My experience has been similar to yours Blake. I do like the '07, more so than any either Champagne I have from that vintage, except Comtes. The '09 has been a head scratcher for me.
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Forgot about these two from this past Sunday. Right after the auction closed in the garage, @Brian_Bohr comes tooling around with a mag of the LF BdB Brut Nature. This is what I think is the 4th year he has done this, right at 5pm. Like the past years, there he was with that big boy. And not 5 mins after Brian served me a big pour of the LF, here comes @R_del_Rosario with a mag of 2013 Vilmart GCdO. Fxxk! Ramon, I said, let me finish this and lucky there was enough of the Vilmart to drain myself a glass. Both wines were just kick ass. Two of my very favorite producers, from mag, on a great day. PS…if someone took a photo of Ramon with the Vilmart mag, send to me or post here. Would love to have that, too.
- 2013 Vilmart & Cie Champagne Premier Cru Grand Cellier d'Or - France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru (3/17/2025)
From mag, did not take notes. When I saw the bottle, I thought whoa, I haven't tried that in well over a year, wonder how it's showing. I know it didn't get much air, and that can have an impact on my perception, but my recall of the wine was classic Vilmart 2013: chalky, with acid and tangerine. Just gorgeous. Between this and the Laherte Freres BdB Brut Nature that was poured right before it, both wines were just fantastic. Right in the zone of what I want in my Champagnes. - NV Laherte Frères Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature - France, Champagne (3/17/2025)
From mag this past weekend, I got a tall pour of the December 2023 disgorgement--thank you, Brian Bohr. Didn't take notes as I was standing in my driveway when he poured it but I was really taken by how much that texture was jazzed up--polished, round and even creamy in tone. Just beautiful.
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Hey Barry. I have a stash of the 2006 and will open one next time we are at Cellar Masters. Cory gives it his seal of approval as well if you find a good deal. just buy us some!
FWIW, I’ve only opened about half a dozen bottles of Ruppert-Leroy and I thought they were all terrific. I haven’t had one yet that had anything detectable I’d describe as a flaw. I detected a wee bit of what I’d describe as earthiness in a pair of bottles that could possibly be very low levels of brett but I found no flaw in it. And I generally detest a lot of natural wines with overt microbiology experiments playing out in the bottle.
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Steve, I have never stopped to think about R-L as a type of producer. I just paused when you used the word ‘natural’ in your reply, which is a way of seeing R-L that had not resonated with me before. For me, I just see them as someone who I buy from, in a style that interests me and that I have enjoyed (for sure, I am attracted and resonate very strongly with their farming vision and philosophy).
Recently, when Lopa offered more of the 2019 Fosse-Grely, it was a great surprise, as I had found my only bottle of that which I opened last year to be really special, it hit me like few wines have. So to see more being sold, what a bonus! Hope you have tried it…if not, maybe you will get to. Below is my note, to help frame my reply better:
- 2019 Ruppert-Leroy Champagne Brut Nature Fosse-Grely - France, Champagne (3/3/2024)
WOW. I figured the CAPS would express my sentiment. I opened this today around 1230PM and then I just sipped on the bottle through the party we had for some friends, finishing it around 500PM. My last several small pours were at room temp, so about 68f. At that temp, this stuff was its best. 50/50 Pinot Noir/Chard. No dosage. Just a faint hint of peach color. Crushed apple, a light whiff of cinnamon early on that seemed to be fade away with air. Crunchy, mashed raspberry, then added cranberry and wet stone in the finish. I just could not stop drinking this wine, and let me just say this is the best bottle of bubbly I have had so far in 2024. My 2020s are on the way, still have 2015 and 2017 and now I need to go make sure I capture whatever 2019 is out there. And the best R-L bottling I have had to date, as well. Outstanding.
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Perhaps mine was a one-off. Whatever it was, it blew off before Frank tried It the second day for which I’m happy.
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Thanks for that Frank and as I notice I have a bottle of the 2019 Fosse-Grely showing in inventory I’ll have to try that next. I’ve only had the Papillon (multiple vintages) and the Jour de Vendages. I’ve got the Cognaux in inventory but haven’t tried one yet. I don’t know if R-L would describe themselves as natural wine makers and I’m not sure it matters to me. Ultimately I judge based on what’s in the bottle and I steer clear of producers with a track record of badly flawed wines. Based on what I’ve had from R-L so far they may very well be my favorite producer in the sub-$100 category.
It may be that their approach results in strong variability among bottles not to mention a taster’s individual tolerance and sensitivity. All those variable could make producers like R-L a spin of the roulette wheel.
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Taittinger 2012 Comte de Champagne and Vilmart 2016 Couer de Cuvee
With Indian food, opened the Comte first, an enjoyable bottle, quite sweet, food friendly, decent depth, balanced, ok finish.
Half way through the Comte opened up the Vilmart. Wow, what a contrast, such great structure, great acidity, beautiful tart fruit, long finish.
