This is starting to ender that more luscious, golden state of development but unfortunately the bubbles in this bottle had gone a bit flat and listless. I need my champagne with more pep. Hopefully other bottles' corks did their jobs better.
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Surprised by the relatively low recent ratings of this on here, I thought this was stunning. Elegance and finesse but with strong underlying fruit, toastiness and hazelnuts. Paired nicely with sushi. 3 bottles to go, looking forward to future development
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I like it but feels quite firm, austere and lean. Like drinking liquid rocks and chalk. Dry, lean but with some contradictory richness and complexity hiding underneath. 3.5
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Vinous, minerally and bone dry. Quite oxidative, with notes of toffee and nuts plus a hint of cooked mushrooms. Past its best, the finish was disappointingly short and overall it failed to live up to expectations. CHP 87pts
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Nose sings green apple and yellow apple, starfruit, honey. Mouth is rich. Very much on the fruit. Notes of almonds, apple cider, bitters end in a medium to long salty finish
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Mouton dinner (La Chaumiere in Georgetown): Expressive nose displaying rich yellow fruit, apple, lemon curd, a hint of licorice, caramel, sweet spices and earth. Very good concentration, nicely layered generous yellow fruit, medium fine medium generous mousse, rich, good balance, medium acidity and mineral, and a long sweet yellow fruit driven finish with caramel at the end. This is drinking nicely with generous yellow fruit.
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Enticing nose of almond, caramel, and yellow fruit. Soft and rich on entry, with the acidity sneaking up on the back end. Ok length. Nice enough but lacks depth in the midpalate. Not a particularly good match with stone crab. I normally like L-B but find this relatively disappointing.
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Saline and mineral, there was butter, breadcrumbs and cream. Dry and savoury with a twist of citrus, I particularly enjoyed the hazelnuts which came through on the finish. Simply amazing, this had a freshness and lightness of touch, despite the intensity, weight and complexity of the flavours. 95 pts
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Terre de Vertus confirms to be a wonderful BdB champagne with a perfect balance of minerality, elegant and educated acidity, very light nots of boulangerie. Pure Elegance. Time may only improve all its characters in a big vintage as 2012. In the last afternoon of this summer where crosses meet the blades in a peaceful feeling
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Ive been served this twice now by a friend who tries to sell me on how great this is. Definitely for champagne nerds...Good, but not a rebuy and a definite pass for me.
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Acceptable champagne with notes of light toast and descent drive. Nothing less, and definitely nothing more. Can be topped with many NV options without all the hype and anticipation at 1/2 the cost, especially if you like balanced champagne with some vinous qualities instead of geeking out. Hold this...
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Yellow apples, nuts, light nougat, licorice stick and rotten leaves. Fine mineral salt and solid acids. Possibly still on bounce but so fantastically good already now so why wait?
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Opened this for the Zoom call today, popped the cork about 40 minutes before start time, served in GGG stem. Frankly, I was expecting we would both like this a lot. That didn't happen. I was impressed at first with the exuberant nose. I found it full of white chocolate, almonds and apricots. In the mouth very vinous and with vibrant texture. Jonathan, however, didn't like it at all. At first, he called it tight. Then he noted a "negativity" in the mid-palate, plus a bitter orange pith. Also, he noted a heat - not alcohol heat but ginger bite - that I got as well and didn't love. Finally, he called it "uninteresting, generic, and a lot like cava." I liked it better than that, but at the end didn't find it exciting either.
Arthur talked about the salinity today as a goal for this wine and we both definitely felt that. But we also both felt it was a little jagged. Perhaps brut nature just really isn't our thing? I don't know.
Interestingly, we saved 1/3 of the bottle and revisited after dinner to find it hadn't changed at all, just as Arthur said was his family's experience.
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Yowza. So much going on from the nose to the final taste. On the nose, I get vanilla and almond paste. The palate sings with pear, bruised apple, and grapefruit. What a long and beautiful finish.
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This is very nice and needs time to open to show what it’s got. Light golden color. Yeast, glue and yellow fruits on the nose. Very precise. The palate is initially quite refreshing yet shows admirable depth. Very clean, lovely. Drinking well now. (91)
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Light golden color with initially exuberant bubbles. Nose slightly waxy golden plum. Palate a sappy golden fruit richness balanced by an orange fruit acidity. A mineral edge. Very good with rich and occasionally spicy bbq.
