For 27 years old, a really solid showing! Gold color. No significant pressure left behind the cork on release, but still some perlage, however the fizz fades in glass after less than a minute. The wine makes up for this with a rich nose of pear, with a hint of toasty oxidation, and a palate of pear, tobacco and honey, with great acidity. Long finish ending with cotton candy.
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Good notes on this wine. Hanging on - light fizz only lasts 30 secs in the glass. Very oxidative but also quite light-bodied. Makes up for that with a broad mouthfeel and decent length. Nose of pear, limestone and leather. Improves with a few minutes in the glass before fading with cotton wool coming out. Very nutty and tobacco in the mouth and lots of 1996 acidity. Worked wonderfully with an aged cigar and will pair with all types of lighter food. Drink up
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Still hanging in there but if I had another bottle, I'd drink it sooner than later. Oxidative with some citrus, hazelnut, mushroom. Moderately effervescent.
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Drinking best of the lot I bought from this producer. Just singing tonight! Yes there is some oxidation to contend with but you will be well rewarded with pear, baked apple and hazelnuts. It still has some effervescence left.
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Light gold with a medium plus mousse. Very nice aged Champagne aromas, pine nuts, almonds, bruised apple and a tiny bit of caramel. Dry yeasty red apple and cherry flavours and a really nice dry bright finish.
Clearly secondary but not at that point where I turn away and others get excited. Could last or even improve.
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Drink up! This was still drinking well, but is near the end of its time. It is getting a bit oxidized and is losing some of the fizz - the cork came out with very little "pop," and it was a tad less bubbly than most champagne.
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A beautiful bottle of champagne, shared with several friends at Laurelhurst Market in Portland. Brioche, chicken stock on the nose, citrus and verve on the palate. This was just smoking good, and at 90 min the remaining in my glass was even more complex and intense. Really wish I had some more. Drink now for lovely experience, not sure on horizon...
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Still a big wine and clearly there is more to it than it showed initially. An hour after opening the nose really came out and the intensity matched the palate and finish.
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The last of a couple of bottles is the only one which happens to be a little bit tired. Could be a bit more of aciditiy left but very nice fruit and brioche and vanilla left. This was a really good Fleury.
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Chicago: wine, food, friends...cigars!; 9/17/2014-9/20/2014 (Blackbird, Les Nomades, Naha, with lunch at Shaw's Crab House): The one time I don't sniff my empty glassware, and I end up dumping the first glass out due to weird/chemical smells. A few minutes pass (after I asked the somm if he smelled it too - he didn't observe anything wrong, I sigh), I see everyone else at the table is really enjoying this, so I smell the wine in my wife's glass, it's perfect. Glassware replaced, the wine is just fine. A solid example of a well-aged Champers, with soft, tiny bubbles, hints of dough and minerals and a med+ finish. Excellent on its on or with food. Best to enjoy sooner than later, I think. recommended
Served non-blind. As expected, in great contrast to the '04 Schramsberg Reserve served just before it.
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Bu lors d'un souper entre amis, pas de notes. Mais superbe champagne. De memoire, dorée intense repellant un sauterne, craie, miel. Vraiement excellent.
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Fresh baked bread and apple on the nose, along with pear, spice, and floral notes. Apple and yeast on the palate, along with spice and pear, and a slightly earthy finish.
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Champagne: Funghi, tartufo, l'ossigeno ha lavorato parecchio qui, scoglio e conchiglie da scoglio, miele di castagno, erba secca, molto complesso e scuro. In bocca si accende di una brillantezza invisibile al naso, con una sapidità che diventa fresca e dissetante. Struttura masticabile. C'è l'idea del sole, del frutto della freschezza di un alba estiva al mare. Peccato per il naso un po' stanco.
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Yeast, grapefruit, lemon pie and apples. Complex and showing wonderful acidity. Medium to long finish. One of the best Champagnes in the last few years I have tasted.
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Drank at EMP with Scott and Sabrina. Medium gold, fine mousse, toast, nuts, apple. Bracingly acidic on palate. Oxidative style, think older Winston Churchill or Krug Clos de Mesnil with much less fruit. Great pairing with many of the courses. Ready to drink. Would not hold much longer.
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Not as powerful as Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill, or as fine, and starting to broaden out and lose its zip, but there's a lot to love here in its very mealy/yeasty reserve/mature character. At its peak.
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Wow, this has a vigorous bead; moderately deep golden color; a heavenly mushroom nose with unripe lemon, green apple, and plenty of minerality (+ sea shell?). Drink or hold. Better yet, hold for a few more years and then invite me over when you're ready to drink! Enjoyed with The Usual Suspects in Las Vegas.
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Over the top yeast/dough on the nose, without much else going on. Quite tart granny smith apple flavour. Nothing like the WS review... very dissapointing.
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Sampled 5/26/12. Golden color, but not an overly mature wine. At least a half dozen more years left on this. Wonderful green apple, lemon zest, minerals and a touch of honey on this well balanced wine.
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Tasted non blind at a wine dinner. Opened and served immediately.
Light yellow to yellow color in the glass, clear looking throughout with tindy, steady beading. Nose of camphor, talc and yellow pears. Flavors of lemon, yellow apples and yellow pears. Bright acidity, full bodied. Drink or hold.
