Quick note (18 wines in an hour). Ripe and cool nose, pear and grass, spice. Quite rich and full of fruit on the palate: pear and apple, smooth mousse and nice mouthfeel. Never heard of the producer before, but at the price point, I am impressed. Nose - 4/6, Palate - 5/6, Finish - 5/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 1/2 = 15/20.
Quick note (18 wines in an hour) More buttery on the nose than the Lahaye BdN, with yeast and crispy ripe green apple. More acid on the palate with a lively mousse, tart apple, a bit of citrus. Nice persistence with pear, minerals and yeast in the finish. I like this. Nose - 4.5/6, Palate - 5/6, Finish - 5/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 1-1.5/2 = 15.5-16/20.
Quick note (18 wines in an hour). Light gold-yellow. Spicy nose with lemon and citrus - bitter. Some lemon minerals and yeast on the palate. Not exciting. Decent mouthfeel. Nose - 4/6, Palate - 4/6, Finish - 4/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 0.5/2 = 12.5/20.
Quick note (18 wines in and hour). Much deeper nose than the NV M&C imperial that preceded this. Surprising mature profile on the nose: creamy, darker, brown, brown butter, and chardonnay flavors and oak. Very rich on the palate with toast, oak, vanilla and an assertive mousse. The finish is missing some intensity but otherwise nice. Nose - 5/6, Palate - 5/6, Finish - 4/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 1/2 = 15/20.
Quick note (18 wines in an hour). Medium pink-orange. Shy on the nose with tart and bitter berry and soap. Palate has tart berry again and steel. Not impressive at all. Nose - 4/6, Palate - 3/6, Finish - 3/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 0/2 = 10/20.
Quick note (18 wines in an hour) Much better than the M&C 02 Rose. Nose of sweet strawberry fruit. Creamy, fruit and sweet with ripe strawberry on the palate as well. Good mousse, and a smooth mouthfeel. A little simple, but tasty. Nose - 4/6, Palate - 5/6, Finish - 4.5/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 1/2 = 14.5/20.
Quick note (18 wines in an hour). Clearly a step up from the previous wines. Light gold. Creamy nose with malt, mocha, lemon and spice. Creamy entry on the palate with similar flavors to the nose: malt, mocha and lively lemon. Soft mousse, but the mouthfeel and acid build into the finish - this is still young. Nose - 5.5/6, Palate - 5.5/6, Finish - 5/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 1-1.5/2 = 17-17.5/20.
Quick note (18 wines in an hour). Probably suffered a bit coming after the 2000 vintage Krug. Lots of creamy lemon and lemon curd, minerals. Very citrusy and alive with minerals and a malt cream that comes out with time. Yeasty. Still good. Nose - 5/6, Palate - 5/6, Finish - 5/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 1/2 = 16/20.
Quick note (18 wines in an hour). Subdued nose with lemon, mineral and oak. Soft and generous on the palate - lemonheads candy, yeast, apple. Mousse a little soft. A touch simple. Nose - 4/6, Palate - 4.5/6, Finish - 4/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 0.5/2 = 13/20.
Quick note (18 wines in an hour). Subdued nose with tart cherry and heat. Tart on the palate with a sharp mousse and showing more heat. Nose - 3.5/6, Palate - 3.5/6, Finish - 3.5/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 0/2 = 10.5/20.
Quick note (18 wines in an hour). The real deal, again. Very toasty and precise with lemon, sweet malt balls and oak. Big on the palate with Chardonnay flavors, creamy, lemon, minerals. Explosive and dominant. Just great. I seem to like this better out of 750ml than out of Magnum. Nose - 5.5/6, Palate - 5/6, Finish - 5.5/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 2/2 = 18/20.
Quick note (18 wines in an hour). Soft and buttery, creamy with ripe apple and cider. Very rich on the palate and showing quite mature. Toast and cider. Enjoyable but simple. Nose - 4.5/6, Palate - 4.5/6, Finish - 4/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 1/2 = 14/20.