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Pale straw color. Not much on the Nose on pop and pour, but the first sip is just a rush of different apple flavors, sweet red to semi sour green, it lasts for a long time.the nose starts to match the orchard fruit after 30 minutes. This is a lovely champagne showing really well now.
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Disgorged March 2018. 100% Chardonnay, no dosage. This is drinking great. Spicy apple, grapefruit, dried herb. Just a kiss of toast remains in the finish, along with some lemon oil and a touch of saline. Time to move onto the 2013 soon.
Needs time, but there is a lot of potential here. Fresh and crisp at the moment, there is lots of lemon, touches of Bramley apple, some chamomille, and just a touch of woodsy spice. The structure is so precise and finely boned with a superb mousse. The palate needs to knit together as right now it's probably best decanted and enjoyed as a lightly bubbly wine.
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After Latitude and Longitude this is a relief, mature grapes, minerals, coffee, citrus confit and most of all freshness, no dosage vintage 2012, had it before 2016 in NYC Rouge Tomate vintage 2008 same great class, wow.
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Blind Tasting via Zoom--3/9: This is my final 750, decided to pour it blind for our Zoom tasting group. Last night, it had a light note of caramel and brown spice (from the wood elevage?), along with golden apple, ginger and a savory/bronzy finish. Retasting today, the ginger note seems even more elevated, with the yellow apple picking up a honeyed edge and the same dried herb/savory note from yesterday. Overall, I still read this wine as being in a good drinking window, and for me, the right flavors to enjoy before it ages any further. Still have a mag left, which I will open some time this year once the damn COVID pressures can ease and we can get some people together live.
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Apple, hazelnut and toasted notes, medium acidity and body, long finish (90-91). Nice Champagne but did not meet my expectation for a vintage Champagne at 60 €, missing the bite of a young Blanc de Blancs but also the creaminess of a great mature Champagne.
For QPR, this wine rocks! The acidity is matched by a sweetness that balances this out very nicely. I enjoyed this now, but wonder how much it might unwind in a few years. No reason to wait however. Crisp, sharp in a good way, the apples come out nicely. Granny Smith, not Red Delicious.
Was all acid straight from the fridge. As it warmed up, I got toasted almond, bruised apple, and lemon pith. There is no reason to wait on this as it is delicious, so I’m following Frank Murray’s advice, and drinking this vintage now.
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Mark cracked this on our trip to Dillon Beach for International Champagne Day. Medium color. Baked and bruised apples. Slightly nutty. Just a hint of caramel. Broader richer softer palate. Nice length. Slightly phenolic.
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When I saw the offer from Lopa yesterday, I thought I would revisit another one of these. Same disgorgement date as the previous bottles, March 2018. 100% Chard, blend of two plots, no dosage, farmed biodynamic. Opened yesterday, retasting more of it today. What I notice about this bottle is the approachability of the wine. It conveys rounder feel, less racy than one might expect with the lack of dosage. I like this because while I can enjoy the no dose racier styles, I do also like when this style can be more generous. It does that here, yet there is still the presence of citrus to keep it bright. What I also notice is a softer structure here, actually reminding me more of a still Chardonnay once it settles. Altogether, this affirms the drink sooner than later approach on my remaining 750 and Mag. I dig this wine but just take my opinion here indicative of something that seems ready to go, with a pleasing texture and composition.
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Very attractive nose, with slightly oxidative aromas of baked apples, orange citrus and used oak, brass metal and toasted bread, gunpowder and chalk. The mousse is initially lively, but in a few moments quite more laid-back with soft fine-caliber bubbles. Tastewise there's a lovely balance between ripe acidity and sun-kissed Chardonnay flavours, with a flirtatious touch of sweetness at zero dosage. The perceived salinity makes every sip sparkle with energy even as the bubbles fade away. A notably vinous blanc de blancs from a great vintage with probably 8-10 years of solid future.
