Disgorged July 2011, 4 g/L dosage. No clear flaw, but definitely not a good bottle of Champagne. A weird copper oxide note throughout; oxidative and showing age, but also astringent, green, thin, and weedy. And reading my previous note on this, maybe this is actually correct.
This has just got to be in a bit of an awkward place right now -- it was just kind of angular and not showing the elegance and fruit that I remember from before. I'll let mine lie for a few more years before revisiting.
#23-22, 7.5% abv. Errrr, why does this bottle smell so farty? Seriously the sulphur here is pretty egregious. Fortunately if you get past it, there is indeed a riesling underneath it all. It's a bit lean, there's but a modest amount of sweetness here, and there's also nice minerality. A post-modern style that I admit I'm not a big fan of -- it's just too cool for me.
There's a little sticker that says 18.04.21 on the label and that's all the info I have on this bottling. Tastes great though -- surprise surprise it reminds me quite a bit of Selosse Initial. Very rich and dense, with clear oak influence and weight. A bit of sweetness to counterweight the acidity and oak elements. Outstanding and impressive, but at the current price...?
Good richness, thanks to the vintage, but I can't help but detect a very slight hint of green underneath everything. Nevertheless, there's a nice fruit profile here, and breadth that seems hard to find in grower champagne these days. Quite acid-driven despite the fruit and weight overall.
#269-23. Honestly this is way better than I expected it to be. It leans sweet, with a bit of a sugary quality, and there are clear Mosel notes of minerality here. Obviously simple, but pleasant enough.
Wow. This is a really different style of gold label than I've become accustomed to over the last few years. It feels more like an amped-up Kabinett more than a straight-up Keller GG, and that's certainly no bad thing. Brilliant herbal and spice notes on the nose, and a lithe, elegant palate that actually has more crispness and lightness than the typical Keller richness and weight. Absolutely stunning, electric stuff.
Not as electric and exciting as the Kirchspiel today. While this certainly has many of the same high-acid, taut qualities, this doesn't quite have the same zing as its northern sibling. Rounder and fatter, but certainly no less balanced, just in a very different way. A bit more phenolic and bitter as well. Still, plenty delicious, but the Kirchspiel was the unanimous favourite this afternoon. Compared to the 2022 that I had about a fortnight ago, this is the racier, leaner version, with more sinew and musculature than fat and oomph.
2011 Bérêche et Fils Champagne Premier Cru Le Cran Ludes 80 Points
France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru
Disgorged July 2011, 4 g/L dosage. No clear flaw, but definitely not a good bottle of Champagne. A weird copper oxide note throughout; oxidative and showing age, but also astringent, green, thin, and weedy. And reading my previous note on this, maybe this is actually correct.
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2016 Domaine Y. Clerget Volnay 1er Cru Santenots 88 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru
This has just got to be in a bit of an awkward place right now -- it was just kind of angular and not showing the elegance and fruit that I remember from before. I'll let mine lie for a few more years before revisiting.
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2021 Kilburg Ohligsberg Riesling Kabinett 88 Points
Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
#23-22, 7.5% abv. Errrr, why does this bottle smell so farty? Seriously the sulphur here is pretty egregious. Fortunately if you get past it, there is indeed a riesling underneath it all. It's a bit lean, there's but a modest amount of sweetness here, and there's also nice minerality. A post-modern style that I admit I'm not a big fan of -- it's just too cool for me.
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NV Michel Fallon Champagne Grand Cru Ozanne Blanc de Blancs 93 Points
France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
There's a little sticker that says 18.04.21 on the label and that's all the info I have on this bottling. Tastes great though -- surprise surprise it reminds me quite a bit of Selosse Initial. Very rich and dense, with clear oak influence and weight. A bit of sweetness to counterweight the acidity and oak elements. Outstanding and impressive, but at the current price...?
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2015 Larmandier-Bernier Champagne Premier Cru Terre de Vertus 90 Points
France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru
Good richness, thanks to the vintage, but I can't help but detect a very slight hint of green underneath everything. Nevertheless, there's a nice fruit profile here, and breadth that seems hard to find in grower champagne these days. Quite acid-driven despite the fruit and weight overall.
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NV Schmitt Söhne Riesling Relax 83 Points
Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
#269-23. Honestly this is way better than I expected it to be. It leans sweet, with a bit of a sugary quality, and there are clear Mosel notes of minerality here. Obviously simple, but pleasant enough.
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2021 Weingut Keller Kirchspiel Riesling Großes Gewächs 95 Points
Germany, Rheinhessen
Wow. This is a really different style of gold label than I've become accustomed to over the last few years. It feels more like an amped-up Kabinett more than a straight-up Keller GG, and that's certainly no bad thing. Brilliant herbal and spice notes on the nose, and a lithe, elegant palate that actually has more crispness and lightness than the typical Keller richness and weight. Absolutely stunning, electric stuff.
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2021 Weingut Keller Oberer Hubacker Riesling Monopol 93 Points
Germany, Rheinhessen
Not as electric and exciting as the Kirchspiel today. While this certainly has many of the same high-acid, taut qualities, this doesn't quite have the same zing as its northern sibling. Rounder and fatter, but certainly no less balanced, just in a very different way. A bit more phenolic and bitter as well. Still, plenty delicious, but the Kirchspiel was the unanimous favourite this afternoon. Compared to the 2022 that I had about a fortnight ago, this is the racier, leaner version, with more sinew and musculature than fat and oomph.
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