Extravagant bouquet of bread yeasts, lemon blossoms and perfectly ripe Chardonnay grapes. Delicious flavors of crusty sourdough with a very lengthy aftertaste of ocean water / salinity. Thick mousse with moderately persistent bubbles and a surprisingly long tannic grip. A fantastic bargain; I must buy this again! It's honestly one of the best Champagnes I've ever had.
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Lemon from the chard, body and fullness from the PN. Yeast and brioche notes. Believe this is 9g/l dosage so in the upper end of brut. Has a lovely soft mouthfeel and very easy to drink. Fresh despite its 15 years of age. Beautifully rounded but not hugely complex. Great value.
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Rich buttery nose. Chalky tangy lemon cake on the palate. Very classic brut vintage champagne. 50/50 Pinot Noir/Chardonnay but drank more like a blanc de blancs to my palate. Great stuff.
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Passion fruit, blood orange, lemon curd, malt, vanilla, pastry cream and toasted pecans on the nose. Good tension between the citrus aromas and the autolytic aromas, with the latter being a bit stronger. Smells overall like a pastry, or something with meringue. On the palate, it's richer and creamier. Flavors of fennel seed, fresh baked sugar cookies and gingerbread are added to the citrus fruits from the nose. Great mix of richness and zest. Finishes with lemon juice, and no bitterness at all.
Medium + body with medium acid and, at this age, a medium - mousse. I really like how this is drinking right now. It will lose the freshness in a couple of years. If you prefer "older" feeling Champagne, you should age it longer.
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Celebrating Thanksgiving this year with this spectacular cuvée. Bready and yeasty nose with some briny ocean. A little yeasty on the palate also, with some fruit: tart apple and honeydew edge. Fine mousse, creamy texture. Decent acidity. Full body for Champagne. Lingering finish. Really a wonderful Champagne! *From Grand Cru vineyards - primarily in the Côte des Blancs and Montangne de Reims. *Pommery's claim to fame is that they founded and commercialized the less sweet "brut" style in 1874. *Pommery is currently owned by the Vranken-Pommery Monopole Group in Reims, but their vineyards are owned by LVMH, which owned the Champagne house from 1991 to 2002.
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Nose is very sweet and bready. Reminds me of my high school girlfriend’s parents’ basement. Tart, tangy, and gripping upon consumption. It made my tummy rumbly.
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Champagne In My Backyard: Served blind. For me a minute, I thought this might be Vilmart, maybe Grand Cellier. It had a fruit driven expression, with oranges and pineapple, and apple, which is kinda what I sense in a year when the fruit gets more opulent for Vilmart. A generous, more forward style and it hit me right.
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Served blind. Tight nose. Short and frothy. Sweet-tart sort of quality. This made me think of a young big house wine. And sure enough it is. Well, a big house anyway. No surprise an 08 is still drinking young.
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Did a small 2008 champagne tasting for NYE. This was the first one we drank.
Super tart and acidic. Not quite ripe green apple and bright flowers. Little brioche or biscuit until it warmed up quite a bit. Didn't show much signs of aging for a 14 year-old vintage.
This was definitely more astringent than I usually drink (or prefer) for champagne, but very high-quality for the style.
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One of the largest Champagne houses (500,000-600,000 cases per year production), Pommery owns some of the best vineyards in Champagne, almost all being Grand Cru vineyards with an average rating of 99%. The firm’s house style emphasizes elegance vice power, producing wines that are light-bodied, perfumed and have plenty of finesse.
This wine is made exclusively from seven Grand Cru vineyards of Avize, Cramant and Ay, consisting of 50% Chardonnay 50% Pinot Noir. Considered one of the great values of the Champagne region, it offers consistently good quality from year to year; due to the number of vineyards at Pommery’s disposal the firm can produce good quality wines even in “off” vintages.
Medium straw colored, this Champagne is moderately aromatic with a very biscuity nose accompanied by lemon, yellow apple, bosc pear, a touch of honey, and something I can only describe as “sunny” that is vaguely reminiscent of dried pineapple. There is also an interesting cheese note akin to Muenster cheese, serving as a pleasant result of extended lees ageing. Upon sipping, one meets a rather acidic wine that, despite its high acidity, maintains a velvety, delicate texture. I cannot over-emphasize how silky-smooth this is! Its fine bubbles caress the tongue, though these bubbles are fewer in number than would be observed for a younger Champagne (thus indicating its age). In terms of flavors, Meyer lemon and brioche (autolytic character) predominate, and these are accompanied by yellow apple, bosc pear, a bit of butter and honey. After a few sips a certain minerality works its way in there as well along with a bit of apricot, the latter of which is a sign of some bottle age. The finish is very long with and leaves one with yellow apple, lingering honey and a curious almond note that emerges after a while.
As always, I include my wife’s expert opinion: “All I taste is that candied citric acid that you roll onto candies in to make your mouth pucker. Like Warheads. Just that sour Warhead taste. It’s terrible. It feels good, though, it’s very smooth, fine, effervescent.” At least she likes the texture?