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DG 03/2018 Initially a very overtoasted aroma of bread, brown sugar, and firewood together with a high mineral presence with an oyster-like salinity, some metallics, chalk, and wet stones; quite a lot of ripe fruits such as lemons and all types of citrus fruits, overripe baked apples, pineapple, mandarins, a slightly bitter edge of grapefruit; delicately oxidative on the finish with some maple syrup/dark treacle. We’ve tried various vintages of this cuvée, and this one is certainly approachable right now; thirst-quenching and so easy to drink, with time it’ll lose the slight bitterness and gain more complexity. 91pt
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Consumed with caviar and lobster last night preparatory to my wife's birthday today. Rich with a creamy mouthfeel, pushing our tolerance for toasty notes, with zippy acidity and a core of tart fruit. Went down very easily with the food and was an especially good match for the lobster.
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Second of two, same specs as previous bottle--March 2018 disgorgement, 100% Chard, no dosage. This bottle seems more ready, as if time moved it along faster than the other bottle. The bubbles were less intense, the texture more softened. There is an apple sauce quality to the fruit. It's not mushy or bland like an apple sauce but the flavor signature reminds me of apple sauce. The aromatics are leesy, a little toasty with citrus. The palate still maintains a stony quality, a wet stone note that mixes with the lemony, apple. There is enough remaining energy in the wine that I am not concerned about further aging so don't be discouraged by my note. I just find that this bottle drinks more complete, a bit more resolved than the one from this past February. I have a remaining mag and 2 750s, that I will drink over the next couple years.
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Good bottle of champagne. Really benefits from some air and not being served at refrigerator temperature.Very precise, well made and ultimately very drinkable. Notes of green apple, lemon curd, pastry.
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Enticing nose of ripe Pears and lilac. Toasted, saline and minerals notes. Some Citrus too.
Mouth is clean, bubbles caressing. It's a brut nature, but the balance is perfect. Some oystery components. Lovely bitterness in the aftertaste. Mouth cleaning. With a little bit of walnuts.
Will outperform in a few years.
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Dinner at Sun Wah (Chicago, IL): Really not a fan of this. The nose has a distinct whiff of raw bread dough, and the palate, too, has a pronounced yeastiness that isn't too enjoyable. Couple with that a relatively thin texture from the low dosage. Not my style of champagne at all.
Opened yesterday and we enjoyed about half of it. Decided to stopper up the remainder and set it in the fridge...retasting tonight. And as I forgot the disgorge date on my previous note, I'll capture on this bottle, as it is etched on the outside bottom rim of the glass. March 2018, zero dosage, 100% Chardonnay from Vertus. Yellow apple, grapefruit, wrapped around a note of saline and some bitter lemon peel in the finish. There is a spicy, energetic core to this wine, which in part reflects my comment about grapefruit and lemon peel. I like the bitter element, the gingery note mixing with the acidity and apple. Another very good bottle, and in my lane for what I enjoy.
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First of two. Zero dosage. The texture on this is delicious. yellow apple, pear, tangerine, with a lot of lemon zest and some curd wrapping it all together. A smooth, balanced expression. There is a toasted quality to this, assuming it is raised in some wood? Will get more, as this is very good, pleasing style, especially for no dosage.
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Gold, fine perlage. Bodied, mineral, saline. Oxidative style with yeasty character. Delicate stone fruit, brioche, apple tart, pineapple and zesty citrus. Honey add complexity. Chalky w. high acidity. A great food champagne.
Notes: The wines are matured on the natural lees during their first year, with no filtering or fining being carried out. The second fermentation takes place and maturation goes on for at least 5 more years. Each bottle is disgorged by hand 6 months before being marketed.
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Woodwinters Edinburgh Fine Wine Bash (Woodwinters Edinburgh): Tasted blind. Ivory colour. Dumb nose, a touch lactic. Better taste - classic but still anonymous. Citrus pith note builds. Another shock on the reveal - I've had great experiences with this producer, but although many at the tasting preferred this to the Moët, I did not. [Woodwinters, ~£57].
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Bibendum Portfolio Tasting 2019: From magnum. Toast, wax, spice and pears. Great flavour depth, fruit is driven with a fine acid profile. Really lovely stuff.
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Initially this was quite focused, tight. There is a nice core of fruit that has a hint of sweetness to it even without a dose. I took the second half of the mag home and drank it the next night. It had picked up a citronella like note on the nose. Touch of woody ginger on the palate. So it seem the fruit and expression were unwinding some. This showing confirms my want to lay these down for at least a few years. Not sure it will be great but it's bound to be better with some bottle time.
