During 6 stars lunch BOB at Aan de Poel:Deep yellow, rich, fresh, less oxidative notes as expected, apricot, mouth filling, long, beautiful acidity. A beautiful future ahead. As alway a spectacular and reliable champagne.
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I am not the most experienced Vintage Champagne drinker you've ever seen but this wine sung, 33 year-old acidity shimmering across my palate like it had just been disgorged last week. The color was this brilliant and deep gold, with aged nuances for days: toast, river rocks, Meyer lemon, baked apple, some kind of woodsy funk (in a good way), a hint of yellow flower. The finish didn't crackle with bubbles and zip like it would have in its youth but after everything that came before it, you kind of don't care. This has the energy and space for improvement to lay down another 5 - 10 years, I'd say. Drank on me and my girlfriend's 2 year anniversary and we toasted ol' Winston to boot, a wine well worthy of his name.
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I opened my sole bottle of 1990 Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill on the evening Biden's Presidential victory was announced (if not now, when)? This has been slumbering in my collection for almost 20 years. A mild pop on opening. Mature pinot noir depth, crushed strawberries, length, balance, some sweetness, not much acidity, minimal effervescence in the glass but tingling is still present on the palate, yellow-tinted hue but not oxidized. Had half the bottle as an aperitif before dinner, stoppered, and remainder was just as enjoyable a day later. Probably would have been better to have this a few years back, given the diminished effervescence of this bottle.
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[Magnum] Blind. Moderately oxidative character had me thinking Krug stylistically, but this was more open, lower acid, and seemed to have a lot of red berry to the fruit. Not particularly briochey, more white and yellow fruit with some remaining citrus. Palate was rich and powerful, delivered loads of flavour. Strong effervescence still. Very good.
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Just a remarkable showing of this wine from magnum. Fresh, youthful with brightness and round, crisp bubbles. Ripe, red delicious apple, with warm brioche. This wine has much more development in store, particularly in the format I was fortunate enough to have enjoyed it in. I suspect 750s might be coming around, but mags are a good ten years from apogee, in my humble opinion.
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Q3 - 2019 Tasting - Vintage Champagne - Pre-2000 (New York, NY): 13/14 wines tasted double blind. This had a very toasty nose. The palate was displaying quite a bit of toast and vanilla, but perhaps was lacking a bit more brightness to provide some more lift. 2 pennies voted by the group.
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Q3 Wine Club | Pre-2000 Vintage Champagne (The Apt): Wine #13: Probably the most classically 'nice' and I wonder if we hadn't done this blind if this wouldn't have been most people's favorite. It is a great producer in a great year. I also wonder that coming on the heels of the '98 Corbon isn't a bit of a tough spot since that is a wine that is light and fresh and sweet and so there's a bit of readjusting the palate. The first time I had this I got a hint of sour, but I think that might have been location (I didn't get it the second time). This is still in the more apple style with a bit more of the caramel quality of age. Drinking fairly young for it's 28 years. Overall, enjoyable. (2 pennies)
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Very good, perfect bottle. Showing fine maturity, still fresh and vivid. Bread, yellow apples, lemons. Long and complex. Feels younger than its actual age. Will keep for many years.
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Bread crumb, baked apple, brioche and toast on the nose. Ripe and dense on the palate. Not a lot of bubbles left. Like many 90 champagne, I find it to be drinking at peak because of its ripeness. It lacked a bit of acidity and sharpness for me. But it was still a nice drink. 91-92
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Very nice and youngish and toasty and interesting and drinking quite well. Better than I would have expected. This is a higher end champagne that I've never totally bought into, but this was a nice bottle.
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Marc's 70th Birthday Dinner in DC (Oval Room in DC): Very smokey nose, burnt bread, other lees notes, very pungent and explosive nose. Heavy bodied, great acidity, and pretty young in my opinion. Pretty simple when first opened with strong fruit, saline, and bready flavors. As it warmed up an got air, this got much more complex and expansive. This is drinking pretty young to me. Drink now or hold another 10 years (at least) for more complexity and maturity.
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Another great bottle with mostly consistent notes. This seemed to show a lot of raspberry which got me thinking about the pinot noir content. Fresh, lively, delicious, these clearly have a long runway.
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Flash note. A flash note is one that I distinctly remember the quality/overall rating of a wine but can’t give specifics because the tasting note was not written at time of tasting.
Bright and still fresh. Excellent experience and first time I ever had 1990 SWC. Love the old label style. Highest recommendation
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La Fête de La Paulée in Chicago (Formento's - Chicago IL): From magnum. Apple, baked apple and some lemon curd. Very fat and rich throughout with nicely mature character, then a leaner and more texturally exciting finish. Perhaps not quite as great as the last time Magnum Man opened one of these with me around, but very close.
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La Fête de La Paulée: From magnum. Full complex nose has mature white fruit with earth and mushroom notes. The palate is rich but fully mature with orchard fruit and roasted nuts. Great intensity of mature flavors and still quite zesty. Long, savory finish. Impressive.
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Full and toasty,good acids, apples and hazelnut. One person thought this a bit advanced, I didn’t but while I enjoyed it wasn’t the wow wine I expected and hoped for. B+
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JG Double Blind Intro Retro (Restaurant Michael): Served double blind from magnum. Full lifted nose of mature white fruit, earth and a bit of truffle. The palate is mature but still quite vibrant and fresh. Excellent round body with great depth and texture. Some wood framing remains. I was guessing much younger.
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Chicago Wine Flock...Magnum Man Opens Great Old Bordeaux (George Trois at Restaurant Michael - Winnetka IL): In magnum. Served blind. Lots of ripe apple with good concentration and weight, then excellent length with minerality. Clearly from a ripe and rich vintage with age (I thought 1989), and clearly showing both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Very powerful and enjoyable, tonight's magnum was much better vs last time tasted one year ago.
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An opener to a fun dinner with friends. Caramel colour with a fine mousse. The nose grabs your attention with apple, red berries, white peach, brioche and nougat. The palate is quite full bodied and intense yet very elegant with great poise and freshness. There is a long finish that really lingers. This a beautiful bottle of mature Champagne.
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Intense and focused nose has white flowers, green apple, and honeycomb. Very youthful but with developed leesy notes too. Palate has a lot of sour green apple and also some brioche. Some caramel comes through in the finish, but mostly this is secondary. Lively effervescence and very energetic mousse. In a great place for enjoying now and imagine this will gain nuance as the fruit darkens.
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Hawaiian Escape; 11/19/2016-11/26/2016 (Kuki'o): Didn't take notes at the time, but this was really great. Mature in the right ways with developed notes of brioche and toffees. Reading younger relative to a 1990 Dom Perignon yesterday, slightly less oxidation. Light, crisp, classic. Suspect that good bottles of this will keep going and improving for a long time.
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THE Burgundy Dinner (The Doctors Nosnik Cellar - Dallas TX): Ripe and still very powerful with good length. Like many 1990s, this is fully mature and slightly lacking in acidity. As a result, I find this nicely alluring, but less elegant. Still very tasty, but I greatly preferred this wine when younger and would be drinking up any bottles in 750 ml format.
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det är något speciellt att få öppna en gammal champagne och denna såg jag verkligen fram mot. vinet har en fin, från början ganska försikig doft, som domineras av marsipan, mandel, och gula äpplen. bra syra i vinet, smaken väldigt bra, men hittar inga ordentliga or förutom nötter och mandel. svingod så klart men hade hoppats på en 100 poängare men det är bara 97 för mig.
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Golden yellow On the nose, marzipan, almond, bakery, white jasmine flowers and a hint of honey. On the palate, yellow matured apples, more marzipan, a flow of nuts and almonds. There some bakery in the taste as well. What a master piece. the acidity is very well integrated in the over all impression.
long finish
it is a honor to taste wines like this. Beautiful!
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KYD #1.Italy (Le Sommelier): A perfect bottle showing an impressive youthfulness. Opens slowly in the glass exhibiting young fruit and an impressive structure. Amazing stuff!