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CT Texas IV (Austin, TX): Tasted non blind at a wine dinner. Nice nose of honeysuckle and apples. More honey on the palate along with caramel and baked bread. Medium-long length consistent finish. Very enjoyable but would probably hold for a few more years.
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CT Texas IV - A Hill Country Treat; 5/18/2012-5/19/2012 (Austin, Texas): First time with this producer. Great nose of brioche, nuts, pears, with hints of citrus. On the palate, super creamy with nice flavors of green apple, ripe pear, hazelnut, and meyer lemon. Balanced finish and oh so nice. Both champers were very charming.
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I really like Fleury generally and this wine is excellent. Fine bubbles with just enough acidity, very refreshing, Nice nose of assorted nuts and fruits, i pick up pears among others. It tastes young to me and outshines other pricier options, plan to let my others rest for awhile.
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A Tasting of Aged Old World Wines (Cambridge, MA): Vivacious Champagne: steely and mineral with roasted nuts, brioche, and a great spine of malic acidity and effervescence--basically the Eiffel Tower's hourly light show in your mouth.
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Golden yellow colour. Nose of green apple. almonds, hazelnut and brioche. Great mouthfeel and nice mousse. Palate of citrus peel, green apple. fresh bread, nutmeg, little bit of caramel and sherry. Very complex with great acidity and finish. Still fresh and fairly young, this has lots of life ahead of it still. Delicious.
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Wow.. this was just some absolutely delicious champagne. Dark in color, stormed out of the bottle with a beautiful nose and a rich palate that had a lot of zing at the start, then settled down quickly to just invite you to keep sipping. Excellent bottle.
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Honeyed golden apple nose with good intensity and bisquity autolysis character. Dry and refreshing on the palate with fine moussé, lemony zing and golden apple to greener fruit. Bisquity notes, mushrooms and pronounced minerality. Pretty lengthy. Good stuff and drinking beautifully.
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non blind. had no idea what to expect. have not had before and didnt read CT notes before. nice deeper golden hue. fine bubbles. nose is mature and nicely balanced with some nuttiness and baked bread. richer, thicker nose if that makes sense. palate is well balanced. acid backbone is there but little muted (expected for 16 yrs old?) good lemon orange fruit in balance with bread dough, but not much yeasty character. little bit of nut. finish is very nice but a tad shorter than i would have liked.
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Un champagne que j'ai déjà bu à une reprise, et qui m'avait impressionné. Bulle très fines. Très expressif au nez, beaucoup de fruit primaire, comme des pommes granny smith, un côté brioché sur des viennoiseries. Les arômes évoluent bien dans le verrre. En bouche, l'acidité est dominante mais apporte toute la structure pour donner une longueur impressionnant. Globablement, les champagnes ont moins bien performé mais c'est sûrement à cause de l'ordre des vins qui a donné aux champagnes le rôle de faire-valoir. J'ai quand même bien aimé. 16
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This champagne is still drinking very nicely, but I do believe that it is a little bit beyond its peak. It is a rich golden color with strong acidity and a smooth nutty flavor. There were not many bubbles left in this bottle and it was a little bit one demensional. Overall though this is still a nice champagne.
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Golden yellow. The nose jumps out of the glass and shows a mélange of beeswax and brioche. Medium bodied, this enters with an excellent, pure layer of ripe pear. Minerality persists through the mid palate and defines the mouthfeel which is certainly clean and refreshing. This is in lovely balance with the swirling layers of apple and pear throughout. Excellent Champagne.
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Copper-colored. Potent nose of yeast, hay, hazelnuts and honey with a hint of oxidation. A very intense champagne that is deeply flavored with notes of sour lemons, spicy clove, hazelnuts and copper minerals. The finish is spicy and intense and not that sweet with lovely oxidized caramelly notes that add to the tremendous complexity. Interesting and mature flavors combined with intense acidity that might be off-putting to some but to me, this is the real deal. Has the structure to age further.
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I was excited to try the 1996 Fleury as I had heard very good things about it. I must say that I came away a little bit dissapointed. The champagne was of good quality and was well balanced, but it came accross as slightly past its peak and a little bit short on depth. It did have nice subtle flavors of caramel, spices, apples, etc., but those flavors did not last and died down very quickly. Maybe this would have been better a couple of years ago.
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Beautiful nose of rancio nuts, granny smith apple, gooseberries and bee's wax. It kept evolving through the night and developped aromas of cinnamon roll and apple sauce. At one point it even smelled like an old tawny port. Very interesting. On the palate, this had laserlike precision and acidity from start to finish with good fruit. This will keep evolving for a while. Delicious champagne.
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This Champagne, purchased upon release and cellared in pristine fashion, is absolutely stunning at this point. Medium gold and still with a brisk tiny bead, it shows a complex, mature bouquet of nutmeg, orange peel, bread dough, Sherry and ginger. Medium-to-full-bodied on the palate, with good acidity and flavors mirroring the nose. The middle is solid and the long finish very crisp. This wine is in its prime and should provide immense pleasure over the next five years, maybe more. Drink now-12/16.