The Vilmart will definitely improve with some age, but even now it is quite good.
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Daniel, about the 2016 Vilmart Coeur de Cuvee that is great to hear. I’ve still yet to taste that wine, but I have 5 bottles on pre-arrival, and hope to have them soon so I can get into one.
Of note, I realize around here that the abbreviation of “CdC” can have two meanings: Comtes de Champagne (Taittinger) and Coeur de Cuvee (Vilmart). Ironically, in your post, you tasted both–so we have a CdC comparison, which I find funny! Just thought I would cite the irony of that…
Your description of the Vilmart CdC is spot on consistent with how I find that wine, with of course vintage variation, but your framing of that wine as ‘structure, acidity, tart fruit and long finish’…that is Vilmart CdC, my man. 
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A friend was visiting and knows me well enough to bring some Cédric Bouchard for post-hike treats.
2020 Cedric Bouchard VV
The nose is exuberant and fresh, loaded with tones of White peaches, white flowers, lemon meringue, red apples, quince, nectarines, vanilla bean, jasmine, and some pears. There is a real classy style to the nose that is enticing and attractive. The Medium bodied feel is fresh and poised with racy, high acidity that really persists. This is gorgeous now, but it’ll certainly improve with a few years of aging to let it properly round into full form. This is a real pretty, young Cedric Bouchard.
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Seemed like a good occasion to open a bottle of Champagne. One year anniversary of my ambulance ride to the hospital with heart attack symptoms. LAD coronary artery was 95% blocked and a stent was inserted. I actually feel healthier now, but grateful that it wasn’t worse.
The wine was like drinking a precious gem.
Cheers.
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Well done, Jim. Glad you are feeling better, and as much, grateful too. Enjoy that bottle and knowing you’re able to drink to today. 
Dehours Lieu Dit Brisefer - Reserve Perpetual - I believe this is the 2021 or 2022 disgorgement (it says it on back, I just forgot), with reserve wines back to 2013. Zero dosage old vine chardonnay. This used to have some dosage, if I recall correctly, but has whittled down to zero and I wish it hadn’t. My first bottle of this a few years back was really lovely. This was a bit tart with an odd nose that suggested lemon, apricot, ginger spice, and a hint of VA. Maybe an off bottle? A bit tart on the palate without the layered complexity I’d hoped for. Honestly this was a pretty disappointing pull. Based on prior bottles I’d expected a better wine than this. Bummer. I’ve liked this producer and I’ve a couple other Lieu Dits I’ll open in the next month or two.
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Egly-Ouriet VP Base 2016
Disgorged July 2024, 84 months, 1g/l
Another great rendition of VP. I like what I can only describe as the structure/texture of this wine. It has tart citrus fruit and green apple. Minerality and a touch of toasty wheat bread. And a long finish. I prefer this to the 2015 base.
Don’t know much about vintage 2016, but this and the Vilmart 2016 CdC from a few days ago have been pretty nice!
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Over the last few years, I have found that many of the Dehours perpetual reserve wines have gone too far and are now taken over by VA. The last time I tasted with Jerome Dehours, he really liked the character of the perpetual reserve wines in barrel, but I thought they were extremely VA affected. With the wines in bottle already showing more VA than I would like, this really worries me for the future of some of the range. It is also a lesson that a little Sulfur is not a bad thing. Once the barrels start turning, there is no going back; the only true solution is to dump the wine and start over.
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Our Champagne group got to meet last night since we have the good fortune of no one traveling. We could stop the spin of our busy lives and get together, which was great.
Rob picked Water Grill in Costa Mesa, and the service was excellent–I’ve yet to really go anywhere else where our server not only constantly get emptying our dump buckets, but went even the extra step of dumping out my spit cup when he was doing it. Amazing to see that kind of attention. The food, as always (to use an absolute here but it is accurate), was spot on. My organic chicken had a spicy sauce on it that made me stop tasting and nearly jump into my plate. Once I finished it, smiling, I then tasted the last flight of the wines to catch up to the group. In sum, no corkage is great, and although the food prices are higher at Water Grill, it’s just a wonderful place to dine where the quality of the food is on point.
Rob did a great job of curating, of getting some stuff in front of us (all served blind, as is our group’s custom), both with some producers we know (and @AstridKG guessed three of them with her palate brilliance), along with a few for example that I own but have not tasted in a while or at all. What a perk then to have this kind of producer breadth bagged and poured by Rob.
Some notes follow. A thanks to the group for keeping our fellowship going, for challenging our learning.
CHAMPAGNE BOOKCLUB (SERVED BLIND)--ROB - Water Grill in Costa Mesa (3/21/2025)
Rob did the curation. Everything served blind.