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Eight (Not Angry) Men Drinking Great Wine (Paris Club - Chicago IL): From magnum. Good start to the evening. Lots of fresh and ripe apple with some Meyer lemon in middle, then lemon and lemon peel on finish. Still incredibly fresh. Very long and well textured. Still a baby.
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Wow. Flavor bursting out of the glass, fragrant, long finish out of magnum. Drank with Chris Gerber in the office and shared many glasses with others. Great.
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drank 3 bottles at New Years. All good, consistent notes. Gold color, fine bubbles. Very rich, winey. Apples, brioche, typical old champagne flavors. good bite on the finish. Very good with food. Excellent.
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Romanée St. Vivant & Bonnes Mares Dinner (Otto Ristorante, Red Dot Museum): Absolutely superb – this was a great Champagne perched right at the peak of its drinking window. It had a beautiful nose of cream and broiche, caramel and salted butter tones, wreathed around lovely scents of red apples and melons and ripe lemons, and then more bassy notes of white meat and earth and higher toned florals drifting around it all to make a lovely bouquet. It was a complex and attractive nose, yet somehow so well integrated that it came across almost understated. I loved the palate too. The mousse had mellowed into the background, but it was beautifully balanced, poised and quite completely resolved into a wonderfully integrated whole, with deep, creamily textured, almost melting tones of sweet apples, kumquats and lemons wrapped around a core of fresh, gently mouthwatering acidity. This was power wed to grace, with the fleshy ripeness of the 1990 vintage clearly present, but harnessed to an impeccable balance and effortless elegance that made the wine almost deceptively easy to drink. Great finish too, super-long, with a little hint of minerality trailing behind sweet apples and shades of stone fruit. Beautiful stuff, almost as remarkable for its understated perfection as it was for its sheer deliciousness - I loved this.
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This was a bit of a surprise, being a fan of this cuvee. The nose was loaded with raspberries, almost a kir royale-ish. The wine had nice acidity but the finish was quite short. Perhaps a bad bottle??
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This wine shows what this prestige cuvee of Pol Roger is really all about in one of its best years. Absolutely superb, magnificently poised and balanced, sheer hedonistic pleasure to drink. Many years ahead of it, no sign of approaching being over the hill.
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Two San Francisco Dinners with Charles; 5/17/2013-5/18/2013: Light golden. Caramel and citrus. Rich. Marvelous equipoise between incredible vigor for 23 year old Champagne and just the faintest notes of incipient maturity. One can't ask for a better Champagne experience. The wine of the night on a night with 3 great wines.
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lots of bread dough with fruit notes of apple, pear and especially orange amongst its citrus components delivered in a soft and creamy texture; full of power and finesse, a great partnership of yin and yang.
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This was popped and poured as it arrived, then left to sit in the fridge to breathe and unfold. Very slightly darkened color, so that was a nice sign. At first, the nose like the palate was shy and ungiving, but it teased us here and there with some almonds, some baking dough, some vanilla, some brioche and some cafe au lait. As it opened up, these aspects rose to their full splendor, showcased on an elegant and almost subtly confident frame, with a hint of sweetness (but not too much) and some nice acidity at the back, and a long long finish. This kept getting better and better, and we really had to fight to keep our hands off of it. The wine never seemed to be backing down, just improving more and more in the glass. I'm sure had I been able to hold back I'd have been rewarded, but I'm a sucker for hedonism so I probably downed this way too fast. This bottle must have been perfectly stored as there was no oxydation, barely any Sherry notes, just pure aged Sir Winny. Wow. Fantastic.
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KYD #1.3: The nose is quite intense with plenty of freshly baked bread but also hints of oxidation/sherry but not in a defective way. There is also a good amount of yeast and with time the nose changes to also include vanilla cookies. Coffee is really dominating the palate initially but still with plenty of other complex notes. The sweetness is just perfect, not sweet and not completely dry. The acidity is hiding a little bit but it is definitely there and there is a lot of juiciness from red apples. It comes across as very fresh and still quite young in its profile. With time in the glass there is more sweetness coming through but the acidity also starts to pick up balancing the wine out very nicely. A really "wide" tasting profile and also quite complex.. I simply adored this bottle and something I would love to taste again! 96-97p
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(Old note) Utterly complex nose with some toasty notes, roasted bread and a very minerally ending - oyster shells. Elegance and power. Great, full palate! Very fullish and harmonius. Toasty, roasted hazel nuts very good grip and a razor-sharp acidic finish. Very long. Perfect now, but can go on for some more years.
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Practically the definition of perfection in medium-bodied Champagne and perhaps my favorite traditional luxury label. This bottle had been very well stored, so the wine hadn't even acquired any real color, and while mature, showed no sign whatever of decline. A Goldilocks of a wine--not too little, not too big, just right. The offering of a generous friend for a birthday dinner
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Straw color, very strong effervescence. Nose of fresh baked bread, apple, almond paste, caramel and cooked oaks. Superbly full of apple and peach fruit and giving much complexity from secondary flavors as well (esp. toasted bread, pear, grains), this is an excellent champagne. No rush to drink but I suspect 750ml bottles will show an even more developed bottle age personality. From magnum, bottle #3 of six.
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What's a few bottles among friends?: One of several 750s from the same source that appear to have been compromised in storage at some point. This vintage of Winston Churchill is spectacular when it's "on." Here, while mousse intensity (visually) and color were age-appropriate, the aromas were weaker and the flavor and texture lacked the depth and focus of the best examples. Became sweeter and broader with an hour's air. It's a testament to the magnificent baseline that we drained this bottle nonetheless.
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Popped and poured @ 2010 New Year's celebration. Wow! Beautiful golden straw color with a rich nose of honey, nuts, toast & tangerine notes. Still big on the palate with honey, apples, toast, almonds, citrus, and these amazing caramel notes that were especially rich mid-palate. Surprisingly, this wine still seemed youthful although having worked my way through the larger part of a case I know it has matured a lot from that huge tight monster i first tasted on release. If you like the Churchill cuvee then this vintage is well worth searching out.
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Very sad to drink my last of this bottle. These last few bottles have been just beautiful. Showing some sherry, cookie to start and then some strange christmas cake flavours (which I suprisingly like as opposed to the real thing). No rush at all to drink, but such a lovely drink now.
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Dark yellow color with fine bead. My first concern with this wine was the nose, which had a slight sherry aroma and smelled a little like ripe pineapple. Very thick viscous bubbly, quite full bodied, lacking in freshness and somewhat ponderous flavors of caramel, baked apple, and dark honey. This was much more advanced than the last bottle of this I had last year when it was spectacular. Definitely oxidizing and on the downslope, unless this was a bad bottle. Oh well.
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En av de viner som visar att 90 är en stor årgång. Tydlig syra som bådar för långt liv balanseras upp av frukt och fina aromer.Bra eftersmak. Om korrekt lagrat så kan det ligga många år till.
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Nose was a little toasted brioche topped with almonds, harmonious and round. Texture was rich and creamy. Green and gold apple dipped in caramel, bright acidity . Incredible mouth feel and length. Drinking this is an unforgettable experience. Magic from the bottle and the festive evening and company all adds to the experience.
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Good effervescence remaining with a nice pop upon opening. Classic small bead. Yellow straw colored and a very clean nose. No oxidation at all. Just a slight leesey yeast flavor of brioche. Excellent full fruit concentration of yellow apple with a remaining cripness that provides nice balance. Elegant but powerful with a Long finish. A really wonderful Champagne that is still remarkably youthful but at point for my sensibilities. Will last many years but is drinking perfectly right now.
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Light golden straw. Extremely aromatic, could smell wine on table just sitting in glass. Aromas of almonds, honey, straw, yeast, and cream. Weight was excellent with a soft satisfying palate. This has always been one of my favorite Champagnes, because of its amazing balance. Long and elegant tannins on finish.