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Le vin est doré, pas trop foncé. Le nez est beau et d’intensité moyenne. Par contre en bouche, c’est littéralement une explosion ! Beaucoup de matière, un beau fruit, un côté brioché / pain très présent et une acidité mordante. Je n’aurais pas peur de faire vieillir ce Champagne qui est sûrement encore très jeune…Excellent
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Quite possibly the best sparkling wine I have tasted, yet still underwhelming. This just isn't a category I care to invest in right now. Full bodied toasty with a nice combination of youthful and developed complexity, but neither elegant or sublime. Very nice.
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lovely, deep golden color with a fine mousse. notes of citrus, fig, dried fruits, and roasted nuts on the nose. great acidity, freshness, and richness as well as fruit. a great drink, wish i had bought more!
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Wow! Big and rich with caramelized, oxidized flavors - and tart. As others have said - there is no finesse. A different but enjoyable bottle of Champagne.
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Rich opulent champagne. Lots of nutty ,oxidative flavors. Ripe Granny Smith apples on finish. This is drinking really well right now. An excellent 1996 at a reasonable price.
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deep straw color, very fine bead. on the nose, complex aromas of candied citrus zest, roasted nuts, and dried fruits. really captivating. it grows on the palate over 15 seconds revealing citrus, minerals, and a nice acid kick. very fresh but showing enough mature characteristics to really flesh it out and make it rich and elegant. a great bottle. wish i had more...
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nose - serious buttered popcorn mouth - honeycomb, full stop. per patricia a little nutty. At the risk of being redundant i get serious honey. Mead-esque.
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Golden in the glass, with a nose of warm oatmeal and cinnamon. It tasted of brandied pears, granny smith apples, and had a 45+ sec finish, with great balance and acidity. Second time I've tasted this Champagne and both times I've been amazed with its complexity.
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Light caramel. Very nice nose of stone, orange blossom, saline, citrus, and a slight, nice sherry note. Intense fruit with equally intense acidity. Penetrating and persistent flavors of low complexity. Tart. Lacks finesse.
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Not the most elegant of champagnes, but that is not the point. It's rounding into shape and becoming more harmonious and integrated. Full bodied. The 80% PN shows; in fact, it tasted like there might have been some PM too, but there is not. Bold, emphatic, a bit roasted and smoky. Really good "food" champagne.
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Grand Cru, yes. Great vintage, yes but so acidic that I could absolutely not enjoy this, yes. The Fleury had a wonderfully complex nose of dough and spices but the palate consisted of enough acid for two bottles of Champagne. Perhaps has potential ten years down the road. I had forgotten that I tried this in February of '08(under my other moniker, the russian). Scary, I don't remember tasting it then but there is no mention of the high acidity. Perhaps I have become more sensitive to acidity. I'd like to think that my palate is just becoming more attune to what I'm tasting but other than Richard Jennings' 'high acid' remark I don't see comments about the acidity from any other tasters.
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Medium canary yellow color; lovely brioche nose; tart grapefruit and lemon palate, chalk, tight yet, with high acidity; medium finish (needs 5-7 years)
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I like this quite a bit better than Juhlin (80/82 points). The pinot noir, which is 80% of the blend (with the rest chardonnay) dominates the way you would expect. Slightly earthy, nutty and rustic. Smells something of hops ("beer" says Brian). From an obscure village in the Aube rated a lowly 80%. Yet decent energy and lift and ready now, unlike most '96s.
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Very tasty indeed. While some claim the nose is wild with mushrooms, forest floor, and brioche, I just found it to be nicely balanced, somewhat fruity, and now I'll use a term here that I learned from Karen McNeil, and that is starchy. While I would never have come up with that myself, I think the word fits perfectly. It's a bit like a wine being crisp but I use that to describe a Vouvray or Sancerre. Starchy for me implies that the Champagne has that brioche component, is yeasty, and also has adequate acid. Karen says it's like a crisp white sheet snapping in the wind outside on the clothesline. Not that we here in America see people drying their laundry on clotheslines anymore. I digress. The Fleury, at $65, was somewhat of a splurge for me, actually a huge splurge as I try not to pay more than 50 for a bottle. After Michael and I finished it I couldn't help but feel the 1996 Fleury acually needs a few more years, perhaps even a decade, to open up and really strut it's stuff. I do have one more bottle and will try to wait at least four years before popping it. Thanks for reading.
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Unusual light gold color. Quiet on the nose, just a hint of toast. Large bubbles which faded quickly in the flute. But much better on the palate; medium-full, clearly shows its PN domance (90%). Kathy says it's too sweet, but I did not get that impression. Very good, decent length, but not interesting enough for outstanding.
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Wine Crawl 10: Sparkling Wines (San Francisco, CA): Huge nose, beautifully perfumed. Hazelnut, yeast, lemon zest, but then a distracting note of volatile acidity that comes across as pickle. Good acid, quite creamy mouthfeel, flavor of shaved white chocolate. Clearly very high quality, but the pickle note for me is a negative. But this is a weak flight and it's still my 1/3, group's 3/3. Tasted blind.
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Provided by Eric. Yeasty, toasty nose along with some citrus undertones. Great, full-bodied palate - some hints of citrus, with ripe apple/cider and some dried cherry. Fabulous mouthfeel that melts away leaving the flavors behind. Awesome stuff!