- 2018 Marguet Champagne Grand Cru Le Parc - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Tasted blind. March 2023 disgorgement. 100% Chard, no dosage. As a trivia point, this plot abuts the wall of Krug's Clos d'Ambonnay. I've climbed that fence before to take a photo of that plot, and Parc is just to the outside of the wall, lower part of the village. Anyway, second go with the 2018, and in part a few of the same people last time tasted the bottle with me, and this time as with the last the reactions were very similar. The aromas on this are clove, 5-spice, gingerbread and white pepper. These aromatics are strong and present--you can't miss them. The wine also shows a lightly gold hue, indicating something darker than I would guess for the age of the wine. Brassy palate, citrusy sour apple. I know a few people at the table liked the wine, and one guy took the bottle remnants home with him, which is validating that the wine's style may not turn some people off. I too don't mind it but I also don't want to drink much of it because of the wood signature and the way the palate shows. - 2018 Domaine Vincey Champagne Grand Cru Auge - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Tasted blind. October 2022 disgorgement, 100% Chardonnay, no dosage. I appreciate Rob putting this into the lineup, as I've got some of the 2019s that I have yet to open. In fact, no one at the table had tried Vincey yet so we all got some good info to ponder. Aromatically this smelled to me like pounded rock with some white floral. My initial notes said 'stainless steel style', indicative of a wine made in a clean, transparent expression. Apple and cherry, tangy strawberry. Fresh, grapefruit-like finish. Retasted again during the meal and the wine fully blooms out. Big amount of sliced green apple, kumquat, ginger. The edges have smoothed out and the wine broadens with a spicy note into the finish. I really enjoyed this and will be eager to start getting my 2019s open.
- 2016 Benoît Lahaye Champagne Violaine - France, Champagne
Tasted blind. My 4th bottle of this to date. 50/50 blend of Pinot Nor and Chardonnay, no dosage. The color here is a little more golden than I remember. Aroma of purple flower. Initially I perceived the wine as what I called 'palate grabbing', with a grippy structure, plus saline. I found some bruised, golden apple. This needed air, and once it received it, this wine was my WOTN. Intensity, what resonated as something grown in limestone, a soil impression that comes through the core of the wine for me. Crushed raspberry, blueberry, and saline, all of it just coats my palate. Such a pure wine, right in my wheelhouse for Champagne. Lahaye continues to strike me as a great winemaker and producer, and with the recent arrivals of the 2018s to my cellar, it's time to do some more exploring. I can see Lahaye joining the short list of producers who I buy across the range and as part of my foundation for great bottles. - NV Guillaume Sergent Champagne Premier Cru Le Chemin des Chappes - France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru
Tasted blind. Disgorged July 2020. Like the Benoit Lahaye Violaine we had in the same flight, this too is 50/50 Pinot Noir/Chardonnay. 1 gm of dosage. A critique of the wine is the tiny-ass print font of the labels. In a dinner restaurant with my old eyes, and even with my readers on, I can barely read any of it. Salty note with white pepper. The table mentioned strawberry and I agree with that as an accurate descriptor. I also found some older barrique seasoning the wine. Oranges, red fruits, peach, with excellent complexity. There is a green spice in the finish, what I mentioned to Ramon as cardamom, which is the only thing I could pin the flavor to. Whatever it is, the spice note is terrific. Love the chalky note here and overall, dig the wine. Have some of this in the cellar, and it continues to taste delicious, so like the Lahaye Violaine, this wine can go with that into your cellar should you like this kind of style. Great stuff.
- 2018 Marguet Champagne Grand Cru Ambonnay Rosé - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Tasted blind. Disgorged February 2023, with rough #s of 80% Chard and the rest Pinot Noir. No dosage. Like the 2018 Le Parc we also had during the meal, this bottle too has the clovey Marguet aromatic. Rose/peach color. Very spicy strawberry, pungent citrus, cinnamon stick, and a texture I enjoyed although it is kinda glossy. Red apple/strawberry hard candy. I liked this but again, there is wood here that comes through the wine so you have to enjoy that style. On par, the wood here works better than it did on the 2018 Le Parc. - 2018 Doyard Champagne Grand Cru Œil de Perdrix - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Tasted blind. 3 grams of dosage, didn't get the varietal composition--I think a mix of Chard and Pinot Noir. Plush and juicy, spicy red apple, and the flavors to me felt on the aggressive side. Spicy caramel red apple. I thought this was fine but not so much in my style preference. - 2012 Lamiable Champagne Grand Cru Cuvée Héliades Brut Millésime - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Tasted blind. 2 grams of dosage. Didn't get the varietal makeup on this--I recall mostly Chard with some Pinot Noir, but might be wrong. Chalky core initially, I wrote in my notes 'can taste the soil'. Seemed like a steely, intense wine. Later with air, overall polished and good balance, with a lot of pear fruit if you let it breathe.
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Really appreciate this note. I almost didn’t post my note because my prior experiences with Dehours had been quite positive. But the VA surprised me and I decided it was an appropriate post even if just caveat emptor. Glad to have your confirmation on that front (assuages some insecurity, lol) and that it’s not just me picking that up.
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Love Water Grill. Thanks for the notes!