Quick note (18 wines in an hour). Started out shy on the nose. Over time showed a very focused nose of spice, toast, citrus - lemon/orange. Enters the palate soft and explodes like a grenade. Bright and focused with unmatched drive. Tight yet creamy mousse with orange, lemon, spice and minerals. Lively yet creamy - probably will end up with some creamsicle in the future. Finish is creamy with sweet citrus, spice and malt balls. Nose - 5.5/6, Palate - 5.5/6, Finish - 5.5/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 2/2 = 18.5/20.
Quick note (18 wines in an hour). Flowery and creamy, steel and stones. Muscat-like with the powerful floral. Bitter finish. Nose - 4/6, Palate - 3.5/6, Finish - 3/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 0.5/2 = 11/20.
Quick note (18 wines in an hour). Creamy strawberry. Nice mouthfeel with ripe strawberries and red flowers. Decent finish. Nose - 3.5/6, Palate - 4.5/6, Finish - 4/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 1/2 = 13/20.
I tried very hard to get a note on this wine, but failed. I remember it being very vinous - more like a still wine than any champagne I have ever had, very austere and steely - precise and focused. Not generous at all - serious stuff.
Quick note (18 wines in an hour). Bright and tart, with oak and lemon and spice. Very Chardonnay -lemon, oak, nuts and salty extract. Nose - 4/6, Palate - 5/6, Finish - 5/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 1/2 = 15/20.
NV Benoît Lahaye Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs Brut Prestige 90 Points
France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Quick note (18 wines in an hour). Ripe and cool nose, pear and grass, spice. Quite rich and full of fruit on the palate: pear and apple, smooth mousse and nice mouthfeel. Never heard of the producer before, but at the price point, I am impressed. Nose - 4/6, Palate - 5/6, Finish - 5/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 1/2 = 15/20.
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NV François Secondé Champagne Grand Cru Brut 91 Points
France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Quick note (18 wines in an hour) More buttery on the nose than the Lahaye BdN, with yeast and crispy ripe green apple. More acid on the palate with a lively mousse, tart apple, a bit of citrus. Nice persistence with pear, minerals and yeast in the finish. I like this. Nose - 4.5/6, Palate - 5/6, Finish - 5/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 1-1.5/2 = 15.5-16/20.
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NV Moët & Chandon Champagne Brut Impérial 85 Points
France, Champagne
Quick note (18 wines in an hour). Light gold-yellow. Spicy nose with lemon and citrus - bitter. Some lemon minerals and yeast on the palate. Not exciting. Decent mouthfeel. Nose - 4/6, Palate - 4/6, Finish - 4/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 0.5/2 = 12.5/20.
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2002 Moët & Chandon Champagne Grand Vintage 90 Points
France, Champagne
Quick note (18 wines in and hour). Much deeper nose than the NV M&C imperial that preceded this. Surprising mature profile on the nose: creamy, darker, brown, brown butter, and chardonnay flavors and oak. Very rich on the palate with toast, oak, vanilla and an assertive mousse. The finish is missing some intensity but otherwise nice. Nose - 5/6, Palate - 5/6, Finish - 4/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 1/2 = 15/20.
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2002 Moët & Chandon Champagne Grand Vintage Rosé 80 Points
France, Champagne
Quick note (18 wines in an hour). Medium pink-orange. Shy on the nose with tart and bitter berry and soap. Palate has tart berry again and steel. Not impressive at all. Nose - 4/6, Palate - 3/6, Finish - 3/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 0/2 = 10/20.
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NV Billecart-Salmon Champagne Brut Rosé 89 Points
France, Champagne
Quick note (18 wines in an hour) Much better than the M&C 02 Rose. Nose of sweet strawberry fruit. Creamy, fruit and sweet with ripe strawberry on the palate as well. Good mousse, and a smooth mouthfeel. A little simple, but tasty. Nose - 4/6, Palate - 5/6, Finish - 4.5/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 1/2 = 14.5/20.