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Consumed at home as an aperitif (in celebration of Cathleen's birthday). Medium straw with a brisk tiny bead. Explosively intense nose 30-45 minutes after opening, showing a complex bouquet of almonds, nutmeg, apples, spice and dust. Medium-bodied on the palate, with crisp acidity yet a creamy mouth texture. The flavors mirror the nose. Long, crisp finish. Delicious and already complex at this point, this will be a nice asset in the cellar over the next decade.
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12/17/2023 - Wamrod wrote: 92 Points
For 27 years old, a really solid showing! Gold color. No significant pressure left behind the cork on release, but still some perlage, however the fizz fades in glass after less than a minute. The wine makes up for this with a rich nose of pear, with a hint of toasty oxidation, and a palate of pear, tobacco and honey, with great acidity. Long finish ending with cotton candy.
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8/21/2023 - JulianSkeels wrote: 91 Points
Good notes on this wine. Hanging on - light fizz only lasts 30 secs in the glass. Very oxidative but also quite light-bodied. Makes up for that with a broad mouthfeel and decent length. Nose of pear, limestone and leather. Improves with a few minutes in the glass before fading with cotton wool coming out. Very nutty and tobacco in the mouth and lots of 1996 acidity. Worked wonderfully with an aged cigar and will pair with all types of lighter food. Drink up
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1/15/2023 - KeepItSimple Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still hanging in there. However not everyone was thrilled with this bottle.
Bubbles are there for about 30s in the glass. Nice length for the age.
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9/25/2021 - Racer117 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still hanging in there but if I had another bottle, I'd drink it sooner than later. Oxidative with some citrus, hazelnut, mushroom. Moderately effervescent.
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8/9/2020 - acheng wrote: 92 Points
Drinking best of the lot I bought from this producer. Just singing tonight! Yes there is some oxidation to contend with but you will be well rewarded with pear, baked apple and hazelnuts. It still has some effervescence left.
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7/13/2020 - acheng wrote:
Once again, you just have to get used to this producer's oxidized approach. Granny smith and bright. Still some effervescence left.
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1/14/2020 - Renevin Likes this wine:
Robe plutôt foncè. Nez, pain grillé, beaucoup de billes en bouche, très agréable.
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2/10/2019 - David J Cooper wrote: 90 Points
Light gold with a medium plus mousse. Very nice aged Champagne aromas, pine nuts, almonds, bruised apple and a tiny bit of caramel. Dry yeasty red apple and cherry flavours and a really nice dry bright finish.
Clearly secondary but not at that point where I turn away and others get excited. Could last or even improve.
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2/24/2018 - toddvh wrote: 94 Points
Delicious! Full body, strong acidity to balance it out. This was a big champagne, that has aged quite nicely.
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4/16/2017 - skifree wrote: 91 Points
Still quite oxidized, but in a pleasant way that accentuated the toastiness.
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4/4/2017 - ron m wrote:
Nice bottle. Bone dry, almost painfully minerally. Small celebration on signing day. Very good with sous vide Halibut.
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1/17/2017 - tcarter Likes this wine: 93 Points
Flannery Beef & Bordeaux (Kali Restaurant): Well balanced. Very nice.
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12/5/2016 - Sijan Likes this wine:
Drink up! This was still drinking well, but is near the end of its time. It is getting a bit oxidized and is losing some of the fizz - the cork came out with very little "pop," and it was a tad less bubbly than most champagne.
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6/12/2016 - Hollowine wrote:
A beautiful bottle of champagne, shared with several friends at Laurelhurst Market in Portland. Brioche, chicken stock on the nose, citrus and verve on the palate. This was just smoking good, and at 90 min the remaining in my glass was even more complex and intense. Really wish I had some more. Drink now for lovely experience, not sure on horizon...
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12/25/2015 - toddvh Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still a big wine and clearly there is more to it than it showed initially. An hour after opening the nose really came out and the intensity matched the palate and finish.
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3/15/2015 - originalverkorkt Likes this wine: 91 Points
The last of a couple of bottles is the only one which happens to be a little bit tired. Could be a bit more of aciditiy left but very nice fruit and brioche and vanilla left. This was a really good Fleury.
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9/19/2014 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
Chicago: wine, food, friends...cigars!; 9/17/2014-9/20/2014 (Blackbird, Les Nomades, Naha, with lunch at Shaw's Crab House): The one time I don't sniff my empty glassware, and I end up dumping the first glass out due to weird/chemical smells. A few minutes pass (after I asked the somm if he smelled it too - he didn't observe anything wrong, I sigh), I see everyone else at the table is really enjoying this, so I smell the wine in my wife's glass, it's perfect. Glassware replaced, the wine is just fine. A solid example of a well-aged Champers, with soft, tiny bubbles, hints of dough and minerals and a med+ finish. Excellent on its on or with food. Best to enjoy sooner than later, I think. recommended
Served non-blind. As expected, in great contrast to the '04 Schramsberg Reserve served just before it.
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9/17/2014 - LoireFan wrote: 91 Points
Good but not a good value.
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8/23/2014 - jorivesud Likes this wine: 93 Points
Bu lors d'un souper entre amis, pas de notes.
Mais superbe champagne. De memoire, dorée intense repellant un sauterne, craie, miel. Vraiement excellent.
