Aperitifs at Domaine Jacques Selosse

What had been advertised as a casual aperitif with M. Selosse for interested guests at the hotel turned out to be 75 minutes of philosophy, barrels and mould in the cellar followed by a tasting of quite a few current and future releases - great fun, although I wish my French was better!

The effect of terroir

• NV Jacques Selosse Initial 92 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  Blend of vintages 13/12/11 - the current release. Trademark savour but with plenty of freshness too. Very long.

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• NV Jacques Selosse V.O. Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut 93 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  Very similar to the Initial, and likewise this version is a blend of 13/12/11, but the V.O. is sourced from lower-yielding higher-altitude vines and, in this iteration, is zero-dosage. Additional richness is obvious, but the fact there's less dosage is not - testament to the quality of the fruit. The oxidation again feels well-balanced by zing and grip.

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• NV Jacques Selosse Champagne Grand Cru Lieux-dits Extra Brut Le Mesnil-sur-Oger Les Carelles 96 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  Again this is a blend of 13/12/11. Creamy and seductive with a leesy, tangy finish. Wears its power lightly and thus there's more of an airy ease to it than the other cuvees shown tonight. My favourite wine of the tasting.

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• NV Jacques Selosse Champagne Grand Cru Lieux-dits Extra Brut Ambonnay Le Bout du Clos 93 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  The youngest vintage in this wine's blend is 2013. Spicy and serious compared to the various BdB tasted prior, but no less ready to drink.

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Vintage variation

• 2007 Jacques Selosse Millésimé 94 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  This has a fairly high percentage of Pinot in it. More savour and more bitterness than the NVs tasted prior make for a unique and compelling Champagne. Massive depth and length. My #2 tonight.

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• 2008 Jacques Selosse Millésimé 92 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru

  The vintage's acidity stands out, and this wine has considerably more tension than any of the others tonight; Anselme Selosse says it is "Calvinist" and won't be ready to release until at least 2021. There's still plenty of compensating depth to the fruit, and an interesting saline umami character that we compared to kombu.

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• 2009 Jacques Selosse Millésimé 93 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru

  Again the vintage character shines through - this is generous, extrovert, broad and meaty. I didn't find it as strangely compelling as the 2007 though.

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Let's add some sugar

• NV Jacques Selosse Champagne Exquise Sec 92 Points

  France, Champagne

  Mostly made with fruit from Oger that is substantial enough to handle 24g of dosage; created at the request of Bernard Loiseau and Pierre Gagnaire for a sweeter more gourmand style. The sugar is so well integrated that, if this hadn't been served after a number of Champagnes with little or no dosage, it wouldn't have been obvious. Floral, fun and well-made.

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