You really crushed it.
Truely. I’m still thinking about that PP. It had some good quality or mystery that was beyond me. And the special club was just wowza.
How do the other vintages compare to that one? I was really enamored with '13.
I too am still feeling it… 
Yea, alas exuberance soundly defeated judgement here. I’ll bring one next time so we can be fair towards the winemaker.
Great stuff. AND I would point out that it is SIR Terry Pratchet, although I have never read anything that he wrote.
'09 Pierre Péters Les Chetillons (mag)
One of my favorites of the night lemon curd and laser-like, which is probably the minerals. Will be even better after another decade.
'19 Westborn Rosé
Brand new. They released this on Tuesday and Fedexed it to me for this event. This is a brand new project with Russel Bevan as the winemaker. Rebecca liked it more than I did. Although the dosage was the same as the Perpetual Reserve, this tasted sweeter and fruitier. A very nice bottling, just not to my personal taste.
NV Westborn Perpetual Reserve 01
I liked this much more than the Rose. I think Gavin must have had a chocolate croissant before drinking this. I got classic champagne flavors, nice acidity, lemon curd and a tiny bit of Brioche. IIRC, the ph is 3.0. nicely balanced with the sugar. Glad I have two more.
Laherte Frères Champagne Extra Brut Ultradition
Not a $200+ vintage champagne but excellent for the price. This is the kind of champagne that you can serve to your “civilian” friends who are used to drinking Veuve Cliquote Yellow Label and they will love it. Nice balance but not the level of complex flavors of a good vintage bubbly.
NV Laherte Frères Champagne Rosé de Meunier Extra Brut ('23 disgorge)
Not a big fan. Just OK.
Christophe Mignon Champagne ADN de Meunier Rose de Saignee Extra Brut
Feh! I like fruit in my red wine, but not this much in my champagne.
'06 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut
Excellent. I love this champagne and have a few in my cellar. I am a nutty, brioche lover and this was it.
'12 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut
Do not remember.
'04 Pol Roger Champagne Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill
Excellent. I preferred the '06, but since I brought the '06, I am probably biased.
2006 Pol Roger Champagne Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill
I bought a case of this and I have about 6 left. Yeah!! I love this. More acid? Maybe a tiny bit, but I think the balance is excellent, with lemon curd as the acid flavor.
'02 Billecart-Salmon Champagne Cuvée Nicolas François
Do not recall. May not have tasted.
'08 Billecart-Salmon Champagne Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon
I really likes this. I agree that it had laser-like acidity. I generally find the Billecart-Salmon to be in the middle of the pack, but this stood out. Lots of citrus.
'12 Charles Heidsieck Champagne Brut Millésimé
Do not recall.
'95 Charles Heidsieck Champagne Blanc des Millénaires
I enjoyed this a lot. Different from the others, probably due to age, but I have always liked the 1995s. I know it is heresy, but I enjoy the 1995s more than the 1996s when served side by side.
'08 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut
Excellent. Delicate, smooth, could drink a bottle of this.
2016 Juvé y Camps Cava Gran Juvé & Camps Gran Reserva Brut
DNPIM.
NV Maître de Chai Sparkling Chenin Blanc Wilson Vineyard
Toss.
NV Jacques Selosse Substance
I thought this was good. reasonable balance, but somewhat ordinary.
NV Scharffenberger Brut Excellence
Did not taste.
NV Bérêche et Fils Champagne Brut Réserve (Disgorge '24
I agree with Gavin. This was notable and perhaps the best of the “regular” NV bottlings. A bit more hedonistic with the slightly higher dosage, but balanced with the acidity.
'13 Marc Hébrart Champagne Grand Cru Rive Gauche / Rive Droite Extra Brut
I tasted this but do not recall, so it was probably middle of the road.
'13 Marc Hébrart Champagne Premier Cru Special Club
Do not recall.
'00 Pommery Champagne Cuvée Louise Brut Rosé
Enjoyed this. I am a brioche fan and this delivered, with lemon curd.
2012 Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut
Obviously not a French champagne. Got that right away. This is apparently 100% chardonnay, which was a surprise. I though this was made from another grape I could not pinpoint.
NV Vadio Bairrada Perpetuum (Disgorge '22)
Drank blind. Obviously not “normal” champagne. I recognized it but thought it was from someplace like South Africa. It turns out that we had a Bairrada bubbly starter at a GREAT restaurant in Coimbra, Portugal where got the wine pairing of local wines. This tastes nothing like French Champagne. It has all sorts of nutty and citrus flavors. Made from Baga, Bical and Cerceal Branco. Add three more to my list of grapes I have tasted.
In Coimbra is was served with an appetizer of chopped fresh oysters and was a great pairing. I do not know who brought this but I would like to know where they got it. This is something that you can use to stump your friends and enjoy with fresh seafood.
'06 Philipponnat Le Leon
Do not recall.
'13 Vilmart & Cie Ratafia Chardonnay
Did not taste
'23 Walter Scott Le Combe Verte
Did not taste.
1990 Bodegas Toro Albala Don PX Selección
We had to leave to catch a train so we did not taste this. I have great affection for Toro Albala PX and have tasted it back to Soleras from the 1940s. I have not had the 1990 but if it is like the others, it is excellent. Seek it out!
I really enjoyed your notes on this, and those of others who’ve posted them. It was fun to check the pick before reading the notes and to see the incredibly broad swathe of bottles contributed to the event. It’s unusual to see Sharffenberger and Selosse in the same tasting, to say the least.
This specific Hebrart was one I’d not ever had until this 2013 vintage and it was probably my top fun surprise of the year a year or two ago. Really excellent bottle of champagne. It’s cracking me up that no one has a note on the 2002 BS Nicholas Francois, because dead blind I’d have guessed that would finish in the top few wines based on the lineup.