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4/1/2014 - mmurry Likes this wine: 93 Points
Fresh baked bread and apple on the nose, along with pear, spice, and floral notes. Apple and yeast on the palate, along with spice and pear, and a slightly earthy finish.
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2/4/2014 - paolonardi wrote: 92 Points
Champagne: Funghi, tartufo, l'ossigeno ha lavorato parecchio qui, scoglio e conchiglie da scoglio, miele di castagno, erba secca, molto complesso e scuro. In bocca si accende di una brillantezza invisibile al naso, con una sapidità che diventa fresca e dissetante. Struttura masticabile. C'è l'idea del sole, del frutto della freschezza di un alba estiva al mare. Peccato per il naso un po' stanco.
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12/21/2013 - Wamrod wrote: 94 Points
Consistent with previous notes. I love this stuff. Down to my last bottle now (sniff)
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8/9/2013 - mxpbuy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still a young wine with plenty of vibrance. Layered lemon and orange citrus, some honeysuckle and hints of almonds.
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5/8/2013 - LoireFan wrote: 89 Points
Meh.
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4/7/2013 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 94 Points
Yeast, grapefruit, lemon pie and apples. Complex and showing wonderful acidity. Medium to long finish. One of the best Champagnes in the last few years I have tasted.
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3/31/2013 - skifree wrote:
Had with Easter brunch. A bit more oxidized than I expected, a bit yeasty, lots of lemon zest. Not my favorite.
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2/26/2013 - cmbond wrote: 91 Points
Drank at EMP with Scott and Sabrina. Medium gold, fine mousse, toast, nuts, apple. Bracingly acidic on palate. Oxidative style, think older Winston Churchill or Krug Clos de Mesnil with much less fruit.
Great pairing with many of the courses. Ready to drink. Would not hold much longer.
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2/23/2013 - Wamrod wrote: 94 Points
Love this Champagne. Crisp complex palate, lovely oxidative notes.
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11/23/2012 - Jay Win Likes this wine:
very nice aged champagne with good length but time to drink A-
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11/15/2012 - yofog wrote: 93 Points
Not as powerful as Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill, or as fine, and starting to broaden out and lose its zip, but there's a lot to love here in its very mealy/yeasty reserve/mature character. At its peak.
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10/20/2012 - Racer117 wrote: 94 Points
Wow, this has a vigorous bead; moderately deep golden color; a heavenly mushroom nose with unripe lemon, green apple, and plenty of minerality (+ sea shell?). Drink or hold. Better yet, hold for a few more years and then invite me over when you're ready to drink! Enjoyed with The Usual Suspects in Las Vegas.
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9/20/2012 - The Wine Doctor wrote: 87 Points
Over the top yeast/dough on the nose, without much else going on. Quite tart granny smith apple flavour. Nothing like the WS review... very dissapointing.
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9/8/2012 - AudunG wrote: 90 Points
A lightstyled champagne, drunk after the Gosset Grand Millesime 1996 and almost killed by that. Citrus and apples. Easy drinking and charming.
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8/25/2012 - WineScoundrel wrote: 94 Points
Outstanding showing.
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5/27/2012 - mxpbuy wrote: 93 Points
Sampled 5/26/12. Golden color, but not an overly mature wine. At least a half dozen more years left on this. Wonderful green apple, lemon zest, minerals and a touch of honey on this well balanced wine.
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5/26/2012 - acheng wrote:
Oxidized nose. Sharp acidity with lemon rind, citrusy and fine bubbles. First time with this producer.
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5/18/2012 - ckinv368 wrote: 91 Points
CT Offline IV--Hill Country Edition; 5/18/2012-5/19/2012 (Austin / Texas Hill Country / Castleman Ranch): Grassy, fresh with rose on the nose. Effervescent, a bit green, some bitter oxidized strawberry, and some peach and lychee in a dark over-ripe sort of way. Really nice taste of yeast as well, but very muted and in a fresh nice way. Do like the freshness left in this well-aged champagne. Wonderful treat!
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5/18/2012 - wineismylife wrote: 93 Points
CT Texas IV - Friday Night Dinner (Hudson on the Bend, Austin, TX): WIML93
Tasted non blind at a wine dinner. Opened and served immediately.
Light yellow to yellow color in the glass, clear looking throughout with tindy, steady beading. Nose of camphor, talc and yellow pears. Flavors of lemon, yellow apples and yellow pears. Bright acidity, full bodied. Drink or hold.
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5/18/2012 - floydtp wrote: 92 Points
CT Texas IV (Austin, TX): Tasted non blind at a wine dinner. Nice nose of honeysuckle and apples. More honey on the palate along with caramel and baked bread. Medium-long length consistent finish. Very enjoyable but would probably hold for a few more years.
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5/18/2012 - GalvezGuy wrote: 92 Points
CT Texas IV - A Hill Country Treat; 5/18/2012-5/19/2012 (Austin, Texas): First time with this producer. Great nose of brioche, nuts, pears, with hints of citrus. On the palate, super creamy with nice flavors of green apple, ripe pear, hazelnut, and meyer lemon. Balanced finish and oh so nice. Both champers were very charming.
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5/14/2012 - Gabe wrote: 93 Points
I really like Fleury generally and this wine is excellent. Fine bubbles with just enough acidity, very refreshing, Nice nose of assorted nuts and fruits, i pick up pears among others. It tastes young to me and outshines other pricier options, plan to let my others rest for awhile.