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2000 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut 94 Points
France, Champagne
Quick note (18 wines in an hour). Clearly a step up from the previous wines. Light gold. Creamy nose with malt, mocha, lemon and spice. Creamy entry on the palate with similar flavors to the nose: malt, mocha and lively lemon. Soft mousse, but the mouthfeel and acid build into the finish - this is still young. Nose - 5.5/6, Palate - 5.5/6, Finish - 5/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 1-1.5/2 = 17-17.5/20.
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NV Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée 92 Points
France, Champagne
Quick note (18 wines in an hour). Probably suffered a bit coming after the 2000 vintage Krug. Lots of creamy lemon and lemon curd, minerals. Very citrusy and alive with minerals and a malt cream that comes out with time. Yeasty. Still good. Nose - 5/6, Palate - 5/6, Finish - 5/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 1/2 = 16/20.
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NV Ruinart Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut 86 Points
France, Champagne
Quick note (18 wines in an hour). Subdued nose with lemon, mineral and oak. Soft and generous on the palate - lemonheads candy, yeast, apple. Mousse a little soft. A touch simple. Nose - 4/6, Palate - 4.5/6, Finish - 4/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 0.5/2 = 13/20.
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NV Ruinart Champagne Brut Rosé 81 Points
France, Champagne
Quick note (18 wines in an hour). Subdued nose with tart cherry and heat. Tart on the palate with a sharp mousse and showing more heat. Nose - 3.5/6, Palate - 3.5/6, Finish - 3.5/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 0/2 = 10.5/20.
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2002 Ruinart Champagne Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 96 Points
France, Champagne
Quick note (18 wines in an hour). The real deal, again. Very toasty and precise with lemon, sweet malt balls and oak. Big on the palate with Chardonnay flavors, creamy, lemon, minerals. Explosive and dominant. Just great. I seem to like this better out of 750ml than out of Magnum. Nose - 5.5/6, Palate - 5/6, Finish - 5.5/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 2/2 = 18/20.
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NV Henriot Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut 88 Points
France, Champagne
Quick note (18 wines in an hour). Soft and buttery, creamy with ripe apple and cider. Very rich on the palate and showing quite mature. Toast and cider. Enjoyable but simple. Nose - 4.5/6, Palate - 4.5/6, Finish - 4/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 1/2 = 14/20.
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2002 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut 97 Points
France, Champagne
Quick note (18 wines in an hour). Started out shy on the nose. Over time showed a very focused nose of spice, toast, citrus - lemon/orange. Enters the palate soft and explodes like a grenade. Bright and focused with unmatched drive. Tight yet creamy mousse with orange, lemon, spice and minerals. Lively yet creamy - probably will end up with some creamsicle in the future. Finish is creamy with sweet citrus, spice and malt balls. Nose - 5.5/6, Palate - 5.5/6, Finish - 5.5/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 2/2 = 18.5/20.
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NV Sorelle Bronca Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Brut 82 Points
Italy, Veneto, Prosecco di Valdobbiadene
Quick note (18 wines in an hour). Flowery and creamy, steel and stones. Muscat-like with the powerful floral. Bitter finish. Nose - 4/6, Palate - 3.5/6, Finish - 3/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 0.5/2 = 11/20.
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NV René-Henri Coutier Champagne Grand Cru Brut Rosé 86 Points
France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Quick note (18 wines in an hour). Creamy strawberry. Nice mouthfeel with ripe strawberries and red flowers. Decent finish. Nose - 3.5/6, Palate - 4.5/6, Finish - 4/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 1/2 = 13/20.
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2010 Roses de Jeanne / Cédric Bouchard Champagne Inflorescence Blanc de Noirs Côte de Val Vilaine
France, Champagne
I tried very hard to get a note on this wine, but failed. I remember it being very vinous - more like a still wine than any champagne I have ever had, very austere and steely - precise and focused. Not generous at all - serious stuff.
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2008 Marie-Courtin Champagne Éloquence Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut 90 Points
France, Champagne
Quick note (18 wines in an hour). Bright and tart, with oak and lemon and spice. Very Chardonnay -lemon, oak, nuts and salty extract. Nose - 4/6, Palate - 5/6, Finish - 5/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 1/2 = 15/20.
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