricot, caramel, burned sugar, yellow plums and mirabelle. On the midpalate and finish there are distinct, oxidized notes of sherry. Still the acidity remains pure and through-cutting, youthful. Very expressive and with unique character. Amazing.
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1/25/2009 - Cheryl wrote:
Peter Pratt's 2009 Cali Cab Table (Yorktown, NY): Nice, like sweet golden apple juice. Not like traditional champagne.
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1/11/2009 - RationalDenial wrote: 92 Points
Disgorged 20 Nov, 2007. Baked apple, toffee and saffron nose. Clearly oxidative. On the palate, rich and luxurious but still very precise with bright, citric acidity. There's a granitic minerality that evolves into a dense chalky finish. This was a little disjointed at first, took about an hour before it really started to show.
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9/1/2008 - PatrikO wrote: 94 Points
Much better than last time, when I suspect it was slightly corked. Deep gold colour and impressive mousse. Very dry in the mouth with fireworks of different flavours, superb.
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7/11/2008 - CamWheeler wrote: 93 Points
Disgorged June 6 2005. Golden coloured. The nose is of green apple, honey, seaweed, earth and the typical Selosse oxidative character. The palate is fantastic - so much complexity and interest here along with brilliant acidity.
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6/16/2008 - PatrikO wrote: 94 Points
i agree that this is not Champagne for everyone. Lovely gold colour with small bubbles, you can tell that this is a mix of many older vintages as you get notes of'sherry' , it is also very very dry, can't be much of dosage here..! Wonderfully complex, in fact I liked it even better day two, when it was very smooth.
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6/9/2008 - Russell Faulkner wrote:
Ripe coxs yellow, a hint of woodsmoke, rounded deep apple, youthful but slow bubbles, very rich full style, grew richer in the glass. Calm oxidative notes in background. Very good
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2/8/2008 - Winetex wrote: 94 Points
Deep gold in color with few bubbles and a light mousse. On the nose brioche, spice and sherry continued through the palate. A very long finish. The style is very oxidative - this a champagne not for everyone. Fantastically complex. In fact about half of the people who tried it were not impressed while the other half raved. Do not serve this as as apertif wine as it needs time to open up and be served with food. It was excellent champagne but I found that there was not the magnitude of difference between the Initiale and the Substance as the price might indicate. $$$
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10/18/2007 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 91 Points
Selosse Champagne (Blue Hill): This didn't strike me as vastly different in character from the standard Brut, except the effervescence here is even more restrained -- there is only the barest hint of bubbles at all, just the occasional pinhole -- and it smells a little more evolved, the only wine in the lineup, to my taste, that suggested anything oxidative with the slightest sherried scent.
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8/30/2007 - bevort wrote:
Wines and BBQ (Claus B): Lovely fresh wonderful floral nose shows. The mousse is more dense than Vilmar. It kind of plays on the tongue and seemingly not giving all it got. A bit closed? I like this wine, but the others that tried this before told me that this was an unusual showing for a Substance.
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8/12/2007 - psmith wrote:
Slightly sweet honey and orange peel impression with more than a hint of sherried, oxidative richness. Manages to use its oxidative qualities to its advantage - something a number of similarly styled wines don't pull off so well. Delicious.
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9/25/2006 - Russell Faulkner wrote: 95 Points
Dinner with the Cassettas (The Square, London): Massive rich bakers yeast and peach nose, very smooth, refined palate, supple with soft but present acidity, a surprising lack of oxidative notes. Super.
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3/20/2005 - Barbara B wrote:
Tasted on 2005-03-05. On nose, some isoproply alcohol to start; developed some vanilla, pine forest, resin-like smells (but good); on palate, complex, long, excellent oak integration, some bruised apple character, very low end of brut (guessing around 5 g/L); rich and full. Outstanding.
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