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4/7/2012 - bpj87 wrote: 93 Points
A Tasting of Aged Old World Wines (Cambridge, MA): Vivacious Champagne: steely and mineral with roasted nuts, brioche, and a great spine of malic acidity and effervescence--basically the Eiffel Tower's hourly light show in your mouth.
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3/31/2012 - kultcha wrote: 94 Points
Golden yellow colour. Nose of green apple. almonds, hazelnut and brioche. Great mouthfeel and nice mousse. Palate of citrus peel, green apple. fresh bread, nutmeg, little bit of caramel and sherry. Very complex with great acidity and finish. Still fresh and fairly young, this has lots of life ahead of it still. Delicious.
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3/24/2012 - Wamrod wrote: 94 Points
Wow.. this was just some absolutely delicious champagne. Dark in color, stormed out of the bottle with a beautiful nose and a rich palate that had a lot of zing at the start, then settled down quickly to just invite you to keep sipping. Excellent bottle.
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3/12/2012 - avp wrote:
Honeyed golden apple nose with good intensity and bisquity autolysis character.
Dry and refreshing on the palate with fine moussé, lemony zing and golden apple to greener fruit. Bisquity notes, mushrooms and pronounced minerality. Pretty lengthy.
Good stuff and drinking beautifully.
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3/10/2012 - jc-mmb wrote: 92 Points
non blind. had no idea what to expect. have not had before and didnt read CT notes before. nice deeper golden hue. fine bubbles. nose is mature and nicely balanced with some nuttiness and baked bread. richer, thicker nose if that makes sense. palate is well balanced. acid backbone is there but little muted (expected for 16 yrs old?) good lemon orange fruit in balance with bread dough, but not much yeasty character. little bit of nut. finish is very nice but a tad shorter than i would have liked.
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2/15/2012 - Wine Moose wrote: 94 Points
Great. Young. Pinot comes out. very well made
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2/5/2012 - ggb wrote:
Un champagne que j'ai déjà bu à une reprise, et qui m'avait impressionné. Bulle très fines. Très expressif au nez, beaucoup de fruit primaire, comme des pommes granny smith, un côté brioché sur des viennoiseries. Les arômes évoluent bien dans le verrre. En bouche, l'acidité est dominante mais apporte toute la structure pour donner une longueur impressionnant. Globablement, les champagnes ont moins bien performé mais c'est sûrement à cause de l'ordre des vins qui a donné aux champagnes le rôle de faire-valoir. J'ai quand même bien aimé. 16
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1/29/2012 - Wamrod wrote: 93 Points
Absolutely fantastic. Great nose, with nice oxidative notes. On palate, superb, very intense, with tart peach and citrus, as noted below. Good finish!
This champagne has lots left in it. lots of life.
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1/29/2012 - Wamrod wrote: 93 Points
Absolutely fantastic. Great nose, with nice oxidative notes. On palate, superb, very intense, with tart peach and citrus, as noted below.
This champagne is not at all past it's prime - has lots left in it.
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1/19/2012 - kthornton78 wrote: 93 Points
consistent with previous bottles. notes of candied orange peel, hazelnut, and toffee with juicy acidity and a lingering citrus finish.
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1/15/2012 - Krugman wrote: 90 Points
This champagne is still drinking very nicely, but I do believe that it is a little bit beyond its peak. It is a rich golden color with strong acidity and a smooth nutty flavor. There were not many bubbles left in this bottle and it was a little bit one demensional. Overall though this is still a nice champagne.
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1/14/2012 - Anthony Lombardi wrote:
Golden yellow. The nose jumps out of the glass and shows a mélange of beeswax and brioche. Medium bodied, this enters with an excellent, pure layer of ripe pear. Minerality persists through the mid palate and defines the mouthfeel which is certainly clean and refreshing. This is in lovely balance with the swirling layers of apple and pear throughout. Excellent Champagne.
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1/6/2012 - Kirk Grant wrote: flawed
Showed slight signs of seepage and when opened it was sadly shot
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12/28/2011 - dream wrote: 94 Points
Copper-colored. Potent nose of yeast, hay, hazelnuts and honey with a hint of oxidation. A very intense champagne that is deeply flavored with notes of sour lemons, spicy clove, hazelnuts and copper minerals. The finish is spicy and intense and not that sweet with lovely oxidized caramelly notes that add to the tremendous complexity. Interesting and mature flavors combined with intense acidity that might be off-putting to some but to me, this is the real deal. Has the structure to age further.
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12/25/2011 - Krugman wrote: 89 Points
I was excited to try the 1996 Fleury as I had heard very good things about it. I must say that I came away a little bit dissapointed. The champagne was of good quality and was well balanced, but it came accross as slightly past its peak and a little bit short on depth. It did have nice subtle flavors of caramel, spices, apples, etc., but those flavors did not last and died down very quickly. Maybe this would have been better a couple of years ago.
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12/24/2011 - phlegls wrote: 92 Points
Eagles beat Dallas ! Giants win - No Playoffs
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12/24/2011 - isdblm@lsu.edu wrote: 92 Points
Ah, smell and taste the sweet apples and figs in this medium-to-full bodied delight.