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Lower bubbles, fairly reticent, not giving up much, compact, yet good concentration and a dry chalky finish. Very mineral, but lacking flow. At least right now. 0 doseage. At the domaine in Vertus with Pierre
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Nez intense et riche, sur les fruits mûrs. Bouche onctueuse, vineuse, avec de belles notes d'évolution. A l'aveugle, tout le monde lui donnait quelques années de plus, en raison de sa richesse. Prêt à boire.
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Very good - can’t really rate as I brought to a BYOB event where I enjoyed without notes but it took the prize out of the six grower champagnes including Leclapart, Bedel, Frison, Mouzon-Leroux and admitteddly cooperative producer Fleury. Look forward to more thorough enjoyment of my next bottle.
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Les Gobeloteurs Tasting (Domaine Stéphane Ogier - Ampuis): Tasting, brief note. All Chardonnay from a single lieu-dit with zero dosage. Bone crushing dryness isn't exactly my style, but this is very good in its style. Presents Chardonnay precisely and nicely.
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Amber with nice delicate light bead. Nose yeasty, nutty, some honey. Palate strongly chalky stony minerals, very bright acidity, high toned lemon, citrus pith on finish. Cuts through a fatty meal very well, and more than hold its own, good depth and drinking well right now but obviously young. 91 pts
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4/20/2024 - Keith Levenberg wrote:
This is starting to ender that more luscious, golden state of development but unfortunately the bubbles in this bottle had gone a bit flat and listless. I need my champagne with more pep. Hopefully other bottles' corks did their jobs better.
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4/13/2024 - dbkitc wrote: 93 Points
My favorite bottle of this by far. Precise, hazelnut, toast, lemon. Medium body with terrific length. Great finish. Lovely. (93)
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3/8/2024 - Darbus123 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Surprised by the relatively low recent ratings of this on here, I thought this was stunning. Elegance and finesse but with strong underlying fruit, toastiness and hazelnuts. Paired nicely with sushi. 3 bottles to go, looking forward to future development
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1/10/2024 - Chris Davies Likes this wine: 90 Points
I like it but feels quite firm, austere and lean. Like drinking liquid rocks and chalk. Dry, lean but with some contradictory richness and complexity hiding underneath. 3.5
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11/23/2023 - platpeeps Likes this wine: 87 Points
Nutty and creamy, but quite oxidative in style. Bone dry and complex but now over-mature. CHP 87 pts
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10/19/2023 - platpeeps wrote: 87 Points
Vinous, minerally and bone dry. Quite oxidative, with notes of toffee and nuts plus a hint of cooked mushrooms. Past its best, the finish was disappointingly short and overall it failed to live up to expectations. CHP 87pts
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9/30/2023 - Julien D wrote: 91 Points
Nose sings green apple and yellow apple, starfruit, honey. Mouth is rich. Very much on the fruit. Notes of almonds, apple cider, bitters end in a medium to long salty finish
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7/31/2023 - dbkitc wrote: 91 Points
Precise. Herbal. Lemon zest. Fresh. (91)
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7/20/2023 - Finare Vinare Likes this wine: 93 Points
Disgorged in March 2018.
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7/2/2023 - Chris Davies Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking very well. Chalky and cool but with some nice toastiness not noticeable in previous bottles. Long finish. 4+
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6/5/2023 - Outplaying Likes this wine:
Delicious. Just a hint of toast, along with citrus and mineral. Gentle mousse. Unfortunately my last bottle.
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1/25/2023 - dcwino wrote: 93 Points
Mouton dinner (La Chaumiere in Georgetown): Expressive nose displaying rich yellow fruit, apple, lemon curd, a hint of licorice, caramel, sweet spices and earth. Very good concentration, nicely layered generous yellow fruit, medium fine medium generous mousse, rich, good balance, medium acidity and mineral, and a long sweet yellow fruit driven finish with caramel at the end. This is drinking nicely with generous yellow fruit.