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Great Tasting Wines for a Great Tasting Menu (Saison, San Francisco): Medium yellow, gentle mousse remains. Toasty nose with a hint of caramel. Full, rich, moderate dosage. Not at all about fruit. Just on the cusp of turning into mature Champagne. Excellent but not as distinctive or exciting as the first bottle I had about 5 years ago, when the balance and tension were just great.
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Wonderfully harmonious; perfectly in tune. Nosed out the 1990 Krug and a bit better than the 1990 Bollinger RD. We have had these three together perhaps 10 times and I would say the Pol Roger has shown best. The Krug is catching it however and plainly will last longer so the title may soon pass.
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Mature & smooth, rich & big there is a little hint of oxidation on the nose in the first few minutes and this bottle is more mature and advanced than the one we had last January. The wine keeps developing a richer and fruitier impression with time and peaks at about 30 minutes. At that point it is very impressive and shows it's true lineage. There is a good sense of chalky mineral that adds a nice dimension to the finish impressive powerful yet it never enters the over yeasty spectrum and maintains a wonderful elegance. An advanced bottle but still great juice.
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The pinot noir content of the Cuvee Winston is up there with Bollinger if not beyond (as I think about it,Bollinger may have played a part in the development of the cuvee for the Winston). Honey, plummy, very rich and very long.
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Yellowish color with a touch of an orange brown hue... very aromatic on the nose with honey, brioche, dried citrus peel spices (I like the nougat comment below... like a Christmas fruit cake almost), and apple... way less oxidized than I would have guessed, in fact no sherry notes to speak of. On the palate dry with firm acidity... a very fine effervescence, no creaminess, and a very lush, ripe, yet fresh mouthfeel. The wine has great balance, 30-45 sec length, very good intensity, and great complexity. The wine has fantastic finesse and a very fine texture, pretty classic Champagne expression of place. I got the sense this is nearing peak maturity and will last there for a very long time. For me, easily "outstanding", bordering on "extraordinary" wine.
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Raclette and Champagne (New Buffalo, Michigan): First time with the 1990 vintage. This was my favorite champagne of the weekend. Lively and complex. Better than the 1988 vintage that i had 6 years ago. White yellow color. Fine bead. The glass was filled with flavors of green apple skins and light citrus. Long finish. 94-95 points.
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One day on under a sealing cap, just fine. Still enough bubbles to sustain it as champagne. Actually a stronger palate impression, but the pinot noir is once again in the lead. Less citrus, more honey and plums. Really a great bottle.
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Quite gold in color, but plenty of life now and ahead. Mousse good given its age. Brioche on the nose with touches of honey and anise. Lemony across the palate with perhaps a touch of nougat. A succulent richness to the wine. Certainly in the optimum drinking window, but likely not at its peak. Plenty of acid still showing in this superbly balanced champagne. Rarely on the radar regarding champagne is the idea of what will it taste like in four hours, or tomorrow. But these older champagnes increasingly become less about bubbles and more about the underlying quality of the wine as wine. My thought is that this champagne will be a knockout with anything prepared with a white sauce. I'm not sure that the 96 is as good as this.
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Brought to Acker auction at Gilt - Drank from magnum, which may explain why it seemed a lot tighter and younger than others have noted. This was a very, very tight and dry Champagne, huge acidity, a little flat, although a nice mousse. There was pear and sour lemon, and even a little apple. I tend to like my Champagne a little warmer because I usually drink Rose or the more lush bruts, like Krug, but this one was much better colder. Wine improved with about 30 minutes of air time. This reminds me of the Bollinger Grand Annee. I shared with a lot people, most who know Champagne better then me, and they all commented how dry it was.
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Opened and served immediately. Dark yellow color in the glass, clear hue throughout with fine and steady beading. Nose of brioche and yellow apples. Flavors of yellow apples, yellow pears and a dash of lemon on the medium to long finish. Later picked up some honey notes as well upon revisit. Medium acidity, medium to full body. Drink or hold. Just a hair behind my previous tasting but still quite a rock solid wine.
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An outstanding bottle! It combines in an absolutely irresistible way a full body with lots of nutty, toasty aromas with a smooth mousse and racy crispness. The man said: champagne shall be had cold, dry and gratis. This was cold and dry. Not gratis, but what is?
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Festive light gold in color. Fine bead. Balanced aromas of bisquite, brioche and apple which carry through to the palate with just a touch of minerality. Intense and focused while being very elegant throughout. Long finish. This Champagne is all about elegance, balance and class. Gorgeous.
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An outstanding bottle of bubbly. It had very complex flavors of hazelnut, a touch of yeast, brioche and underlying apple. There was even a hint of raspberry (?) on the finish which I found fascinating. While this champagne had power it was also extremely precise with a long, memorable finish. Stunning with food.
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Still very young, but stunning. Drunk in a flight with '88 Krug and '90 DP Oenotheque, I preferred this to the Krug (by a hair). The Dom is drinking better now, but the Pol Roger has a brighter future.
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Great stuff (there's a stretch, huh?) - Nose not overly expressive but notes of toasted nuts, hint of citrus and bread/yeast. On the palate, really fine and light mousse, laser of lemony acidity without any harsh tartness, exceptional balance and nice long finish. I don't drink a ton of vintage champagne, but I can't imagine this needing any time, as opposed to wanting to wait for secondary flavors to emerge.
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This is a remarkable champagne. Stored at 53 degrees or less since release. Very heavy on the pinot noir. Figgy maybe plummy. Perhaps acacia. What makes this really work is the extract - exceptionally rich. Finishes very very long with a citrus dry note. If really well stored, this champagne has a very long life ahead of it. Based on this bottle, I would say it is clearly better than the 96. Maybe a toss up with the 88. But my favorite remains the 85.
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Absolutely stunning Champagne. Fresh, yet incredibly complex and long. A perfect marriage of yeastiness, citrus fruit and creamy, round character. I could drink this often. One of the best bottles of Champagne I have ever had. (98)
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Dinner with the M&S crew (Seattle, WA): A gorgeous bottle of bubbles. Biscuit and lemon curd. A hint of oxidation on the edge of this mature wine, but this is lacy, elegant and precise.
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Wonderful champagne and agree with others that this is at its peak -- extremely smooth and structured, with honey, lemon and biscuit flavors. An exemplary wine.
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A Celebration (Da Marco, Houston, Texas): I've had several pre-1996 vintage Champagnes that I've enjoyed, but I've felt they all were on the tired side. That was not the case with the Pol Roger. My first thought was how perfectly aged this wine was. It was intense and structured. Lots of yeasty bread dough, graham cracker and ripe, sweet apples. This feels like it's at its peak now.
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Bit of anise on the note with a very fine mousse. On the palate almost chewy pinot noir. Wonderfully extracted. But as champagnes go almost severe. Dry rich fruit with a long dry rich finish. An apertif wine this isn't. My guess is that a Churchill will stand up to any wine or food you put on your table, especially rich food, than any other champagne hands down. In contrast to being an apertif champagne, this would easily fit into the middle of a rich meal as a wonderful sorbet. In my experience with Churchill's, this is almost a profile. They never it seems to me get as full or mouth filling as say a Bollinger R.D., but that isn't a flaw, it is just a different style.
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Tasted May 16, 2007 at an offline. Opened and served immediately in a Riedel Overture Champagne flute. Light yellow color in the glass, clear hue throughout with a light mousse. Nose of pear, apple and cookie dough. Flavors of apples, pears, citrus, some light cherry notes and some biscuit. Good acidity, medium bodied. Drink or hold.
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Brought to an OL, popped and poured. Not sure. A wall of tannin hidding a little fruit. Either this wine is way too young or, possibly, it will never get up the hill. Will wait3 to 5 years before I open the last one.
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Great bottle. Brought it to a tasting with 2 other couples. Openned up with strong biscuit and bread dough notes. Bold nose and bold on the palate. It developed and became more intriguing as the time passed. I will seek out another bottle of this champagne. This tete de cuvee seems to be off most people's radar, but is worth its weight in gold. From this bottle, I can say it will last many more years!
