Astor Center, NYC.
Tasted Saturday, October 18, 2014 by Seth Rosenberg with 763 views
Disgorged 12-23-13, a blend of wine from 02, 03, and 04. 1.5% dosage. Classic Selosse nose - pears, lemon peel, cidery - ox, minerals, chalk, spicy, soaring, green apple, pear. Huge and gripping on the palate with apple, pear, spice, chalk, and a touch of vanilla. Great showing for the Inital. Better, IMO, than the 02 Salon I just had before this. Nose - 5.5/6, Palate - 5.5/6, Finish - 5.5/6, Je ne Sais Quoi - 1.5/2 = 18/20.
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(Forgot to write down the disgorgement date, but this is a blend of 02, 03, and 04, just like the Inital. No dosage and one year longer in barrel than the Initial.) Really cut on the nose - lemon, flint, minerals, ox, cidery, deep, yellow-brown flavors, spice, pear. Huge grip on the palate: lemony, spice, minerals, very sharp and explosive. This is more focused and laser-like than the Inital, but not as complex. Nose - 5.5/6, Palate - 5.5/6, Finish - 5/6, Je ne Sais Quoi - 1.5/2 = 17.5/20.
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Disgorged 4-10-13. (Solera - the Lieu-dit from Mesnil). Light nose - hugely spicy, minerally, lemon, almonds, ox. More supple on the palate and velvety (then the previous 2 Selosse wines) with textural folds, spice, cream, brown, lemon. More ox shows on end. 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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Another chance to taste this? Hell yes. Quiet and deep and creamy. Golden apple, cider - ox, nuts. Not as explosive at the Initiale or the V.O. but soooooo deep. Really singing. The bottle in Chicago was amazing, but very brutal in its power and youth. This bottle is singing - almost sweet. Large on the palate - cidery and apples but with great drive, minerals and chalk. Actually showing fairly well and open. This tastes like golden power - rich and full of flavor, but energetic, acidic, and alive. Nose - 5.5/6, Palate - 6/6, Finish - 6/6, Je ne Sais Quoi - 1.5-2/2 = 19-19.5/20.
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Creamy nose - chalky, bready. Tight on the palate with bread, malt, lemon. Bready and lemon finish. Nose - 4.5-5/6, Palate - 5/6, Finish - 5.5/6, Je ne Sais Quoi - 1-1.5/2 = 16-17/20.
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Nose of ginger, brown. Very spicy. Somewhat blocky. A little odd - hollow on the midpalate. Very tight. Nose - 4.5/6, Palate - 4.5/6, Finish - 4.5/6, Je ne Sais Quoi - 1/2 = 14.5/20.
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Some malt and vanilla on the nose. Malty, sweet, rich. Not much mousse, tasty lemon at the end. Nose - 5/6, Palate - 5/6, Finish - 5/6, Je ne Sais Quoi - 1/2 = 16/20.
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Wow! Mature, malt but great fruit and minerality - light. Nice grip on the palate, malt, spice. A little blocky at a point in the midpalate, but overall this is really good. Fair finish. What is impressive is that this has great mature notes of malt and cream, but at the same time, it is very vibrant with solid fruit and excellent acid and grip. Impressive. Nose - 5.5/6, Palate - 5.5/6, Finish - 4.5-5/6, Je ne Sais Quoi - 1-1.5/2 = 16.5-17.5/20.
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Big - showy nose. Big fruit: lemon and apple, ginger, quite full. Very lemony and gingery on the palate, some yeast. Good acid and minerality. Some oak/vanilla w lemon at the end. Nose - 5-5.5/6, Palate - 5/6, Finish - 5/6, Je ne Sais Quoi - 1-1.5/2 = 16-17/20.
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Sweet on the nose with honey, nuts, flowers, more honey and brioche. Lemony acid on the palate. A little stark. Some nuts. Not impressive. Not a fan of 03 Champagne at all. Nose - 5/6, Palate - 4/6, Finish - 4/6, Je ne Sais Quoi - 1/2 = 14/20.
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Now we are talking. Malty, lemon, flowers and sweet bread on the nose. Just great. Spicy and lemony on the palate, sweet bread, malt balls, light but good intensity. Very pretty and 2 steps up from the 03. Nose - 5.5/6, Palate - 5.5/6, Finish - 5/6, Je ne Sais Quoi - 1.5/2 = 17.5/20.
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ID #421044: disgorged Autumn 2012. Big and powerful nose - spicy, bread, sweet. Just great on the palate: spicy, malt, ox, flowers, flint. Delicious. Nose - 5.5/6, Palate - 5.5/6, Finish - 5/6, Je ne Sais Quoi - 1.5/2 = 17.5/20.
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Tight red berries and spice, yeast - long and focused nose. Very berry and bready on the palate with good minerals. Tight mousse. Finish drops off a bit. Nose - 5.5/6, Palate - 5.5/6, Finish - 4.5/6, Je ne Sais Quoi - 1.5/2 = 17/20.
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Red fruits - berries, spices, minerals. Good mouthfeel. Light, red fruits and minerals again. Nose - 5/6, Palate - 4.5/6, Finish - 4.5/6, Je ne Sais Quoi - 1/2 = 15/20.