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12/24/2022 - coremill wrote: 88 Points
Enticing nose of almond, caramel, and yellow fruit. Soft and rich on entry, with the acidity sneaking up on the back end. Ok length. Nice enough but lacks depth in the midpalate. Not a particularly good match with stone crab. I normally like L-B but find this relatively disappointing.
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9/10/2022 - platpeeps Likes this wine: 95 Points
Saline and mineral, there was butter, breadcrumbs and cream. Dry and savoury with a twist of citrus, I particularly enjoyed the hazelnuts which came through on the finish. Simply amazing, this had a freshness and lightness of touch, despite the intensity, weight and complexity of the flavours. 95 pts
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8/23/2022 - olracx62 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Terre de Vertus confirms to be a wonderful BdB champagne with a perfect balance of minerality, elegant and educated acidity, very light nots of boulangerie. Pure Elegance. Time may only improve all its characters in a big vintage as 2012. In the last afternoon of this summer where crosses meet the blades in a peaceful feeling
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7/21/2022 - Purple Tooth wrote: 92 Points
Ive been served this twice now by a friend who tries to sell me on how great this is. Definitely for champagne nerds...Good, but not a rebuy and a definite pass for me.
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7/11/2022 - Purple Tooth wrote: 92 Points
Acceptable champagne with notes of light toast and descent drive. Nothing less, and definitely nothing more. Can be topped with many NV options without all the hype and anticipation at 1/2 the cost, especially if you like balanced champagne with some vinous qualities instead of geeking out. Hold this...
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7/2/2022 - Rhonarna_Mikael wrote: 92 Points
Yellow apples, nuts, light nougat, licorice stick and rotten leaves. Fine mineral salt and solid acids.
Possibly still on bounce but so fantastically good already now so why wait?
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4/24/2022 - aquacongas wrote: 93 Points
Not blind
Side by side with Avize and Cramant. This is as often the most spicy one. I like the expression of the terroir. Smoky and lemon zest. 93
Avize is more lean and precise. Well balanced. More on the citric aromas. 94
Levant is the roundest and with the most density and length. 92
All of them are in a great drinking window.
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4/14/2022 - Finare Vinare wrote: 94 Points
Disgorged in March 2018.
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3/19/2022 - NYC_Maenad wrote:
Opened this for the Zoom call today, popped the cork about 40 minutes before start time, served in GGG stem. Frankly, I was expecting we would both like this a lot. That didn't happen. I was impressed at first with the exuberant nose. I found it full of white chocolate, almonds and apricots. In the mouth very vinous and with vibrant texture. Jonathan, however, didn't like it at all. At first, he called it tight. Then he noted a "negativity" in the mid-palate, plus a bitter orange pith. Also, he noted a heat - not alcohol heat but ginger bite - that I got as well and didn't love. Finally, he called it "uninteresting, generic, and a lot like cava." I liked it better than that, but at the end didn't find it exciting either.
Arthur talked about the salinity today as a goal for this wine and we both definitely felt that. But we also both felt it was a little jagged. Perhaps brut nature just really isn't our thing? I don't know.
Interestingly, we saved 1/3 of the bottle and revisited after dinner to find it hadn't changed at all, just as Arthur said was his family's experience.
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11/14/2021 - Diane (LI) wrote:
Yowza. So much going on from the nose to the final taste. On the nose, I get vanilla and almond paste. The palate sings with pear, bruised apple, and grapefruit. What a long and beautiful finish.
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11/6/2021 - dbkitc wrote: 91 Points
This is very nice and needs time to open to show what it’s got. Light golden color. Yeast, glue and yellow fruits on the nose. Very precise. The palate is initially quite refreshing yet shows admirable depth. Very clean, lovely. Drinking well now. (91)
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10/15/2021 - fred o. Likes this wine: 92 Points
Blanc de blancs, brut nature.
Light golden color with initially exuberant bubbles.
Nose slightly waxy golden plum.
Palate a sappy golden fruit richness balanced by an orange fruit acidity. A mineral edge.
Very good with rich and occasionally spicy bbq.
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9/6/2021 - Cote d'Or wrote:
Tasted over 2 hrs
-translucent light-med gold fine mousse
-yeast dominant quinine
-med acidity, med/med- weight quinine baked bread apple clean minerally finish
-quite nice
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7/23/2021 - adnorthup Likes this wine:
Pale straw color. Not much on the Nose on pop and pour, but the first sip is just a rush of different apple flavors, sweet red to semi sour green, it lasts for a long time.the nose starts to match the orchard fruit after 30 minutes. This is a lovely champagne showing really well now.