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12/20/2011 - Headless wrote: 93 Points
Beautiful nose of rancio nuts, granny smith apple, gooseberries and bee's wax. It kept evolving through the night and developped aromas of cinnamon roll and apple sauce. At one point it even smelled like an old tawny port. Very interesting. On the palate, this had laserlike precision and acidity from start to finish with good fruit. This will keep evolving for a while. Delicious champagne.
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12/16/2011 - La Cave d'Argent wrote: 95 Points
This Champagne, purchased upon release and cellared in pristine fashion, is absolutely stunning at this point. Medium gold and still with a brisk tiny bead, it shows a complex, mature bouquet of nutmeg, orange peel, bread dough, Sherry and ginger. Medium-to-full-bodied on the palate, with good acidity and flavors mirroring the nose. The middle is solid and the long finish very crisp. This wine is in its prime and should provide immense pleasure over the next five years, maybe more. Drink now-12/16.
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12/5/2011 - The Klipper wrote: 91 Points
Nicely resolved for a 96 -- indeed, perhaps a bit soft, honeyed, and round. But totally delicious.
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11/18/2011 - dzitt wrote: 92 Points
Le vin est doré, pas trop foncé. Le nez est beau et d’intensité moyenne. Par contre en bouche, c’est littéralement une explosion ! Beaucoup de matière, un beau fruit, un côté brioché / pain très présent et une acidité mordante. Je n’aurais pas peur de faire vieillir ce Champagne qui est sûrement encore très jeune…Excellent
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10/15/2011 - silton wrote: 93 Points
Quite possibly the best sparkling wine I have tasted, yet still underwhelming. This just isn't a category I care to invest in right now. Full bodied toasty with a nice combination of youthful and developed complexity, but neither elegant or sublime. Very nice.
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8/2/2011 - kthornton78 wrote: 95 Points
lovely, deep golden color with a fine mousse. notes of citrus, fig, dried fruits, and roasted nuts on the nose. great acidity, freshness, and richness as well as fruit. a great drink, wish i had bought more!
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7/9/2011 - joefel Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wow! Big and rich with caramelized, oxidized flavors - and tart. As others have said - there is no finesse. A different but enjoyable bottle of Champagne.
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5/12/2011 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 92 Points
Rich opulent champagne. Lots of nutty ,oxidative flavors. Ripe Granny Smith apples on finish. This is drinking really well right now. An excellent 1996 at a reasonable price.
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4/16/2011 - kthornton78 wrote: 94 Points
deep straw color, very fine bead. on the nose, complex aromas of candied citrus zest, roasted nuts, and dried fruits. really captivating. it grows on the palate over 15 seconds revealing citrus, minerals, and a nice acid kick. very fresh but showing enough mature characteristics to really flesh it out and make it rich and elegant. a great bottle. wish i had more...
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1/7/2011 - KSWinegeek wrote: 94 Points
Straw color. Moderate size bubbles. Slight yeasty nose. Creamy and delicate. Remarkable. At home of Phil and Patty.
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10/31/2010 - soyhead wrote: 90 Points
nose - serious buttered popcorn
mouth - honeycomb, full stop. per patricia a little nutty. At the risk of being redundant i get serious honey. Mead-esque.
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8/29/2010 - Booth wrote: 94 Points
Golden in the glass, with a nose of warm oatmeal and cinnamon. It tasted of brandied pears, granny smith apples, and had a 45+ sec finish, with great balance and acidity. Second time I've tasted this Champagne and both times I've been amazed with its complexity.
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6/1/2010 - sdr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Impressive. Bold, masculine, powerful, beefy. Excellent mousse and texture. It must be at its best now.
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3/1/2010 - thomaskeil Likes this wine: 88 Points
Light caramel. Very nice nose of stone, orange blossom, saline, citrus, and a slight, nice sherry note. Intense fruit with equally intense acidity. Penetrating and persistent flavors of low complexity. Tart. Lacks finesse.
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12/16/2009 - rjonwine@gmail.com wrote: 93 Points
Bienvenues-Batard-Montrachet Blindtasting Dinner (Le Zinc Bistro, San Francisco, California): Light orange color; light citrus, orange, caramel, peach, ginger nose; focused, tart citrus, tart orange palate with a touch of caramel; meidum-plus finish (1/3 Chardonnay, 1/3 Pinot Noir and 1/3 Pinot Blanc)
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12/6/2009 - sdr wrote: 90 Points
Not the most elegant of champagnes, but that is not the point. It's rounding into shape and becoming more harmonious and integrated. Full bodied. The 80% PN shows; in fact, it tasted like there might have been some PM too, but there is not. Bold, emphatic, a bit roasted and smoky. Really good "food" champagne.
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11/26/2009 - kanjimoti wrote: 88 Points
Grand Cru, yes. Great vintage, yes but so acidic that I could absolutely not enjoy this, yes. The Fleury had a wonderfully complex nose of dough and spices but the palate consisted of enough acid for two bottles of Champagne. Perhaps has potential ten years down the road. I had forgotten that I tried this in February of '08(under my other moniker, the russian). Scary, I don't remember tasting it then but there is no mention of the high acidity. Perhaps I have become more sensitive to acidity. I'd like to think that my palate is just becoming more attune to what I'm tasting but other than Richard Jennings' 'high acid' remark I don't see comments about the acidity from any other tasters.