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Another great mag. It's always a toss up between the 1990 and the 1988 Winnie for my favorite Champagne. I've decided it's whichever is in my glass at the moment.
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(no formal notes) deep golden color, lots of tiny bubbles. Incredible depth and complexity on the nose with a super initial attack. Falls a bit flat on the finish as I would like a bit more grip. Still, this is splitting hairs (17.5)
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All I can say is WOW!!!!!! I brought this bottle to the Melting Pot and we drank it with the White Chocolate/Bailey's Irish Cream fondue dessert. I chose not to eat much chocolate, but simply ate strawberries and pineapple with this wonderful champagne. This was absolutely the freshest, most lively champagne that I have tasted in quite some time. I have not been a huge fan of Pol Roger. In fact, I was very disappointed by the 1996 Rose as it did not suit my style, but my mind has certainly been changed. At first the nose was a bit subdued, but then fine aromas of white peach, pecan, honey, and cucumber. The moment that it hits your palate, it almost shocks you with its amazing power and bright flavor. The only thing I can equate the taste to is the sound made when you crunch into a fresh piece of celery. In fact, the champagne has a flavor of rising dough, fresh celery, peaches, wet stone and a tangy zing reminiscent of green tomatoes. The bead has a coarse texture, not fine and silky like many other high and bubblies, but it matches perfectly with the powerfully bracing flavor. I am almost disappointed that I drank this bottle, as it was my only one, but it was so good that I have no regret. I will definitely be buying more very soon.
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Tokyo Tasting Group Round #2 -- 90/97 Sangiovese, plus Champagne and Dessert (Cuisine 219 Tokyo): I enjoy the challenge of writing notes on Champagne, as I find it more difficult to capture their essence than I do with most still wines. Occasionally, though, the dominant impression is of a great wine that just happens to have bubbles. This has a bit of honeying to the yellow in the glass and a mousse that is much broader and much less pointal in texture than the Salon. On the nose, it has a central core of apple fruit, with strong notes of nuts and a pastry element that develops with time. On the palate, it is deep and pleasantly hefty, but with the acid to keep it all structured and composed. There’s more of the apple fruit, along with some white stone fruit and plum, all wrapped in a hint of honeyed sweetness. On the finish, there’s a touch of wildflower, maybe some truffle, and a little more pastry. Again, this is big and structured and presents like a still wine, but has a sexiness and opulence that says Champagne. A nice counterpoint to the Salon, but I might have enjoyed a bit more freshness and bite – then again, I’m certainly not complaining. Thanks Steve.
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Wine tasting. Starts with very clean, linear expression showing apple, some lemon peel and lots of minerality. Then this explodes in middle to end with blasts of ripe fruit plus hints of emerging bready and yeasty character. Long, eye popping finish.
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5/13/2023 - maaike2 wrote: 96 Points
During 6 stars lunch BOB at Aan de Poel:Deep yellow, rich, fresh, less oxidative notes as expected, apricot, mouth filling, long, beautiful acidity. A beautiful future ahead. As alway a spectacular and reliable champagne.
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5/6/2023 - Somm Troy S Likes this wine: 94 Points
I am not the most experienced Vintage Champagne drinker you've ever seen but this wine sung, 33 year-old acidity shimmering across my palate like it had just been disgorged last week. The color was this brilliant and deep gold, with aged nuances for days: toast, river rocks, Meyer lemon, baked apple, some kind of woodsy funk (in a good way), a hint of yellow flower. The finish didn't crackle with bubbles and zip like it would have in its youth but after everything that came before it, you kind of don't care. This has the energy and space for improvement to lay down another 5 - 10 years, I'd say. Drank on me and my girlfriend's 2 year anniversary and we toasted ol' Winston to boot, a wine well worthy of his name.
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10/2/2022 - ricknat1 wrote: 98 Points
incredibly delicious and fresh, even brighter than the 96 but more mature while still young and bubbly. maybe the second best bottle i have had
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7/2/2022 - steinersing wrote: 93 Points
This is still quite attractive - of course evolved with quite some oxidative notes and a little flat, but still enjoyable.
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11/7/2020 - R Z Likes this wine: 94 Points
I opened my sole bottle of 1990 Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill on the evening Biden's Presidential victory was announced (if not now, when)? This has been slumbering in my collection for almost 20 years. A mild pop on opening. Mature pinot noir depth, crushed strawberries, length, balance, some sweetness, not much acidity, minimal effervescence in the glass but tingling is still present on the palate, yellow-tinted hue but not oxidized. Had half the bottle as an aperitif before dinner, stoppered, and remainder was just as enjoyable a day later. Probably would have been better to have this a few years back, given the diminished effervescence of this bottle.
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10/17/2020 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 93 Points
[Magnum] Blind. Moderately oxidative character had me thinking Krug stylistically, but this was more open, lower acid, and seemed to have a lot of red berry to the fruit. Not particularly briochey, more white and yellow fruit with some remaining citrus. Palate was rich and powerful, delivered loads of flavour. Strong effervescence still. Very good.
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10/7/2020 - englishman's claret wrote: 93 Points
Rich and plentiful in its baked orchard fruit, brioche nose but I find it missing the freshness and acidic zip requisite of great mature champagnes.
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7/24/2020 - matage wrote: 94 Points
Brioche, apple almond cake/bitter almond and some licorice/sweet aniseed notes. Deep golden hue, fine but long lasting mousse.
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2/18/2020 - englishman's claret wrote: 94 Points
Fresh apple and lemon, just a hint of mature champagne nuttiness and brioche. Quite nice either on its own or with seafood.
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12/29/2019 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 96 Points
Slightly darker but aged look, nutty, expressive, slight oxidation which led to a creamy palate feel and a long after taste.
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12/14/2019 - jviz Likes this wine: 96 Points
Just a remarkable showing of this wine from magnum. Fresh, youthful with brightness and round, crisp bubbles. Ripe, red delicious apple, with warm brioche. This wine has much more development in store, particularly in the format I was fortunate enough to have enjoyed it in. I suspect 750s might be coming around, but mags are a good ten years from apogee, in my humble opinion.
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7/27/2019 - retired_and_roving Likes this wine:
Q3 - 2019 Tasting - Vintage Champagne - Pre-2000 (New York, NY): 13/14 wines tasted double blind. This had a very toasty nose. The palate was displaying quite a bit of toast and vanilla, but perhaps was lacking a bit more brightness to provide some more lift. 2 pennies voted by the group.
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7/27/2019 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Q3 Wine Club | Pre-2000 Vintage Champagne (The Apt): Wine #13: Probably the most classically 'nice' and I wonder if we hadn't done this blind if this wouldn't have been most people's favorite. It is a great producer in a great year. I also wonder that coming on the heels of the '98 Corbon isn't a bit of a tough spot since that is a wine that is light and fresh and sweet and so there's a bit of readjusting the palate. The first time I had this I got a hint of sour, but I think that might have been location (I didn't get it the second time). This is still in the more apple style with a bit more of the caramel quality of age. Drinking fairly young for it's 28 years. Overall, enjoyable. (2 pennies)
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4/11/2019 - G SQUARED Likes this wine: 93 Points
Time to drink but oh what a mouthful of beautiful, bread basket like bubbly.
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1/25/2019 - Ramberg wrote: 95 Points
Very good, perfect bottle.
Showing fine maturity, still fresh and vivid.
Bread, yellow apples, lemons.
Long and complex.
Feels younger than its actual age.
Will keep for many years.
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12/26/2018 - Burgnick Likes this wine: 92 Points
Bread crumb, baked apple, brioche and toast on the nose. Ripe and dense on the palate. Not a lot of bubbles left. Like many 90 champagne, I find it to be drinking at peak because of its ripeness. It lacked a bit of acidity and sharpness for me. But it was still a nice drink. 91-92
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12/12/2018 - hprphf Likes this wine: 94 Points
Acker 2018/12 (Vaucluse): From Magnum. Light citrus, underpinned honey, delicate toast, nice bitterness. Clean and complex finish. 94
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12/12/2018 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Very nice and youngish and toasty and interesting and drinking quite well. Better than I would have expected. This is a higher end champagne that I've never totally bought into, but this was a nice bottle.