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7/11/2021 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Disgorged March 2018. 100% Chardonnay, no dosage. This is drinking great. Spicy apple, grapefruit, dried herb. Just a kiss of toast remains in the finish, along with some lemon oil and a touch of saline. Time to move onto the 2013 soon.
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7/6/2021 - depechemoroder Likes this wine: 92 Points
Needs time, but there is a lot of potential here. Fresh and crisp at the moment, there is lots of lemon, touches of Bramley apple, some chamomille, and just a touch of woodsy spice. The structure is so precise and finely boned with a superb mousse. The palate needs to knit together as right now it's probably best decanted and enjoyed as a lightly bubbly wine.
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5/7/2021 - Voodoo_Champagne Likes this wine:
After Latitude and Longitude this is a relief, mature grapes, minerals, coffee, citrus confit and most of all freshness, no dosage vintage 2012, had it before 2016 in NYC Rouge Tomate vintage 2008 same great class, wow.
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3/26/2021 - Finare Vinare wrote: 94 Points
Disgorged in March 2018.
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3/10/2021 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Blind Tasting via Zoom--3/9: This is my final 750, decided to pour it blind for our Zoom tasting group. Last night, it had a light note of caramel and brown spice (from the wood elevage?), along with golden apple, ginger and a savory/bronzy finish. Retasting today, the ginger note seems even more elevated, with the yellow apple picking up a honeyed edge and the same dried herb/savory note from yesterday. Overall, I still read this wine as being in a good drinking window, and for me, the right flavors to enjoy before it ages any further. Still have a mag left, which I will open some time this year once the damn COVID pressures can ease and we can get some people together live.
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2/26/2021 - amateur62 wrote: 91 Points
Apple, hazelnut and toasted notes, medium acidity and body, long finish (90-91). Nice Champagne but did not meet my expectation for a vintage Champagne at 60 €, missing the bite of a young Blanc de Blancs but also the creaminess of a great mature Champagne.
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2/6/2021 - Highlander wrote:
For QPR, this wine rocks! The acidity is matched by a sweetness that balances this out very nicely. I enjoyed this now, but wonder how much it might unwind in a few years. No reason to wait however. Crisp, sharp in a good way, the apples come out nicely. Granny Smith, not Red Delicious.
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12/25/2020 - Diane (LI) wrote:
Was all acid straight from the fridge. As it warmed up, I got toasted almond, bruised apple, and lemon pith. There is no reason to wait on this as it is delicious, so I’m following Frank Murray’s advice, and drinking this vintage now.
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11/1/2020 - vintage_whine wrote:
lighlty oxidative nruised apple and green pineapple nose, waxy and flavorless palate. bitter finish. acidity is lacking
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10/23/2020 - Fat1Wombat wrote:
Mark cracked this on our trip to Dillon Beach for International Champagne Day.
Medium color.
Baked and bruised apples. Slightly nutty. Just a hint of caramel.
Broader richer softer palate. Nice length. Slightly phenolic.
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10/17/2020 - Frank Murray III wrote:
When I saw the offer from Lopa yesterday, I thought I would revisit another one of these. Same disgorgement date as the previous bottles, March 2018. 100% Chard, blend of two plots, no dosage, farmed biodynamic. Opened yesterday, retasting more of it today. What I notice about this bottle is the approachability of the wine. It conveys rounder feel, less racy than one might expect with the lack of dosage. I like this because while I can enjoy the no dose racier styles, I do also like when this style can be more generous. It does that here, yet there is still the presence of citrus to keep it bright. What I also notice is a softer structure here, actually reminding me more of a still Chardonnay once it settles. Altogether, this affirms the drink sooner than later approach on my remaining 750 and Mag. I dig this wine but just take my opinion here indicative of something that seems ready to go, with a pleasing texture and composition.
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10/11/2020 - aquacongas wrote: 92 Points
Not blind
It feels more concentrated and less accessible than 2012 but the typical herbal notes. 92
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9/19/2020 - Outplaying Likes this wine:
I enjoyed this at dinner last night, especially the nose. The palate improved after being open for a little bit. I’ll look to try this again.
