Domaine Jacques Selosse

WINE TALK
1

Today several of my friends and I tasted at Domaine Jacques Selosse with Anselme Selosse.
It was a very nice visit. Now after the loss of over 3700 bottles a rare visit.
We were able to piggyback with a very nice man who owns and operates a one star Michelin restaurant out of Angers.

Anselme is a really interesting man. Very much like Jacques Lardiere in his descriptive language.
When I asked him if he was “biodynamique” he said it was too constricting to label him this way.
He prefers a tag more associated with natural processes and minimal intervention. He just lets nature take its course.

The wines we tasted were all magnificent.
Merci Anselme pour la visite.

2003 Domaine Jacques Selosse Blanc des Blancs

A nice nose of ripe apples and hazelnuts. Very full on the palate with a terrific precision. Lots of volume. An absolutely great wine.

Domaine Jacques Selosse Cuvee Initial (2006,2007 and 2004 cuvee)

The nose is a crystaline and mineral mist. The fruit is on the very white side and quite precise. Much less power here. Also slightly less complex. Fabulous finish.

2002 Domaine Jacques Selosse Blanc des Blancs

This had been open for a little while. The nose is loaded with apple notes. Very precise fruit that envelopes your sinuses. Extremely complex. Much like a Montrachet we had last night at dinner. The palate is so focused and loaded with minerals. The finish bursts in your cheeks and finishes long to the back of your tongue. The best Selosse I have ever tasted. Amazing!

Domaine Jacques Selosse Substance (newly disgorged)
The nose is complex and loaded with hints of sherry. Apple fruits abound and again envelope your sinuses. So sexy and so complex.
The palate is full and shows incredible complexity and length. Amazing wine!

1999 Domaine Jacques Selosse Blanc des Blancs

This nose is just crazy with complexity. Apples. A few hints of hazelnut. The palate is full and so complex. It doesn’t have the cut or balance of the 02 but this is also amazing.

Oloroso Sherry from Anselme Selosse
Chardonnay vinified and then fortified. Allowed to oxidize with a “flor” veil.

This is a sweet sherry that Anselme makes. Not many bottles. The wine is dark yellow. A crazy complex nose. The palate is deeply complex and shows sherry character but also the focus of the Grand Cru Chardonnay from which is was made. Crazy.

This is a brilliant man who is willing to take chances and prefers to allow the wines to speak for themselves as individuals and not house blends. My French is not so good and my friends as good as they are could not really keep up with his ideas but this was a fabulous visit.

Sante!

2

Don,

Wow, what a great tasting with such a unique individual. Thanks for the write-up. He must be reeling still from the loss of such a large quantity of bottles.

Have had one sampling of his wines many years ago - so very different than the mainstream.

Cheers,
Doug

3

A rare treat, thanks for your notes Don. That sherry sounds fascinating.

4

It wasn’t the ratafia you tried last?5

5

Awesome! - I’m going to his NY City tasting on Friday

Ignoring your tasting notes until after so they can’t influence me :slight_smile:
I’ve drank very few of his wines, shocking as a Champagne nut, but may try a couple more from my cellar beforehand if I can get home and not horribly jetlagged in time.

Now tasting at his place - that would be an even greater treat!

6

I think this is probably correct. I couldn’t read the bottle and his explanation was difficult.

7

Don, we are going to make a short detour to Champagne this fall, on our way to Burgundy. Where are you staying?

8

Sounds like great visit! Thanks for sharing your notes.

9

Don, thanks for the notes. The 1996 Selosse remains one of my top 10 champagnes of all time. The lady I was with at the time agreed. :wink:

10

Great report Don!! Agree on the '99 BdB - still have some bottles of this… Man, I’d love to sample that '02 at some point - at the same time as the Ruinart BdB, DP, etc…! CHEERS

11

My goodness that sounds great!

12

Hotel Avises-Selosse in Avise.

13

Thanks, they must be closed in October.

14

I stayed there briefly as well last year, would definitely recommend it. Thanks for the write up on the wines.

15

Don,
Many thanks for your notes and I’m very envious, I can’t think of many domaines I’d rather visit, or winemakers I’d rather have a conversation with.

Cheers,
-Robert

16

Don,

Great notes. Anselme is a fascinating host and any visit with him is a treat. While I haven’t stayed at his hotel, I’ve toured it and it seems wonderful plus I have only heard great things from those who have stayed. The restaurant is a can’t miss with spectacular food, an incredible wine list, and prices that are more than fair.

I think Selosse did a bang up job with the 2003 though supply is smaller than normal at only 2,300 bottles vs. 3,600 for the 2002 and 6,000 for the 1999. In other words, if you want some 2003 Selosse, ask for it and act now or you will miss it.

I also love the 2002 and was floored by it the first few times I had it, but my last bottle at the Domaine with Anselme was lacking IMO. He thought it was fine and showing well, but when he served it to me blind I thought it was an Initiale based on the early to mid 90s; seemed overly mature and on the downslope and not up. I know others who have also seen this variation which worries me a bit especially when the wines can cost so much. Overall, I often find Selosse to show more variability than average, but this usually doesn’t come out until the bottles have some age on them. The reports on the 2002 when young are a bit disconcerting. Still, when on, this wine is stellar and full of fruit.

For others who are looking to have a visit with Selosse, booking at the hotel is really the best way as you get priority for a visit and just calling him up if you aren’t a regular customer, know him, or have a connection through friends, makes it difficult.

17

Brad,

Anselme has a sign out front now that says he has no wine for sale and will not take any visits.
The day we went a one star chef From Angers was there to taste with us (a nice man) but another who came by was turned away.
The chef and his entourage ate dinner with us that night. GREAT restaurant btw at the hotel.

In many cases, the hotel might be the only way to get a visit.

Anselme told me that he was going to sell almost all the 03 through the restaurants in France. It is going to be a rarity.
We had two bottles of 02. One at the tasting and the other at dinner.
They were both stellar. He makes a riskier type of product of sort I would imagine at times. When it is on, it is really on. I can imagine it is like Nicolas Joly’s wines too. Sometimes you don’t catch it in the best humor.

Thanks for the insight here. Cheers.

18

Great notes Don. I have never visited, but certainly is on my bucket list!

19

Don,

Yeah, he has had the sign out front for years as it was at the old cellars too. When he really exploded in popularity in the mid-90s, the visits really began to pile up and then of course everyone wanted to buy some bottles (or a few pallets) too. If you stay at the hotel, you can ask about a visit and if it can be done, it will be; not all will be as thorough as it sounds yours was, but any chance to taste Selosse is a privilege.

Once Anselme gets the chance to know you and senses a similar passion, he will open up pretty much anything and a short tasting can become a long, fascinating visit. He really is a great guy, but as you said, getting a visit is not usually going to happen unless you stay at the hotel, already know him, or tag along someone; you certainly can’t just walk up and you usually can’t buy any wine at the cellar door either (unless you are picking up a regular order).

20

Brad,
Roughly how many years down the track do you see this variability after bottling. 5 years? 10 years?

I am not much into Champagne and have approximately two to three cases all up. But did buy some Selosse Initiale disgorged in March last year.

Thanks

Sanjay