As for the Selosse, Substance is a pretty polarizing wine. At its finest, it shows a phenomenal richness and a strange dichotomy of aged oxidative richness and fresh juicy acid. It’s one of the first showstopper champagnes I’d ever had. One that made me just get lost in a glass with no regard for the other brilliant reds I had pours of in front of me. It’s one the catalysts for my love of champagne. And frankly it’s not really my style anymore. Some bottles are great, some are kinda meh, and sometimes I want more brightness. I’m not really surprised there was a yay and a nay in your camp!
Cheers
Not much to add to Gavin’s and Jay’s excellent notes other than to say I enjoyed the Selosse more than it’s getting credit for here. I found a level of complexity that surpassed pretty much everything else of the evening (particularly the Cristal, which was a bit too subtle for my taste).
And yeah, Les Chetillons was amazing. As was the Pommery cuvee Louise IMO. Oh and my sherry experience is limited but the PX was the best I’ve ever had.
I’m also among those really enjoyed the Selosse Substance that evening, and at the same time could totally see it would not be everyone’s cup of tea. To me it felt like a reductive white burgundy had somehow morphed into champagne in its golden years… Certainly the most memorable wine of the night, but I hesitate to say the best - it was just different, a sui generis beverage.
Other wines of note for me -
'08 Cristal: This was the polar opposite of the Substance. Pure, focused, immaculately executed in a very orthodox style.
'12 Taittinger CdC: A little demure on the nose now but there’s superior stuff lurking underneath to be unleashed a few years down the road. The comparison with the '06 was illustrative. Glad I have a few of these.
'00 Pommery Cuvee Louise Rose: A voluptuous, generous kind of rose, I don’t think I’ve had many in this style but really fun to spend time with. A little bit of earth/mushroom note that I found intriguing.
NV Westborn Perpetual Reserve 01: Discovered thanks to Jay. Electric energy, some quirkiness hard to describe that reminds me of some grower champagnes. Curious how the solera will evolve as more vintages get added in, I bet it will be quite interesting.
And, of course, thanks again to Gavin & Nicole for being such wonderful hosts as usual.
Reductive? Isnt Selosse extremely oxidative in style?
Thanks, Warren. Let’s have you out for the next one!
The scale was a question in my mind. In the past we’ve kept it a little smaller. Clearly there was an embarrassment of riches here and some wines go lost (which makes one sad). On the other hand, being able to taste this breadth is super educational. I considered breaking it into 2 events this year, but I could not make time to figure out that plan or execute it.
Good point, reductive isn’t the right term because Selosse is in an oxidative style. But you know how reductive white burgundies have this smoky lit match note, it’s that I’m referring to.
I wonder if its the extensive oak you are describing?
My guess would be that the oak treatment has at least something to do with this character, but then I don’t know if other champagne houses are able to replicate by simply throwing more oak at their wines? And it was rich but not ponderous (for me at least). Perhaps someone more knowledgeable than myself can provide more insight.
The lack of note on the BS is killing me. I was so excited to get a couple check ins on this and… nothing.
Also critcaly lost… did anyone get a picture of @nbri_zuela’s blind bag? If not, Noel, can you provide? This was a major revelation.
@K_John_Joseph / @Max_S1 - I’m also dying a bit. Strangely, I only ever come across the top BS bottlings in larger tasting like this. I have to admit, it eludes me every time. Am I just unlucky or do these need more time/attention?
@Warren_Taranow and I have a very high opinion of the Billecart Salmon bruisers. I think the 2002 Nicky is exceptionally complex, and slots stylistically in between rich and oxidative like Bollinger or Krug and reductive and creamy like Dom. It’s kind of got a bit of everything.
I think the 2012 Elizabeth Salmon is a very nice Rose, though I’ve only had it once. The 2008 is among the best rose champagnes I’ve ever had, so maybe worth seeking that wine out. It’s a fraction of the price of 2008 Cristal or Dom rose, and it’s really a work class wine.
Wow. Look at all those bottles. Look at all those happy people! Marvelous notes and a beautiful sight, Gavin. Thanks to Jay and others as well for their thoughts. 06 Comtes always a fave of mine. Great to see Bereche and Hebrart performing relatively well. First time I think I’ve seen “delicate” and 08 Cristal in the same breath
Fried chicken is, of course, the always-classic match. KFC though? For shame! Where’s the Korean fried chicken competitor 
Congrats to all participants and great, great read. Happy upcoming holidays to all.
Mike
Yes! The 2008 Elisabeth was stunning, and the '09 was beautiful the last time I tried it. Even the 2007 surprised me with how well it was showing, especially considering the vintage. Don’t forget the Cuvée Louis vintage BdB’s! The more I explore this Champagne house, the more I’m impressed by their wines.
+1 re the 08 BS ES. My clear wotn in our recent 08 rose tasting where we had all the top ones produced.
Context is everything, the more and more I drink I am realizing this. That is a really tough lineup to taste a Selosee Substance in. One of my all time favorite wines and with the right food pairing it can be otherworldly.
Nice to see some German wines in there although those wines would not be what I would use to illustrate the greatness of German sparkling wines. Check out Raumland, Aufricht, Keller, and for something a little on the natural side Melsheimer.
Haven’t had the 09, but the 07 was amazing and the 08 is otherworldly. Love their top of the line wines.
Anyone ever had the Clos Saint Hilaire? Seems a pretty steep jump up in price compared to the others, but… having stood in the vineyard, I am tempted.
Agreed across the line. The ‘12 Louis BdB is tied for my COTY with ‘96 Comtes. Better than any Krug I’ve had this year, which is generally my favorite house. My first time having it and it was a wow wine.