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8/22/2020 - Finare Vinare wrote: 94 Points
Very attractive nose, with slightly oxidative aromas of baked apples, orange citrus and used oak, brass metal and toasted bread, gunpowder and chalk. The mousse is initially lively, but in a few moments quite more laid-back with soft fine-caliber bubbles. Tastewise there's a lovely balance between ripe acidity and sun-kissed Chardonnay flavours, with a flirtatious touch of sweetness at zero dosage. The perceived salinity makes every sip sparkle with energy even as the bubbles fade away. A notably vinous blanc de blancs from a great vintage with probably 8-10 years of solid future.
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7/27/2020 - julen789 Likes this wine: 91 Points
DG 03/2018
Initially a very overtoasted aroma of bread, brown sugar, and firewood together with a high mineral presence with an oyster-like salinity, some metallics, chalk, and wet stones; quite a lot of ripe fruits such as lemons and all types of citrus fruits, overripe baked apples, pineapple, mandarins, a slightly bitter edge of grapefruit; delicately oxidative on the finish with some maple syrup/dark treacle.
We’ve tried various vintages of this cuvée, and this one is certainly approachable right now; thirst-quenching and so easy to drink, with time it’ll lose the slight bitterness and gain more complexity.
91pt
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7/26/2020 - MLipton wrote:
Consumed with caviar and lobster last night preparatory to my wife's birthday today. Rich with a creamy mouthfeel, pushing our tolerance for toasty notes, with zippy acidity and a core of tart fruit. Went down very easily with the food and was an especially good match for the lobster.
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7/10/2020 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Second of two, same specs as previous bottle--March 2018 disgorgement, 100% Chard, no dosage. This bottle seems more ready, as if time moved it along faster than the other bottle. The bubbles were less intense, the texture more softened. There is an apple sauce quality to the fruit. It's not mushy or bland like an apple sauce but the flavor signature reminds me of apple sauce. The aromatics are leesy, a little toasty with citrus. The palate still maintains a stony quality, a wet stone note that mixes with the lemony, apple. There is enough remaining energy in the wine that I am not concerned about further aging so don't be discouraged by my note. I just find that this bottle drinks more complete, a bit more resolved than the one from this past February. I have a remaining mag and 2 750s, that I will drink over the next couple years.
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5/22/2020 - PT insurgent wrote:
Good bottle of champagne. Really benefits from some air and not being served at refrigerator temperature.Very precise, well made and ultimately very drinkable. Notes of green apple, lemon curd, pastry.
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5/2/2020 - Wineslayer Likes this wine: 93 Points
Super elegant bubbles.
Enticing nose of ripe Pears and lilac. Toasted, saline and minerals notes. Some Citrus too.
Mouth is clean, bubbles caressing. It's a brut nature, but the balance is perfect. Some oystery components. Lovely bitterness in the aftertaste. Mouth cleaning. With a little bit of walnuts.
Will outperform in a few years.
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2/22/2020 - acyso wrote: 85 Points
Dinner at Sun Wah (Chicago, IL): Really not a fan of this. The nose has a distinct whiff of raw bread dough, and the palate, too, has a pronounced yeastiness that isn't too enjoyable. Couple with that a relatively thin texture from the low dosage. Not my style of champagne at all.
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2/17/2020 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Opened yesterday and we enjoyed about half of it. Decided to stopper up the remainder and set it in the fridge...retasting tonight. And as I forgot the disgorge date on my previous note, I'll capture on this bottle, as it is etched on the outside bottom rim of the glass. March 2018, zero dosage, 100% Chardonnay from Vertus. Yellow apple, grapefruit, wrapped around a note of saline and some bitter lemon peel in the finish. There is a spicy, energetic core to this wine, which in part reflects my comment about grapefruit and lemon peel. I like the bitter element, the gingery note mixing with the acidity and apple. Another very good bottle, and in my lane for what I enjoy.
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1/19/2020 - Frank Murray III wrote:
First of two. Zero dosage. The texture on this is delicious. yellow apple, pear, tangerine, with a lot of lemon zest and some curd wrapping it all together. A smooth, balanced expression. There is a toasted quality to this, assuming it is raised in some wood? Will get more, as this is very good, pleasing style, especially for no dosage.
