Lieux-Dits Champagnes from Jacquesson vs Selosse

A comparative tasting of the 2011-released Lieux-Dits from Jacquesson (2002s) and Selosse (solera wines), organised via the forum finewines.se. Three wines were released by each producer in 2011. A pair of "simpler" Champagnes were also tasted against each other, and predictably some other bottles were finished off as well.

• 2002 Jacquesson & Fils Champagne Brut Millésimé 89 Points

  France, Champagne

  Bright yellow colour. In the nose yellow fruit, hint of herbal notes, some honey, citrus, initially a candy-like note of fruit essence that subsides somewhat after some time. After a while a certain smoke note, bread and brioche also appear. On the palate pronounced minerality with a "mineral water" impression, yellow fruit, high acidity, medium bodied. Still young. 89+ p.

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• NV Jacques Selosse V.O. Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut 92 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  Bright- to golden yellow colour. A nose with clearly minerally smoke notes with some dust of crushed stones, discrete hint of mature yellow fruit with some exotic fruit, peach and papaya can be found, some honey and a hint of dried fruit. Powerful nose with well integrated oak notes, that is very reminiscent of a white Burgundy from Côte de Beaune. Pronounced minerality on the palate, powerful, spicy, rather high acidity, slight impression of salinity and bitterness, aftertaste with grapefruit. Young, would gain from some cellaring. 92+ p.
  
  Bottle disgorged 20 July 2011, probably with base wine from 2002, 2003 and 2004. A bit more accessible and enjoyable already than I'd expected from a V.O. at 9 months after disgorgement. This batch may very well warrant a higher score with some additional time in the cellar.

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• 2002 Jacquesson & Fils Champagne Grand Cru Avize Champ Cain 93 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  Bright yellow colour. A very brief first impression on the nose of dry road dust quickly dissipated. Nose of yellow fruit, pronounced minerality, some honey, a certain spiciness; rather powerful and elegant nose. On the palate pronounced minerality, quite high acidity, some citrus and apple, quite elegant. Young. 93+ p.
  
  Produced in a quite firm, elegant and minerally style, it clearly outshines Jacquesson's other vineyard blanc de blancs, Dizy Corne Bautray 2002, but is probably in need of more time to peak fully.

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• NV Jacques Selosse Champagne Grand Cru Lieux-dits Extra Brut Le Mesnil-sur-Oger Les Carelles 93 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  Golden yellow colour. Powerful nose of dried yellow fruit, some oxidation notes, quite spicy, minerality that grows with time in the glass. Reminds me of rum-soaked raisins, if made with white or golden raisins. Quite powerful nose but also with a certain elegance. The palate give a slighty sweetish impression on the attack, rather concentrated yellow fruit with some dried fruit, rather high acidity, pronounced spiciness, minerally mid-palate and on the finish. Rather ready to drink, but will surely be able to take long time in the cellar.
  
  Bottle disgorged 24 February 2011. Base wine from 2003 and 2004. Produced from base wine treated in a solera style, this is much more of an extreme creation than for example its blanc de blancs cousin Version Originale, and more akin to Substance, but from a single vineyard.
  
  Of the three Selosse Lieux-Dits wines released in 2011, I'd rate this in the middle.

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• 2002 Jacquesson & Fils Champagne Dizy Corne Bautray Extra-Brut 91 Points

  France, Champagne

  Bright yellow, relatively deep colour. Discretely fruity nose with mature citrus, mineral, a hint of flower. With time in the glass it develops more mature fruit and some smoke; elegant. Minerally attack on the palate, citrus, green apple, high acidity, impression of mineral water, a hint of bitterness. Young, but somewhat accessible. 91+ p.
  
  A clear step above Jacquesson Millésime 2002 in quality, but in comparison to the excellent Jacquesson Avize Champ Caïn 2002 it is somewhat weaker to me; Corne Bautray has a less minerally nose, and is more foody and comes across as slightly more "coarse" on the palate.