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9/22/2018 - ericindc Likes this wine: 95 Points
Marc's 70th Birthday Dinner in DC (Oval Room in DC): Very smokey nose, burnt bread, other lees notes, very pungent and explosive nose. Heavy bodied, great acidity, and pretty young in my opinion. Pretty simple when first opened with strong fruit, saline, and bready flavors. As it warmed up an got air, this got much more complex and expansive. This is drinking pretty young to me. Drink now or hold another 10 years (at least) for more complexity and maturity.
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7/20/2018 - cweiss Likes this wine:
Absolutely great. Ideal maturity for my taste. Wonderful nose, especially as it got warmer. A complex and powerful Champagne
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5/30/2018 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 93 Points
Another great bottle with mostly consistent notes. This seemed to show a lot of raspberry which got me thinking about the pinot noir content. Fresh, lively, delicious, these clearly have a long runway.
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5/12/2018 - eschaefer Likes this wine: 97 Points
Flash note. A flash note is one that I distinctly remember the quality/overall rating of a wine but can’t give specifics because the tasting note was not written at time of tasting.
Bright and still fresh. Excellent experience and first time I ever had 1990 SWC. Love the old label style. Highest recommendation
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5/4/2018 - KenK Likes this wine: 94 Points
From magnum, big dense, yet still fresh and clean. Lot so depth and tasty big orchard fruits.
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5/4/2018 - Burgundy Al wrote: 94 Points
La Fête de La Paulée in Chicago (Formento's - Chicago IL): From magnum. Apple, baked apple and some lemon curd. Very fat and rich throughout with nicely mature character, then a leaner and more texturally exciting finish. Perhaps not quite as great as the last time Magnum Man opened one of these with me around, but very close.
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5/4/2018 - Nanda wrote: 95 Points
La Fête de La Paulée: From magnum. Full complex nose has mature white fruit with earth and mushroom notes. The palate is rich but fully mature with orchard fruit and roasted nuts. Great intensity of mature flavors and still quite zesty. Long, savory finish. Impressive.
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5/4/2018 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 96 Points
Delicious, dense on the palate, bubbles were alive. Great way to start Fete du La Paulee Chicago.
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12/16/2017 - sdr Likes this wine: 95 Points
Lafite Vertical - More Hope than Substance? (Valentino's Cucina, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida): A great opener for the Lafite vertical, the ‘90 SWC is fabulous. Massive weight, very, very rich and toasty, it seems more like a Bollinger than Pol Roger but perhaps a bit more balanced. Superb Champagne in the hyper-rich style and perfectly mature.
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11/11/2017 - DaleW wrote:
Full and toasty,good acids, apples and hazelnut. One person thought this a bit advanced, I didn’t but while I enjoyed it wasn’t the wow wine I expected and hoped for. B+
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7/11/2017 - Nanda wrote: 94 Points
JG Double Blind Intro Retro (Restaurant Michael): Served double blind from magnum. Full lifted nose of mature white fruit, earth and a bit of truffle. The palate is mature but still quite vibrant and fresh. Excellent round body with great depth and texture. Some wood framing remains. I was guessing much younger.
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7/11/2017 - Burgundy Al wrote: 94 Points
Chicago Wine Flock...Magnum Man Opens Great Old Bordeaux (George Trois at Restaurant Michael - Winnetka IL): In magnum. Served blind. Lots of ripe apple with good concentration and weight, then excellent length with minerality. Clearly from a ripe and rich vintage with age (I thought 1989), and clearly showing both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Very powerful and enjoyable, tonight's magnum was much better vs last time tasted one year ago.
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6/23/2017 - drjb Likes this wine: 95 Points
An opener to a fun dinner with friends. Caramel colour with a fine mousse. The nose grabs your attention with apple, red berries, white peach, brioche and nougat. The palate is quite full bodied and intense yet very elegant with great poise and freshness. There is a long finish that really lingers. This a beautiful bottle of mature Champagne.
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5/25/2017 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 93 Points
Intense and focused nose has white flowers, green apple, and honeycomb. Very youthful but with developed leesy notes too. Palate has a lot of sour green apple and also some brioche. Some caramel comes through in the finish, but mostly this is secondary. Lively effervescence and very energetic mousse. In a great place for enjoying now and imagine this will gain nuance as the fruit darkens.
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11/26/2016 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 93 Points
Hawaiian Escape; 11/19/2016-11/26/2016 (Kuki'o): Didn't take notes at the time, but this was really great. Mature in the right ways with developed notes of brioche and toffees. Reading younger relative to a 1990 Dom Perignon yesterday, slightly less oxidation. Light, crisp, classic. Suspect that good bottles of this will keep going and improving for a long time.
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11/6/2016 - aquacongas Likes this wine: 94 Points
Complete Vertival Tasting of Winston Churchill in Magnums and Jero: Began sehr kraftvoll und mächtig, gute Säurestruktur, viel geröstete Haselnüsse. Sehr gut zum Essen bei weinigem Rückgrat. 94P
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5/14/2016 - BradE wrote:
From magnum. This was absolutely stunning. Love the 90 Churchill.
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5/13/2016 - Burgundy Al wrote:
THE Burgundy Dinner (The Doctors Nosnik Cellar - Dallas TX): Ripe and still very powerful with good length. Like many 1990s, this is fully mature and slightly lacking in acidity. As a result, I find this nicely alluring, but less elegant. Still very tasty, but I greatly preferred this wine when younger and would be drinking up any bottles in 750 ml format.
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2/8/2016 - AllRed wrote: 96 Points
Celebrating Neil's 75th & Chinese New Year (Sun Wah, Chicago): Vanilla, marshmallow, apple and stone aromas. Roasted nuts, vanilla crème and baked orchard fruit flavors with an impressively long finish. 96-97 pts.
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11/27/2015 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 94 Points
21st annual Pizza night (Our home Northfield IL): Great light color, good mouse, tasty, youthful from a magnum.
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7/26/2015 - MWiking wrote: 97 Points
det är något speciellt att få öppna en gammal champagne och denna såg jag verkligen fram mot.
vinet har en fin, från början ganska försikig doft, som domineras av marsipan, mandel, och gula äpplen. bra syra i vinet, smaken väldigt bra, men hittar inga ordentliga or förutom nötter och mandel. svingod så klart men hade hoppats på en 100 poängare men det är bara 97 för mig.
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7/25/2015 - Patrik H Likes this wine: 98 Points
Golden yellow
On the nose, marzipan, almond, bakery, white jasmine flowers and a hint of honey.
On the palate, yellow matured apples, more marzipan, a flow of nuts and almonds. There some bakery in the taste as well. What a master piece.
the acidity is very well integrated in the over all impression.
long finish
it is a honor to taste wines like this. Beautiful!
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11/8/2014 - canan wrote: 98 Points
KYD #1.Italy (Le Sommelier): A perfect bottle showing an impressive youthfulness.
Opens slowly in the glass exhibiting young fruit and an impressive structure.
Amazing stuff!
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8/1/2014 - fclarity wrote: 93 Points
from a nice bottle purchased near release, this wine had a deep yellow/gold color.
In the mouth, this wine showed lemon, apples, toffee, and some white soil. It had a nice mouth-feel.
This bottle was clearly at its peak so I see no reason to wait.
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4/3/2014 - Burgundy Al wrote: 95 Points
Eight (Not Angry) Men Drinking Great Wine (Paris Club - Chicago IL): From magnum. Good start to the evening. Lots of fresh and ripe apple with some Meyer lemon in middle, then lemon and lemon peel on finish. Still incredibly fresh. Very long and well textured. Still a baby.
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3/27/2014 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 96 Points
Wow. Flavor bursting out of the glass, fragrant, long finish out of magnum. Drank with Chris Gerber in the office and shared many glasses with others. Great.