This is a delicate Champagne and goes quite well with a soft cheese. I found provolone and muenster did well, though that is what I happened to have lying around and I’m sure there are better cheese pairings. At the time of drinking, this 2008 vintage is ready to drink, and no further ageing needed. Definitely buying this again. It’s damned good!
Tasted blind: medium straw color; clean and pure with just mild spices, hints of ginger and baked apple, brioche; ripe fruit, rich and yeasty; this came off relaxed after a rather austere and racy opening wine.
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A private dinner with friends (at home): Identical to my previous note. It's a bit of a puzzle. It has aged on the lees for a very long time, but it has not acquired the concomitant finesse and complexity. It feels like a younger and more direct wine. But objectively it is still very good.
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Wonderfully fresh and minerally but even though it was kept sur lattes for a very long time, it is not the most complex or subtle of wines, and the mousse is just a bit coarse. It's direct and fresh, with crisp acidity, and flavours of flowers, acacia, mirabelle, and apricot. Little or no tertiary complexity. Very good rather than great.
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Loved this with its yeasty complexity layers of brioche, hazelnut, apple cobbler-type fruit with a bit of ginger shavings. Rich and simultaneously fresh and chalky with pin-point precision to the chalky minerals coming forth with air time. Classic, fresh and revelatory towards the best attributes of the 2008 vintage. Upside potential still. 93-94.
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4/14/2024 - Sanlucar Likes this wine: 95 Points
Extravagant bouquet of bread yeasts, lemon blossoms and perfectly ripe Chardonnay grapes. Delicious flavors of crusty sourdough with a very lengthy aftertaste of ocean water / salinity. Thick mousse with moderately persistent bubbles and a surprisingly long tannic grip. A fantastic bargain; I must buy this again! It's honestly one of the best Champagnes I've ever had.
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3/29/2024 - happyhyrax Likes this wine: 92 Points
Lemon from the chard, body and fullness from the PN. Yeast and brioche notes. Believe this is 9g/l dosage so in the upper end of brut. Has a lovely soft mouthfeel and very easy to drink. Fresh despite its 15 years of age. Beautifully rounded but not hugely complex. Great value.
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2/24/2024 - Gatsbeaner Likes this wine: 93 Points
Rich buttery nose. Chalky tangy lemon cake on the palate. Very classic brut vintage champagne. 50/50 Pinot Noir/Chardonnay but drank more like a blanc de blancs to my palate. Great stuff.
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2/2/2024 - Dine&Vine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Fruit forward but drinking so nicely today. Pastry dough, citrus, nice acidity and lengthy finish.
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1/7/2024 - Dutchd1 wrote: 91 Points
Probably the best value for a vintage 2008.
By no means amazing but just a solid bottle to drink.
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12/31/2023 - AlphaMikeFoxtrot Likes this wine: 92 Points
Passion fruit, blood orange, lemon curd, malt, vanilla, pastry cream and toasted pecans on the nose. Good tension between the citrus aromas and the autolytic aromas, with the latter being a bit stronger. Smells overall like a pastry, or something with meringue. On the palate, it's richer and creamier. Flavors of fennel seed, fresh baked sugar cookies and gingerbread are added to the citrus fruits from the nose. Great mix of richness and zest. Finishes with lemon juice, and no bitterness at all.
Medium + body with medium acid and, at this age, a medium - mousse. I really like how this is drinking right now. It will lose the freshness in a couple of years. If you prefer "older" feeling Champagne, you should age it longer.
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11/23/2023 - RPHC Likes this wine: 93 Points
Celebrating Thanksgiving this year with this spectacular cuvée. Bready and yeasty nose with some briny ocean. A little yeasty on the palate also, with some fruit: tart apple and honeydew edge. Fine mousse, creamy texture. Decent acidity. Full body for Champagne. Lingering finish. Really a wonderful Champagne! *From Grand Cru vineyards - primarily in the Côte des Blancs and Montangne de Reims. *Pommery's claim to fame is that they founded and commercialized the less sweet "brut" style in 1874. *Pommery is currently owned by the Vranken-Pommery Monopole Group in Reims, but their vineyards are owned by LVMH, which owned the Champagne house from 1991 to 2002.
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11/9/2023 - MMunafo Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nose is very sweet and bready. Reminds me of my high school girlfriend’s parents’ basement. Tart, tangy, and gripping upon consumption. It made my tummy rumbly.
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5/17/2023 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Champagne In My Backyard: Served blind. For me a minute, I thought this might be Vilmart, maybe Grand Cellier. It had a fruit driven expression, with oranges and pineapple, and apple, which is kinda what I sense in a year when the fruit gets more opulent for Vilmart. A generous, more forward style and it hit me right.
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5/13/2023 - grafstrb wrote:
Blind Champagne at FMIII's: Tasted blind. A bit thin. Middle-of-the-road. Didn't really move me one way or the other.