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• NV Jacques Selosse Champagne Grand Cru Lieux-dits Extra Brut Ambonnay Le Bout du Clos 92 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  Golden yellow colour. Nose of mature red fruit, red apple, red berries, nectarines, some dried fruit, slight oxidation notes, discrete fudge notes, some rum-soaked raisins. Rather fresh attack, the palate shows obvious oxidative notes of cocoa powder, red berries and winter apples, good acidity (but not really high), spicy. Rather powerful, acidic and spicy aftertaste with a hint of bitterness. Definitely a food wine. Rather ready to enjoy, but gives a slightly disjointed impression that indicates that it could gain from some additional cellaring.
  
  Bottle disgorged 24 February 2011. Premier release of this wine with base wine from 2004, treated in a solera style (whatever than means when a single vintage is used). Note that its varietal composition is 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay, due to some coplantation of the latter variety in the vineyard.
  
  Of the three Selosse Lieux-Dits wines released in 2011, I'd rate this in the third place.

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• 2002 Jacquesson & Fils Champagne Aÿ Vauzelle Terme 94 Points

  France, Champagne

  Bright to golden yellow. In the nose ripe fruit, peach, ripe lemons, red apple, some perfume, discrete spiciness, mineral. Elegant nose. On the palate quite minerally with some salinity, ripe yellow and red apple, spiciness, high acidity, definitely elegant. Young. 94+ p.
  
  Not obviously Aÿ-styled to me, I more associated to a cooler Pinot Noir cru on Montagne de Reims, such as Verzenay, but this effect is produced by Jacquesson's elegant, minerally style. To me, this is the best of Jacquesson's three vineyard-specific wines (lieux dits) of the 2002 vintage, as it slightly outshines even the excellent Avize Champ Caïn.

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• NV Jacques Selosse Champagne Grand Cru Lieux-dits Extra Brut Ay La Côte Faron 94 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  Golden yellow colour. Powerful nose of ripe fruit, ripe citrus, red apple, red berries, some cocoa powder, discrete notes of dried fruit and very light oxidation, some perfume, very elegant. On the palate a powerful, spicy attack, slightly oxidized ("winter apples") yellow and red apples, peach, a hint of sweetness of fruit, honey and dried fruit, quite spicy. Fruity-minerally aftertaste with mild bitterness. Rather ready to enjoy, but could gain from further time in the cellar.
  
  Bottle disgorged 21 February 2011. Base wine from 2003 and 2004. Produced from base wine treated in a solera style.
  
  Of the three Selosse Lieux-Dits wines released in 2011, I rate this the highest. A marvelous wine! To me, it also shows the mildest oxidation notes of the three.

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• NV Savart Champagne Calliope 89 Points

  France, Champagne

  Bright yellow colour. Nose of ripe yellow fruit - apple, peach - hints of honey, could be a hint of oak?, slightly spicy. With some time in the glass more honey and some flowery notes. More than medium bodied on the palate, rather spicy, yellow fruit, mostly apple, good acidity (but not very high), rather minerally, grapefruit-dominated aftertaste.
  
  Tasted blind.

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• NV Henriot Champagne Brut Rose Noire 88 Points

  France, Champagne

  Bright yellow colour, some golden hints. Clearly developed, mature nose with cocoa powder, yellow fruit, winter apples. On the palate apple, mineral, high acidity, medium bodied, slight bitterness.
  
  Tasted blind. Age of bottle not known, but at least >10 years based on the cork.

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• 2002 Domaine de la Vougeraie Crémant de Bourgogne Fête de Famille Brut 88 Points

  France, Burgundy, Crémant de Bourgogne

  Golden yellow colour. Pleasant nose of oranges, fruity impression, slightly flowery. Fruity on the palate, clear minerality, high acidity. Rather young.
  
  Served blind in a tasting with a lot of high-quality Champagnes. Some of its aromas did stand out as "perhaps not Champagne", but it did not strike me as a pure Pinot Noir/blanc de noirs.

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• 1993 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut 90 Points

  France, Champagne

  Bright yellow colour. Nose of mature yellow fruit, mineral, hint of smoke, rather developed toasty notes, some cocoa, some flowers. Minerally on the attack, yellow fruit, high acidity, slight bitterness, spiciness, freshness. Some development, but still rather young. Surprisingly "blanc de blancs-styled" impression for a blended Champagne.
  
  Tasted blind. Most of us initially guessed a younger vintage. Not a very high score for a Cristal, but a very respectable effort for a 1993, with a lot of life still ahead of it.

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