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Riper than the 08 Rose - brown aromas, deep, pear, spice, ginger - can really see 05 in this. Big on the palate with grip, pear, nutty, spice. Lean at the end with good acid. Nose - 5/6, Palate - 4.5/6, Finish - 5/6, Je ne Sais Quoi - 1/2 = 15.5/20.
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Flint and stone on the nose, lemon and ginger. Nice bread and sweetness on the palate, spicy and young, clear and tight. Good for NV bubbly. Nose - 5/6, Palate - 4.5/6, Finish - 4.5/6, Je ne Sais Quoi - 1/2 = 15/20.
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Tight and lean on the nose with minerals and lemon. Very focused on the palate: wicked and tight with lemon and spice - just delicious. Sweet pear, spice, ginger finish. I really like the 04's, but they may not be for everyone. Nose - 5/6, Palate - 5.5/6, Finish - 5/6, Je ne Sais Quoi - 1-1.5/2 = 16.5-17/20.
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Young and tight. Creamy red berries and flowers. Steely. Didn't get a complete note.
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This wine had one of the most distinctive noses of the day: deep, perfumed, nutty - creamy-herbal? something like soap, lavender or marzipan. Sweet pear, big, rich, good acid, lemon, stones. Very young on the palate with an assertive mousse - huge. Lemon, herbs, spice. The finish is big and long with lemon, ginger, minerals and a touch of sweet malt. Excellent with superb potential. Nose - 5.5/6, Palate - 5-5.5+/6, Finish - 5+/6, Je ne Sais Quoi - 1.5/2 = 17.5-18/20.
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Very DP on the nose: malt balls, vanilla, lemon, creamy, sea spray. Very tight on the palate - lemon, minerals. This needs time. Some malt hiding in the lemony finish. I really like the 04 Champagnes. Nose - 5.5/6, Palate - 4.5+/6, Finish - 5+/6, Je ne Sais Quoi - 1.5/2 = 16.5+/20 (with 17.5/20 potential.)
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Very complex on the nose - just great with malt, vanilla, lemon, apple, sea spray and minerals. However, the palate doesn't match the nose - it's very wound, but also somewhat dumb and feels harsh and bony - bitter lemon, stone, but not in balance. Nose - 5.5/6, Palate - 4.5/6, Finish - 4/6, Je ne Sais Quoi - 1/2 = 15/20.
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(100% Pinot Meunier). Beery and yeasty on the nose - like a Gueuze - lemon. Same in palate. Nice acid. Berry, lemon and beer.
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(100% Pinot Noir) Beer, lemon, acid and minerals on the nose. Similar on the palate. These 09 C-T's are weird to me.
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(100% Pinot Meunier, from soil w more slate). Chalky and flinty, lemon - really light, wiry and focused. Very austere on the palate with stones. lemon, steel. Great burn. Lemon and ginger finish. Nose - 5/6, Palate - 5/6, Finish - 5.5/6, Je ne Sais Quoi - 1-1.5/2 = 16.5-17/20.
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(100% Pinot Noir) Shelly and creamy, lemon, sea spray. Sharp and spicy. Very lemony on the palate, steely, very focused. Huge finish - spicy and lemons. These 08's from Chartogne-Taillet are killer. 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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Creamy nose of vanilla, nutty - marzipan. Can really smell the Pinot Noir here. Creamy and rich on the palate - spicy, but not all that impressive. Bitter, spice and lemon finish. No detailed scores, but in the 15-16/20 range.
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Spicy and ginger on the nose. Tight and young on the palate - spicy. Very very austere.
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Mature and advanced: caramel, malt, nuts - ox? Not great on the palate - soft, missing a step. Nutty and ox and a little sherry.
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NV Delamotte Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut 90 Points
France, Champagne
Green apple, yeast, minerals on the nose. This has bright acid and a rough assertive mousse on the palate with green apple, lemon and yeast. Nose - 4.5/6, Palate - 4.5/6, Finish - 5/6, Je ne Sais Quoi - 1/2 = 15/20.
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2004 Delamotte Champagne Blanc de Blancs Millésimé 91 Points
France, Champagne
Stony on the nose with lemon - powdered and chalky. Similar on palate with minerals and chalk, green apple and lemon. More lean and cut than the NV. Nose - 4.5/6, Palate - 5/6, Finish - 5/6, Je ne Sais Quoi - 1/2 = 15.5/20.
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2002 Salon Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut 94 Points
France, Champagne
Taste #1: Very tight - complex nose, sharp, lemon, stones, steel and flint, some bread, a bit of vanilla creme or malt. Gripping on the palate with pear, lemon, steel. This is clearly very young and only showing a fraction of what it has. It seems somewhat small, almost elegant, but one can feel it humming beneath the surface. Forceful, yet focused. Very good, not great. Definitely not great QPR. Nose - 5.5/6, Palate - 5.5/6, Finish - 5/6, Je ne Sais Quoi - 1-1.5/2 = 17-17.5/20.
(Taste #2 - at the end of the day: Light, malt, lemon, spice. Very light but one can see it goes deep. Lean and cut with lemon, spice, great nerve. But again, not super wow. Nose - 5/6, Palate - 5/6, Finish - 5.5+/6, Je ne Sais Quoi - 1-1.5/2 = 16.5-17/20.)
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