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1/12/2020 - GArpaia Likes this wine: 92 Points
Gold, fine perlage. Bodied, mineral, saline. Oxidative style with yeasty character.
Delicate stone fruit, brioche, apple tart, pineapple and zesty citrus. Honey add complexity. Chalky w. high acidity.
A great food champagne.
Notes:
The wines are matured on the natural lees during their first year, with no filtering or fining being carried out.
The second fermentation takes place and maturation goes on for at least 5 more years. Each bottle is disgorged by hand 6 months before being marketed.
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12/6/2019 - scyrene wrote: 86 Points
Woodwinters Edinburgh Fine Wine Bash (Woodwinters Edinburgh): Tasted blind. Ivory colour. Dumb nose, a touch lactic. Better taste - classic but still anonymous. Citrus pith note builds. Another shock on the reveal - I've had great experiences with this producer, but although many at the tasting preferred this to the Moët, I did not. [Woodwinters, ~£57].
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10/22/2019 - Gemmink Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dry but not like other non dosé champagne’s, chalky,citrus, low in mousse
Still fresh
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9/24/2019 - CamWheeler wrote: 92 Points
Bibendum Portfolio Tasting 2019: From magnum. Toast, wax, spice and pears. Great flavour depth, fruit is driven with a fine acid profile. Really lovely stuff.
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9/7/2019 - WetRock wrote:
Initially this was quite focused, tight. There is a nice core of fruit that has a hint of sweetness to it even without a dose. I took the second half of the mag home and drank it the next night. It had picked up a citronella like note on the nose. Touch of woody ginger on the palate. So it seem the fruit and expression were unwinding some. This showing confirms my want to lay these down for at least a few years. Not sure it will be great but it's bound to be better with some bottle time.
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9/3/2019 - peternelson wrote: 91 Points
Lower bubbles, fairly reticent, not giving up much, compact, yet good concentration and a dry chalky finish. Very mineral, but lacking flow. At least right now. 0 doseage. At the domaine in Vertus with Pierre
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9/2/2019 - r.o.man Likes this wine: 93 Points
Painfully young, great focus, airy light yet full palate with citrus and sweet lime. A load of chalky minerality. Needs more time in cellar.
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7/14/2019 - Jeanda Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nez intense et riche, sur les fruits mûrs. Bouche onctueuse, vineuse, avec de belles notes d'évolution. A l'aveugle, tout le monde lui donnait quelques années de plus, en raison de sa richesse. Prêt à boire.
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6/18/2019 - jrick Likes this wine:
Very good - can’t really rate as I brought to a BYOB event where I enjoyed without notes but it took the prize out of the six grower champagnes including Leclapart, Bedel, Frison, Mouzon-Leroux and admitteddly cooperative producer Fleury. Look forward to more thorough enjoyment of my next bottle.
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5/5/2019 - PC85 wrote: 95 Points
Mycket bättre dag 2. Lite för stram initialt men efter 1 dag var den fantastisk
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5/5/2019 - DSR wrote: 92 Points
Medium gold. Yeast, dough, brioche, hazelnut, apple peel. Dry, med+ acid, complex, med+ finish. Very nice.
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4/15/2019 - Burgundy Al wrote:
Les Gobeloteurs Tasting (Domaine Stéphane Ogier - Ampuis): Tasting, brief note. All Chardonnay from a single lieu-dit with zero dosage. Bone crushing dryness isn't exactly my style, but this is very good in its style. Presents Chardonnay precisely and nicely.
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2/1/2019 - Finare Vinare wrote: 94 Points
Disgorged in March 2018.
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1/8/2019 - JOsgood wrote: 90 Points
Liked this Champagne. Some noticeable oak influence on the wine but enjoyed the dry finish and good fruit.
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12/28/2018 - fred o. Likes this wine:
Amber with nice delicate light bead. Nose yeasty, nutty, some honey. Palate strongly chalky stony minerals, very bright acidity, high toned lemon, citrus pith on finish. Cuts through a fatty meal very well, and more than hold its own, good depth and drinking well right now but obviously young. 91 pts
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