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2/9/2014 - acidqueen wrote: 93 Points
drank 3 bottles at New Years. All good, consistent notes. Gold color, fine bubbles. Very rich, winey. Apples, brioche, typical old champagne flavors. good bite on the finish. Very good with food. Excellent.
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12/31/2013 - scarborough Likes this wine: 95 Points
Absolutely delicious although I would probably not wait much longer. Nice long finish, real flavor.
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12/22/2013 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 95 Points
Sushi with our daughter with Winston Churchill and Salon (Kai Zan Chicago): Delicious
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12/9/2013 - Paul S wrote: 95 Points
Romanée St. Vivant & Bonnes Mares Dinner (Otto Ristorante, Red Dot Museum): Absolutely superb – this was a great Champagne perched right at the peak of its drinking window. It had a beautiful nose of cream and broiche, caramel and salted butter tones, wreathed around lovely scents of red apples and melons and ripe lemons, and then more bassy notes of white meat and earth and higher toned florals drifting around it all to make a lovely bouquet. It was a complex and attractive nose, yet somehow so well integrated that it came across almost understated. I loved the palate too. The mousse had mellowed into the background, but it was beautifully balanced, poised and quite completely resolved into a wonderfully integrated whole, with deep, creamily textured, almost melting tones of sweet apples, kumquats and lemons wrapped around a core of fresh, gently mouthwatering acidity. This was power wed to grace, with the fleshy ripeness of the 1990 vintage clearly present, but harnessed to an impeccable balance and effortless elegance that made the wine almost deceptively easy to drink. Great finish too, super-long, with a little hint of minerality trailing behind sweet apples and shades of stone fruit. Beautiful stuff, almost as remarkable for its understated perfection as it was for its sheer deliciousness - I loved this.
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10/17/2013 - esburgundy Does not like this wine: 89 Points
This was a bit of a surprise, being a fan of this cuvee. The nose was loaded with raspberries, almost a kir royale-ish. The wine had nice acidity but the finish was quite short. Perhaps a bad bottle??
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9/5/2013 - Michael Likes this wine: 94 Points
strong apple scents. a bit super smooth and almost sweet finish. nice golden color. Showing some age but still vibrant. Very enjoyable
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8/30/2013 - pacificoast wrote: 98 Points
This wine shows what this prestige cuvee of Pol Roger is really all about in one of its best years. Absolutely superb, magnificently poised and balanced, sheer hedonistic pleasure to drink. Many years ahead of it, no sign of approaching being over the hill.
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5/17/2013 - drwine2001 wrote:
Two San Francisco Dinners with Charles; 5/17/2013-5/18/2013: Light golden. Caramel and citrus. Rich. Marvelous equipoise between incredible vigor for 23 year old Champagne and just the faintest notes of incipient maturity. One can't ask for a better Champagne experience. The wine of the night on a night with 3 great wines.
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5/12/2013 - Sheila62 wrote:
Sour milk nose with a loads of ripe yeasty notes on the palate. I enjoyed but the nose was bothersome
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3/4/2013 - BradE wrote:
From magnum. An absolutely gorgeous bottle. Perfect shape, showing great development.
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1/19/2013 - Blake Brown Likes this wine: 94 Points
lots of bread dough with fruit notes of apple, pear and especially orange amongst its citrus components delivered in a soft and creamy texture; full of power and finesse, a great partnership of yin and yang.
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8/9/2012 - Vinotas wrote:
This was popped and poured as it arrived, then left to sit in the fridge to breathe and unfold. Very slightly darkened color, so that was a nice sign. At first, the nose like the palate was shy and ungiving, but it teased us here and there with some almonds, some baking dough, some vanilla, some brioche and some cafe au lait. As it opened up, these aspects rose to their full splendor, showcased on an elegant and almost subtly confident frame, with a hint of sweetness (but not too much) and some nice acidity at the back, and a long long finish. This kept getting better and better, and we really had to fight to keep our hands off of it. The wine never seemed to be backing down, just improving more and more in the glass. I'm sure had I been able to hold back I'd have been rewarded, but I'm a sucker for hedonism so I probably downed this way too fast. This bottle must have been perfectly stored as there was no oxydation, barely any Sherry notes, just pure aged Sir Winny. Wow. Fantastic.
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6/16/2012 - canan wrote: 97 Points
KYD #1.3: The nose is quite intense with plenty of freshly baked bread but also hints of oxidation/sherry but not in a defective way. There is also a good amount of yeast and with time the nose changes to also include vanilla cookies.
Coffee is really dominating the palate initially but still with plenty of other complex notes. The sweetness is just perfect, not sweet and not completely dry.
The acidity is hiding a little bit but it is definitely there and there is a lot of juiciness from red apples.
It comes across as very fresh and still quite young in its profile. With time in the glass there is more sweetness coming through but the acidity also starts to pick up balancing the wine out very nicely.
A really "wide" tasting profile and also quite complex..
I simply adored this bottle and something I would love to taste again! 96-97p
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4/8/2012 - cfe wrote:
Stunning. Ethereal. This is Champagne I can enjoy. No other comes close for me.
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2/22/2012 - rnellans wrote: 94 Points
Beautiful nose...apples, brioche. Ripe. Great acidity...lovely.
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10/27/2011 - Argrath wrote: 94 Points
(Old note)
Utterly complex nose with some toasty notes, roasted bread and a very minerally ending - oyster shells. Elegance and power.
Great, full palate! Very fullish and harmonius. Toasty, roasted hazel nuts very good grip and a razor-sharp acidic finish. Very long. Perfect now, but can go on for some more years.
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8/28/2011 - wdrewett wrote:
Practically the definition of perfection in medium-bodied Champagne and perhaps my favorite traditional luxury label. This bottle had been very well stored, so the wine hadn't even acquired any real color, and while mature, showed no sign whatever of decline. A Goldilocks of a wine--not too little, not too big, just right. The offering of a generous friend for a birthday dinner
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7/1/2011 - jlgnml wrote: 95 Points
Pizza at home with Ridge Zin's and Pol Roger Winston Churchill (Our home): Crisp, lively, good nose, lots of bubbles
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6/5/2011 - Hodby wrote: 96 Points
Straw color, very strong effervescence. Nose of fresh baked bread, apple, almond paste, caramel and cooked oaks. Superbly full of apple and peach fruit and giving much complexity from secondary flavors as well (esp. toasted bread, pear, grains), this is an excellent champagne. No rush to drink but I suspect 750ml bottles will show an even more developed bottle age personality. From magnum, bottle #3 of six.
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4/4/2011 - markjanes wrote: 96 Points
This wine continues to be a true stunner if the bottle was stored appropriately... for me an extraordinary bottle of wine!
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2/6/2011 - darvid wrote: flawed
What's a few bottles among friends?: One of several 750s from the same source that appear to have been compromised in storage at some point. This vintage of Winston Churchill is spectacular when it's "on." Here, while mousse intensity (visually) and color were age-appropriate, the aromas were weaker and the flavor and texture lacked the depth and focus of the best examples. Became sweeter and broader with an hour's air. It's a testament to the magnificent baseline that we drained this bottle nonetheless.
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1/1/2011 - CMz wrote: 96 Points
Popped and poured @ 2010 New Year's celebration. Wow! Beautiful golden straw color with a rich nose of honey, nuts, toast & tangerine notes. Still big on the palate with honey, apples, toast, almonds, citrus, and these amazing caramel notes that were especially rich mid-palate. Surprisingly, this wine still seemed youthful although having worked my way through the larger part of a case I know it has matured a lot from that huge tight monster i first tasted on release. If you like the Churchill cuvee then this vintage is well worth searching out.
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12/31/2010 - wingc123 wrote:
Very sad to drink my last of this bottle. These last few bottles have been just beautiful. Showing some sherry, cookie to start and then some strange christmas cake flavours (which I suprisingly like as opposed to the real thing). No rush at all to drink, but such a lovely drink now.
