I'm partial to the house style but I think this is a fantastic non-vintage charlie. White flowers, biscuits, a hint of peach. Great mousse. Beautifully elegant.

For me, the definition of finesse. Light-footed but also very sure-footed. Difficult year but great execution.

Not bad. Apple, oatmeal, a twist of lemon peel. Decent length, harmonious.

Winter apples, some mushroom, a bit of bite at the end. Nice balance. Good value.

I didn't get the hype when the Mise en Cave series was released and I still don't get it. Decent enough but no real personality. Fluffy in the mouth, large bubbles. Ok, it's a good Champagne but there are more interesting candidates available at the price.

Another favorite house, although I feel quality has fluctuated slightly in the new millennium. They suddenly seemed to be released very young. This specimen is very good but needs time. A bit four-square but the promise is there.

Lemon and raspberry sherbet. One of the [very few] sweeter cuvees worth buying.

Oh well. Read somewhere that Moet grabbed a large chunk of the fruit from the newly classified sites and maybe this is the result. Decent balance but there just isn't enough power to justify the price tag. Come on LVMH! Give us a break and lower the profit margin a bit. Spend more money on the fruit.

As much as the NV is overpriced, I think the vintage is a relative bargain. For me Bolly and Moet are the two outstanding 96's among the "standard" cuvees, obviously in different categories and style, but both bring out the best of the vintage. Ripe oranges and bitter almond, vanilla, a chunk of strawberry. A real charmer.

Yes, it's elegant and a great showcase for Chardonnay fruit. It is also just slightly lacking pizazz and individuality.

Better stuff here, more guts and glory, although it keeps its quintessential finesse.

Fine, harmonious, elegantly tuned. Again, however, I think it is a bit too eager to please.

Perfectly balanced yet individual, pearly, slight mousse, and some fine ripe fruit. Low-keyed brilliance. Released at the right moment (thank you Mumm).

I've been served this champagne a number of times during flights (it's standard airline fare) and it usually disappoints. Tasted against its peers in our tasting, it lives up to its reputation. Somehow it combines mean fruit with some very racy acidity, aggressive mousse, and a relatively short finish. In my opinion it is out of balance.

Lovely elegance here. Apple and cinnamon, a whiff of citrus fruits. Never overpowering, never boring, just pleasure in a bottle.

Gunsmoke, flinty mineral, and good citrus fruits underneath. Impressive acidity--- sharp like a razor's edge but completely integrated. If anyone's interested there is a dead ringer available for about one fourth of the price, the Juve y Camps Reserva de la Familia. If you like the style, that is. I certainly do.

I thought I would never say this about a charlie but maybe this one should have been released a tad bit earlier. Or used less reserve wines in the blend. Good, full bodied stuff, but to my mind a bit heavy in the trunk.

Fully mature, PN-induced fumes of strawberries and undergrowth. Earthy, full, slight mousse. Not my style but undoubtedly a serious wine.

Too young. Big and butch, profound, but about as elegant as a spotty teenager. Hide away in a dark place.

Full, rich, fruity. Bordering on vulgar but keeps everything together.

Poorly stored in a cupboard and while not obviously faulty, it is certainly not in perfect condition. What a shame. Hints of greatness underneath but this brew was left too long on the stove. Not rated

Broad, full bodied, red fruits and a whiff of old oak. For me, slightly heavy and lacking that extra layer of brightness I expect in a Champagne.

The length and fruit is certainly there but released too young. Racy acidity. Closed down.

Funnily enough the vintage always seems lighter in body than the NV, but it's the balance that fools me. Golden Delicious apples and honey. Long and harmonious.

No malo (at least somebody's got the balls!) and I love the house style, instantly recognizable. Alright, they need time in the cellar, but it's a racy show of citrus fruits and almonds. Long.

Fine, creamy, textbook charlie. Those white flowers again. Tasted even better cool-ish rather than chilled.