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7/25/2009 - soyhead wrote: 92 Points
No formal notes, but this was a rich and complex champagne that was delicious and admired by all. I will get another bottle to study more carefully.
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1/10/2009 - Tubbs wrote:
This is fantastic stuff. Citrus, apple tons of acidity balanced with tons of fruit. This will drink well for many many years.
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12/13/2008 - rjonwine@gmail.com wrote: 91 Points
Medium canary yellow color; lovely brioche nose; tart grapefruit and lemon palate, chalk, tight yet, with high acidity; medium finish (needs 5-7 years)
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10/25/2008 - sdr wrote: 90 Points
I like this quite a bit better than Juhlin (80/82 points). The pinot noir, which is 80% of the blend (with the rest chardonnay) dominates the way you would expect. Slightly earthy, nutty and rustic. Smells something of hops ("beer" says Brian). From an obscure village in the Aube rated a lowly 80%. Yet decent energy and lift and ready now, unlike most '96s.
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9/20/2008 - rjonwine@gmail.com wrote: 92 Points
Birthday Moroccan Dinner at Tajine (Tajine Restaurant, San Francisco): Dark canary yellow color; lovely toasty, yeasty, citrus nose; tasty, tart peach, citrus and mineral palate with good concentration and acidity; medium-plus finish 92+ pts.
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2/23/2008 - therussian wrote: 90 Points
Very tasty indeed. While some claim the nose is wild with mushrooms, forest floor, and brioche, I just found it to be nicely balanced, somewhat fruity, and now I'll use a term here that I learned from Karen McNeil, and that is starchy. While I would never have come up with that myself, I think the word fits perfectly. It's a bit like a wine being crisp but I use that to describe a Vouvray or Sancerre. Starchy for me implies that the Champagne has that brioche component, is yeasty, and also has adequate acid. Karen says it's like a crisp white sheet snapping in the wind outside on the clothesline. Not that we here in America see people drying their laundry on clotheslines anymore. I digress. The Fleury, at $65, was somewhat of a splurge for me, actually a huge splurge as I try not to pay more than 50 for a bottle. After Michael and I finished it I couldn't help but feel the 1996 Fleury acually needs a few more years, perhaps even a decade, to open up and really strut it's stuff. I do have one more bottle and will try to wait at least four years before popping it. Thanks for reading.
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2/14/2008 - SBA Guru wrote: 94 Points
Always a winner, perfect for valentines day
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2/10/2008 - SBA Guru wrote: 94 Points
Great balance
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1/11/2008 - sdr wrote: 88 Points
Unusual light gold color. Quiet on the nose, just a hint of toast. Large bubbles which faded quickly in the flute. But much better on the palate; medium-full, clearly shows its PN domance (90%). Kathy says it's too sweet, but I did not get that impression. Very good, decent length, but not interesting enough for outstanding.
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1/1/2008 - MJTed wrote: 94 Points
Very nice relative to even more expensive Champagnes. Creamy mouthfeel and stron flavors of citrus, apple and nuts. Great bubbles too.
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12/24/2007 - ericis wrote:
very nice, will open up well in a few years
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12/8/2007 - 5laton wrote:
Wine Crawl 10: Sparkling Wines (San Francisco, CA): Huge nose, beautifully perfumed. Hazelnut, yeast, lemon zest, but then a distracting note of volatile acidity that comes across as pickle. Good acid, quite creamy mouthfeel, flavor of shaved white chocolate. Clearly very high quality, but the pickle note for me is a negative. But this is a weak flight and it's still my 1/3, group's 3/3. Tasted blind.
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11/9/2007 - SBA Guru wrote: 94 Points
Great
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11/3/2007 - peternelson wrote: 92 Points
K&L: Conc. sticks, earth, shrooms! Powerful mth, rasp., minerals w/tart, yeast, long fin.
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6/17/2007 - SBA Guru wrote: 94 Points
Excellent
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5/27/2007 - SBA Guru wrote: 94 Points
Great
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5/23/2007 - SBA Guru wrote: 94 Points
Same
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5/18/2007 - SBA Guru wrote: 94 Points
excellent as always.
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4/27/2007 - SBA Guru wrote: 94 Points
Same
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4/26/2007 - SBA Guru wrote: 94 Points
Same
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4/24/2007 - SBA Guru wrote: 94 Points
Great dry fruity, luxurious. A bargan. Get all the 96 you can under $50.
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4/20/2006 - MarkC wrote: 95 Points
Provided by Eric. Yeasty, toasty nose along with some citrus undertones. Great, full-bodied palate - some hints of citrus, with ripe apple/cider and some dried cherry. Fabulous mouthfeel that melts away leaving the flavors behind. Awesome stuff!
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6/11/2004 - La Cave d'Argent wrote: 94 Points
Consumed at home as an aperitif (in celebration of Cathleen's birthday). Medium straw with a brisk tiny bead. Explosively intense nose 30-45 minutes after opening, showing a complex bouquet of almonds, nutmeg, apples, spice and dust. Medium-bodied on the palate, with crisp acidity yet a creamy mouth texture. The flavors mirror the nose. Long, crisp finish. Delicious and already complex at this point, this will be a nice asset in the cellar over the next decade.
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