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12/27/2010 - St Paul wrote: 95 Points
Blind tasting....and my guess was a Winston 1988...not had! Love this wine. I had it several times in the past and it is still performing....yummie
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12/24/2010 - Burgundy Al wrote: 95 Points
Great wine, completely opulent while still texturally exciting.
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11/14/2010 - dgerst wrote: 88 Points
Dark yellow color with fine bead. My first concern with this wine was the nose, which had a slight sherry aroma and smelled a little like ripe pineapple. Very thick viscous bubbly, quite full bodied, lacking in freshness and somewhat ponderous flavors of caramel, baked apple, and dark honey. This was much more advanced than the last bottle of this I had last year when it was spectacular. Definitely oxidizing and on the downslope, unless this was a bad bottle. Oh well.
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10/16/2010 - Shorepower wrote:
En av de viner som visar att 90 är en stor årgång. Tydlig syra som bådar för långt liv balanseras upp av frukt och fina aromer.Bra eftersmak. Om korrekt lagrat så kan det ligga många år till.
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10/5/2010 - rosesandthorns wrote: 95 Points
Nose was a little toasted brioche topped with almonds, harmonious and round. Texture was rich and creamy. Green and gold apple dipped in caramel, bright acidity . Incredible mouth feel and length. Drinking this is an unforgettable experience. Magic from the bottle and the festive evening and company all adds to the experience.
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9/17/2010 - Chateaunewf wrote: 94 Points
Good effervescence remaining with a nice pop upon opening. Classic small bead. Yellow straw colored and a very clean nose. No oxidation at all. Just a slight leesey yeast flavor of brioche. Excellent full fruit concentration of yellow apple with a remaining cripness that provides nice balance. Elegant but powerful with a Long finish. A really wonderful Champagne that is still remarkably youthful but at point for my sensibilities. Will last many years but is drinking perfectly right now.
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9/10/2010 - Beachrooster Likes this wine: 96 Points
Light golden straw. Extremely aromatic, could smell wine on table just sitting in glass. Aromas of almonds, honey, straw, yeast, and cream. Weight was excellent with a soft satisfying palate. This has always been one of my favorite Champagnes, because of its amazing balance. Long and elegant tannins on finish.
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8/17/2010 - Roberto_1 wrote: 95 Points
Great bottle. Soft, mature flavors but still a zesty lift.
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4/16/2010 - jlgnml wrote: 96 Points
David's 59th (Our Home): Awesome, toasty, full bubbles, good nose, great to start the evening.
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4/16/2010 - drwine2001 wrote:
Great Tasting Wines for a Great Tasting Menu (Saison, San Francisco): Medium yellow, gentle mousse remains. Toasty nose with a hint of caramel. Full, rich, moderate dosage. Not at all about fruit. Just on the cusp of turning into mature Champagne. Excellent but not as distinctive or exciting as the first bottle I had about 5 years ago, when the balance and tension were just great.
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1/23/2010 - jestes wrote: 98 Points
Wonderfully harmonious; perfectly in tune. Nosed out the 1990 Krug and a bit better than the 1990 Bollinger RD. We have had these three together perhaps 10 times and I would say the Pol Roger has shown best. The Krug is catching it however and plainly will last longer so the title may soon pass.
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12/10/2009 - bon vivant wrote:
Mature & smooth, rich & big there is a little hint of oxidation on the nose in the first few minutes and this bottle is more mature and advanced than the one we had last January. The wine keeps developing a richer and fruitier impression with time and peaks at about 30 minutes. At that point it is very impressive and shows it's true lineage. There is a good sense of chalky mineral that adds a nice dimension to the finish impressive powerful yet it never enters the over yeasty spectrum and maintains a wonderful elegance. An advanced bottle but still great juice.
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10/22/2009 - theusualsuspect wrote: 95 Points
The pinot noir content of the Cuvee Winston is up there with Bollinger if not beyond (as I think about it,Bollinger may have played a part in the development of the cuvee for the Winston). Honey, plummy, very rich and very long.
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10/10/2009 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
A hint of tca detracts a little from otherwise beautiful Champagne. Quite refined with a citrus fruit spine and a bakery full of patisserie products.
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9/24/2009 - markjanes wrote: 95 Points
Yellowish color with a touch of an orange brown hue... very aromatic on the nose with honey, brioche, dried citrus peel spices (I like the nougat comment below... like a Christmas fruit cake almost), and apple... way less oxidized than I would have guessed, in fact no sherry notes to speak of. On the palate dry with firm acidity... a very fine effervescence, no creaminess, and a very lush, ripe, yet fresh mouthfeel. The wine has great balance, 30-45 sec length, very good intensity, and great complexity. The wine has fantastic finesse and a very fine texture, pretty classic Champagne expression of place. I got the sense this is nearing peak maturity and will last there for a very long time. For me, easily "outstanding", bordering on "extraordinary" wine.
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8/5/2009 - Vino Me wrote: 94 Points
Raclette and Champagne (New Buffalo, Michigan): First time with the 1990 vintage. This was my favorite champagne of the weekend. Lively and complex. Better than the 1988 vintage that i had 6 years ago. White yellow color. Fine bead. The glass was filled with flavors of green apple skins and light citrus. Long finish. 94-95 points.
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5/28/2009 - theusualsuspect wrote: 95 Points
One day on under a sealing cap, just fine. Still enough bubbles to sustain it as champagne. Actually a stronger palate impression, but the pinot noir is once again in the lead. Less citrus, more honey and plums. Really a great bottle.
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5/27/2009 - theusualsuspect wrote: 95 Points
Quite gold in color, but plenty of life now and ahead. Mousse good given its age. Brioche on the nose with touches of honey and anise. Lemony across the palate with perhaps a touch of nougat. A succulent richness to the wine. Certainly in the optimum drinking window, but likely not at its peak. Plenty of acid still showing in this superbly balanced champagne. Rarely on the radar regarding champagne is the idea of what will it taste like in four hours, or tomorrow. But these older champagnes increasingly become less about bubbles and more about the underlying quality of the wine as wine. My thought is that this champagne will be a knockout with anything prepared with a white sauce.
I'm not sure that the 96 is as good as this.
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4/22/2009 - Cheryl wrote:
First Auction - Acker (New York, NY): Yes! Sweet and lovely, poured from a magnum.
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4/22/2009 - JJL wrote: 92 Points
Brought to Acker auction at Gilt - Drank from magnum, which may explain why it seemed a lot tighter and younger than others have noted. This was a very, very tight and dry Champagne, huge acidity, a little flat, although a nice mousse. There was pear and sour lemon, and even a little apple. I tend to like my Champagne a little warmer because I usually drink Rose or the more lush bruts, like Krug, but this one was much better colder. Wine improved with about 30 minutes of air time. This reminds me of the Bollinger Grand Annee. I shared with a lot people, most who know Champagne better then me, and they all commented how dry it was.
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3/11/2009 - wineismylife wrote: 93 Points
Oklahoma City Offline - 03/11/2009 (Can't really say...): WIML93
Tasted March 11, 2009 at an offline.
Opened and served immediately. Dark yellow color in the glass, clear hue throughout with fine and steady beading. Nose of brioche and yellow apples. Flavors of yellow apples, yellow pears and a dash of lemon on the medium to long finish. Later picked up some honey notes as well upon revisit. Medium acidity, medium to full body. Drink or hold. Just a hair behind my previous tasting but still quite a rock solid wine.
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2/21/2009 - pea wrote: 94 Points
An outstanding bottle! It combines in an absolutely irresistible way a full body with lots of nutty, toasty aromas with a smooth mousse and racy crispness. The man said: champagne shall be had cold, dry and gratis. This was cold and dry. Not gratis, but what is?
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1/1/2009 - KSC02 wrote: 94 Points
Festive light gold in color. Fine bead. Balanced aromas of bisquite, brioche and apple which carry through to the palate with just a touch of minerality. Intense and focused while being very elegant throughout. Long finish. This Champagne is all about elegance, balance and class. Gorgeous.
