- 1999 Deutz Champagne Cuvée William Deutz An exceptional showing for this 25-year-old champagne. Full-bodied and structured, elegant and complex. The Pinot Noir portion of the blend takes center stage, with vibrant red fruits, brioche, and subtle roasted coffee beans. The bead is fine and persistent, with more acidity than typical for the vintage. It shows beautifully now, but this bottle seemed able to last several more years.
11 Likes
I’ve been slacking posting on here. I feel like I’ve said that every time I’ve posted for the last few months, but life happens.
Some of these are way back and I didn’t take notes so it’ll be memory.
Fourny & Fils BdB Brut Nature
Crisp, linear nice autolytic notes. Not familiar with the producer but was happy to have it with sushi.
NYE Wines:
Lanson Black Label
Use of reserve wines, I think 30% gives this a bit extra complexity. Happy to drink as an aperitif with caviar.
Then…
2002 Dom Ruinart
Took some time to open up and by some time I mean 3 hours could probably even take more. Was still fairly youthful. Still had the power that I enjoy from this high-fruit toned BdB wines. Touch of almond nuttiness and honey when it opened up. I’d still give some time before opening if I had any.
Selosse Initial 10/2023 disgorgement
First time having Selosse. I’m get it. You get all the complexity and benefits of aging a wine, without actually having to age it. Tropical and exotic fruits, nutty, great acidity wonderful nose. Fun experience. 02 Billecart NF in November still took my Champagne of the year though.
My favorite band on vinyl + Etienne Calsac is a perfect place to be on a wintery Saturday.
I’ve enjoyed every bottle of Calsac L’échappée Belle I’ve had so far. I think this is #3 and all from 2024 disgorgement. There’s an exotic fruit + ginger spice/herbal note on the nose that grabs me every time. Then the palate is clean, acid driven with that ginger note. Doesn’t get much better at this price point for me.
8 Likes
Thanks for the great notes, Kevin. I opened an ‘02 about a year ago, and it might have been my wine of the year. At the time, I thought it was at its peak, though I didn’t feel it was in any danger of fading for several years. Usually, when people describe a champagne as “in the groove,” I’m the odd one out. I enjoy freshness, but I truly love the mature characteristics in champagne. I’m glad your bottle showed well. This might be the first time I’ve heard someone say a champagne needs more time when I thought it was already ready.
I was already planning to open another in the near future. I’ll see if it matches yours or my previous experience.
Cheers
Warren
3 Likes
It was shut down early on enough to the point that we opened the Selosse ahead of schedule in the night.
1 Like
That 2013 Whistling Ridge is one of the greatest wines i’ve had to date. I got notes of fallen leaves, earth, ginger/spice, and cranberries.
The only other time I’d experienced those flavors/scents together was at a fishing cabin my dad and I would visit each fall. We’d get up early, walk a trail flanked by cedar trees and dig for worms before going out on the water. We’d come back to the cabin, light a fire, and snack on gingersnap cookies.
This wine was served to me ~15 years later as the capstone to a pinot tasting. One sniff and those memories hit me like a truck (think Anton Ego from Ratatouille). I’ve got two more bottles earmarked for 2028 and 2033. Really excited to see how it evolves.
3 Likes
First time with this producer. Tons of bruised apples, brioche, full bodied, decent acidity, citrus mineral finish. A little big for my taste though.
5 Likes
Charles Dufour Champagne Bulles de Comptoir #12 Cache dans L’Evidence - delicious wine, so gulpable and friendly yet quite interesting. Wish I bought more.
7 Likes
Did you mean to post ,this to the good fellow/matello,thread?
I it’s in the 2nd picture Kevin posted above. To be fair, it’s not particularly relevant to champagne.
Made some Gougeres with extra-aged Gouda (5 years) and had a Champagne from Pierre Gerbais. We always enjoy Champagne with Gougeres, but this was a 1+1=3 match. Both the Gougeres and the Champagne were good but markedly better together. Have to do this again!
8 Likes
5-year aged Gouda is one of my favorite cheeses, was a revelation when we had it in Amsterdam. Reypenaer?
Yep
1 Like
Had been a while since I opened any Vilmart. For me, this producer consistently bangs out some of the best stuff I can drink from Champagne. And I have liked the 2016 for some time, I think this is my sixth bottle since release, and this one is just a banger.
We opened it yesterday after a brisk walk with the dog around Balboa Island, in what is supposed to be winter here, but it’s been anything but that, with winds, dry weather for months, and the tragedy of this week. Amidst it all a few of our wine friends, mainly in Altadena, seem to be hanging on and their homes made it (for now, as one guy cannot even get to see his home but got close enough a few days ago to know it is still standing).
Hang in there everyone. We’re thinking about you, especially our wine friends who are sorting out the week and trying to move ahead.
- 2016 Vilmart & Cie Champagne Premier Cru Grand Cellier d'Or - France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru (1/11/2025)
Disgorged July 2020, the usual 80/20 Chard/Pinot Noir. On the first day open, this bottle was like an oscillation of flavor and texture. Out of the chute, bright lemon, perhaps as it was too cold and yet the lemon was vivid. When it cooled off, some pineapple, then browned butter, then lime zest, then tangerine, then finally on the very last sip before I capped it off to save the rest for tomorrow, the emergence of fresh cut green apple. As I told my wife who was sharing the bottle with me, this is kinda the journey really good wines go on. Saved the last glass or so for the following day, this seems pretty stable now in flavor. The concentration on this is impressive, the texture beautiful. Pineapple, green apple, browned butter, lime custard and bright acid. Stacked with flavor and sexiness that is delicious. Man, after the bottle of 2019 Sandrin Le Bruyant earlier this week that was pretty stunning, it's followed by this bottle, which kinda rings the same bell. Vilmart, the smile maker!
Posted from CellarTracker
8 Likes
Ah, got it
I reread all the text before posting but didn’t think to double check the photos 
My son and I drank this tonight. When my wife and I packed up to evacuate, I left this in our refrigerator. Put it in a an ice-filled cooler today along with a few other things (no power) and it was delicious with takeout pizza. We aren’t out of the woods with more howling wind on the way, but today was a good day.
21 Likes
All the best to you, Mark. Hang in there. 
1 Like
Grains de Celles is a great value!
1 Like
Pretty lady. Love you guys
1 Like
Wonderful smile, fantastic wine, great photo, and a thoughtful note. I’m a big fan of Vilmart and have been leaning more towards purchasing the GCd’O over the CdC lately, though I still make an effort to grab both when I can.
Cheers!
Krug 168 shone beautifully in the half-bottle format. It is so powerful yet effortlessly elegant. Notes of yeasty ginger, apricot, and jasmine. It is a brilliant rendition of the GC. This is my favorite wine in half-bottle format, giving me a preview of what’s to come in my larger bottles. This was the best half bottle of Krug I’ve ever opened.
6 Likes