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5/13/2023 - WetRock wrote:
Served blind. Tight nose. Short and frothy. Sweet-tart sort of quality. This made me think of a young big house wine. And sure enough it is. Well, a big house anyway. No surprise an 08 is still drinking young.
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4/22/2023 - Zinlady Likes this wine: 90 Points
Had with smoked salmon Used to toast our Election to RWS Wall of Fame. Tiny bubbles light tasting
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1/5/2023 - Deux Chevaux wrote:
Fine, lovely moose, rather substantial body, excellent energy. Very enjoyable — even on the fifth night, when the bubbles had diminished.
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1/3/2023 - cucycling Likes this wine: 92 Points
A lovely champagne with not a sharp edge to be found very fine mouse.
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12/24/2022 - angelsil@hotmail.com Likes this wine: 90 Points
Did a small 2008 champagne tasting for NYE. This was the first one we drank.
Super tart and acidic. Not quite ripe green apple and bright flowers. Little brioche or biscuit until it warmed up quite a bit. Didn't show much signs of aging for a 14 year-old vintage.
This was definitely more astringent than I usually drink (or prefer) for champagne, but very high-quality for the style.
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9/24/2022 - pdebree Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very good, smooth. Long finish with a mineral finish.
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7/8/2022 - JuliannaDHS Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very nice with appropriate age starting to show. Apple, tart lemon, yeast, hint of caramel. Drink or hold.
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6/4/2022 - Snoot Doggie Dogg Likes this wine: 92 Points
One of the largest Champagne houses (500,000-600,000 cases per year production), Pommery owns some of the best vineyards in Champagne, almost all being Grand Cru vineyards with an average rating of 99%. The firm’s house style emphasizes elegance vice power, producing wines that are light-bodied, perfumed and have plenty of finesse.
This wine is made exclusively from seven Grand Cru vineyards of Avize, Cramant and Ay, consisting of 50% Chardonnay 50% Pinot Noir. Considered one of the great values of the Champagne region, it offers consistently good quality from year to year; due to the number of vineyards at Pommery’s disposal the firm can produce good quality wines even in “off” vintages.
Medium straw colored, this Champagne is moderately aromatic with a very biscuity nose accompanied by lemon, yellow apple, bosc pear, a touch of honey, and something I can only describe as “sunny” that is vaguely reminiscent of dried pineapple. There is also an interesting cheese note akin to Muenster cheese, serving as a pleasant result of extended lees ageing. Upon sipping, one meets a rather acidic wine that, despite its high acidity, maintains a velvety, delicate texture. I cannot over-emphasize how silky-smooth this is! Its fine bubbles caress the tongue, though these bubbles are fewer in number than would be observed for a younger Champagne (thus indicating its age). In terms of flavors, Meyer lemon and brioche (autolytic character) predominate, and these are accompanied by yellow apple, bosc pear, a bit of butter and honey. After a few sips a certain minerality works its way in there as well along with a bit of apricot, the latter of which is a sign of some bottle age. The finish is very long with and leaves one with yellow apple, lingering honey and a curious almond note that emerges after a while.
As always, I include my wife’s expert opinion: “All I taste is that candied citric acid that you roll onto candies in to make your mouth pucker. Like Warheads. Just that sour Warhead taste. It’s terrible. It feels good, though, it’s very smooth, fine, effervescent.” At least she likes the texture?
This is a delicate Champagne and goes quite well with a soft cheese. I found provolone and muenster did well, though that is what I happened to have lying around and I’m sure there are better cheese pairings. At the time of drinking, this 2008 vintage is ready to drink, and no further ageing needed. Definitely buying this again. It’s damned good!
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5/30/2022 - jmoore431 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tasted blind: medium straw color; clean and pure with just mild spices, hints of ginger and baked apple, brioche; ripe fruit, rich and yeasty; this came off relaxed after a rather austere and racy opening wine.
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3/14/2022 - jvphoto Likes this wine: 91 Points
White flowers, chalky citrus
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2/21/2022 - KAT9 wrote: 91 Points
Floral, apricot on the nose. On the palate, zesty acidity, minerality is high, honey, minimal effervescent. Ok finish.
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1/6/2022 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 92 Points
A private dinner with friends (at home): Identical to my previous note. It's a bit of a puzzle. It has aged on the lees for a very long time, but it has not acquired the concomitant finesse and complexity. It feels like a younger and more direct wine. But objectively it is still very good.
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12/16/2021 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 92 Points
Wonderfully fresh and minerally but even though it was kept sur lattes for a very long time, it is not the most complex or subtle of wines, and the mousse is just a bit coarse. It's direct and fresh, with crisp acidity, and flavours of flowers, acacia, mirabelle, and apricot. Little or no tertiary complexity. Very good rather than great.
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12/14/2021 - Xavier94 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Loved this with its yeasty complexity layers of brioche, hazelnut, apple cobbler-type fruit with a bit of ginger shavings. Rich and simultaneously fresh and chalky with pin-point precision to the chalky minerals coming forth with air time. Classic, fresh and revelatory towards the best attributes of the 2008 vintage. Upside potential still. 93-94.
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