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12/19/2008 - Winetex wrote: 95 Points
An outstanding bottle of bubbly. It had very complex flavors of hazelnut, a touch of yeast, brioche and underlying apple. There was even a hint of raspberry (?) on the finish which I found fascinating. While this champagne had power it was also extremely precise with a long, memorable finish. Stunning with food.
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11/6/2008 - Spencer wrote: 95 Points
Still very young, but stunning. Drunk in a flight with '88 Krug and '90 DP Oenotheque, I preferred this to the Krug (by a hair). The Dom is drinking better now, but the Pol Roger has a brighter future.
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9/13/2008 - Squirreljam wrote:
Great stuff (there's a stretch, huh?) - Nose not overly expressive but notes of toasted nuts, hint of citrus and bread/yeast. On the palate, really fine and light mousse, laser of lemony acidity without any harsh tartness, exceptional balance and nice long finish. I don't drink a ton of vintage champagne, but I can't imagine this needing any time, as opposed to wanting to wait for secondary flavors to emerge.
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8/13/2008 - theusualsuspect wrote: 96 Points
This is a remarkable champagne. Stored at 53 degrees or less since release. Very heavy on the pinot noir. Figgy maybe plummy. Perhaps acacia. What makes this really work is the extract - exceptionally rich. Finishes very very long with a citrus dry note. If really well stored, this champagne has a very long life ahead of it. Based on this bottle, I would say it is clearly better than the 96. Maybe a toss up with the 88. But my favorite remains the 85.
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7/11/2008 - WetRock wrote: flawed
Prestige Cuvees at Woodland Hills Country Club (Woodland Hills Country Club): This appeared to be cooked. Sherried notes.
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6/4/2008 - dbkitc wrote: 98 Points
Absolutely stunning Champagne. Fresh, yet incredibly complex and long. A perfect marriage of yeastiness, citrus fruit and creamy, round character. I could drink this often. One of the best bottles of Champagne I have ever had. (98)
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5/27/2008 - Eric wrote:
Dinner with the M&S crew (Seattle, WA): A gorgeous bottle of bubbles. Biscuit and lemon curd. A hint of oxidation on the edge of this mature wine, but this is lacy, elegant and precise.
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4/11/2008 - dionysis wrote: 96 Points
Wonderful champagne and agree with others that this is at its peak -- extremely smooth and structured, with honey, lemon and biscuit flavors. An exemplary wine.
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4/11/2008 - cellarbrator wrote: 95 Points
A Celebration (Da Marco, Houston, Texas): I've had several pre-1996 vintage Champagnes that I've enjoyed, but I've felt they all were on the tired side. That was not the case with the Pol Roger. My first thought was how perfectly aged this wine was. It was intense and structured. Lots of yeasty bread dough, graham cracker and ripe, sweet apples. This feels like it's at its peak now.
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3/31/2008 - theusualsuspect wrote: 94 Points
Bit of anise on the note with a very fine mousse. On the palate almost chewy pinot noir. Wonderfully extracted. But as champagnes go almost severe. Dry rich fruit with a long dry rich finish. An apertif wine this isn't. My guess is that a Churchill will stand up to any wine or food you put on your table, especially rich food, than any other champagne hands down. In contrast to being an apertif champagne, this would easily fit into the middle of a rich meal as a wonderful sorbet. In my experience with Churchill's, this is almost a profile. They never it seems to me get as full or mouth filling as say a Bollinger R.D., but that isn't a flaw, it is just a different style.
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12/27/2007 - dbkitc wrote: 98 Points
Medium gold with lots of bubbles. Deep and wine-like. Gorgeous length and perfect balance. Layers and layers of flavor – stunning! (98)
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5/16/2007 - win wrote: 95 Points
Tasted at large dinner. Minimal notes. Crisp, complex and refined. 93-96
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5/16/2007 - wineismylife wrote: 94 Points
WIML94,NOWA,WS96
Tasted May 16, 2007 at an offline. Opened and served immediately in a Riedel Overture Champagne flute. Light yellow color in the glass, clear hue throughout with a light mousse. Nose of pear, apple and cookie dough. Flavors of apples, pears, citrus, some light cherry notes and some biscuit. Good acidity, medium bodied. Drink or hold.
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5/16/2007 - vintage61 wrote: 92 Points
Brought to an OL, popped and poured. Not sure. A wall of tannin hidding a little fruit. Either this wine is way too young or, possibly, it will never get up the hill. Will wait3 to 5 years before I open the last one.
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4/15/2007 - dbkitc wrote: 94 Points
Lovely bubbles – not quite the depth of ’90 Krug or Bollinger RD. Still, good winey character with a creamy texture and long finish. (94)
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1/13/2007 - cjstrunk wrote: 95 Points
Great bottle. Brought it to a tasting with 2 other couples. Openned up with strong biscuit and bread dough notes. Bold nose and bold on the palate. It developed and became more intriguing as the time passed. I will seek out another bottle of this champagne. This tete de cuvee seems to be off most people's radar, but is worth its weight in gold. From this bottle, I can say it will last many more years!
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12/13/2006 - Chuck Miller wrote: 94 Points
Another great mag. It's always a toss up between the 1990 and the 1988 Winnie for my favorite Champagne. I've decided it's whichever is in my glass at the moment.
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5/12/2006 - dbkitc wrote:
(no formal notes) deep golden color, lots of tiny bubbles. Incredible depth and complexity on the nose with a super initial attack. Falls a bit flat on the finish as I would like a bit more grip. Still, this is splitting hairs (17.5)
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1/22/2006 - Jester wrote: 97 Points
All I can say is WOW!!!!!! I brought this bottle to the Melting Pot and we drank it with the White Chocolate/Bailey's Irish Cream fondue dessert. I chose not to eat much chocolate, but simply ate strawberries and pineapple with this wonderful champagne. This was absolutely the freshest, most lively champagne that I have tasted in quite some time. I have not been a huge fan of Pol Roger. In fact, I was very disappointed by the 1996 Rose as it did not suit my style, but my mind has certainly been changed. At first the nose was a bit subdued, but then fine aromas of white peach, pecan, honey, and cucumber. The moment that it hits your palate, it almost shocks you with its amazing power and bright flavor. The only thing I can equate the taste to is the sound made when you crunch into a fresh piece of celery. In fact, the champagne has a flavor of rising dough, fresh celery, peaches, wet stone and a tangy zing reminiscent of green tomatoes. The bead has a coarse texture, not fine and silky like many other high and bubblies, but it matches perfectly with the powerfully bracing flavor. I am almost disappointed that I drank this bottle, as it was my only one, but it was so good that I have no regret. I will definitely be buying more very soon.
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10/28/2005 - jrufusj wrote:
Tokyo Tasting Group Round #2 -- 90/97 Sangiovese, plus Champagne and Dessert (Cuisine 219 Tokyo): I enjoy the challenge of writing notes on Champagne, as I find it more difficult to capture their essence than I do with most still wines. Occasionally, though, the dominant impression is of a great wine that just happens to have bubbles. This has a bit of honeying to the yellow in the glass and a mousse that is much broader and much less pointal in texture than the Salon. On the nose, it has a central core of apple fruit, with strong notes of nuts and a pastry element that develops with time. On the palate, it is deep and pleasantly hefty, but with the acid to keep it all structured and composed. There’s more of the apple fruit, along with some white stone fruit and plum, all wrapped in a hint of honeyed sweetness. On the finish, there’s a touch of wildflower, maybe some truffle, and a little more pastry. Again, this is big and structured and presents like a still wine, but has a sexiness and opulence that says Champagne. A nice counterpoint to the Salon, but I might have enjoyed a bit more freshness and bite – then again, I’m certainly not complaining. Thanks Steve.
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5/3/2003 - Burgundy Al wrote: 96 Points
Wine tasting. Starts with very clean, linear expression showing apple, some lemon peel and lots of minerality. Then this explodes in middle to end with blasts of ripe fruit plus hints of emerging bready and yeasty character. Long, eye popping finish.
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