Really good for someone who drinks mostly cab.
7 Likes
Jim,
For enjoyment right now, I would go:
- 2012 DP
- 2013 Cristal
- 2008 Cristal
3 Likes
BYOB dinner this was mine. Magnum 2008 Philipponat Clos des Goisses. Have to say I was slightly underwhelmed. Started off very tight and closed but improved over time.
Green apple, a tad toasted brioche, pretty mineral. Think one of the only CdG that’s Chardonnay heavy at 55% with only 45% Pinot Noir.
Nice and good but not wow. I think maybe unfair and will take more years to come
4 Likes
I agree with Nick on all points.
Extracted from a thread just posted: Another stellar dinner with my sweetie to celebrate her with 2006 Cristal and 1997 Williams Selyem Precious Mountain Pinot Noir
2006 LOUIS ROEDERER CRISTAL BRUT- 55% Pinot Noir, 45% Chardonnay; dosage near 9 gpl; 20% of the wine was aged in oak; no ML; this vintage has matured into one of the finest of all of the more recent Cristals since 1996 IMHO and it still has a long way to go before reaching its apogee; the color was a rich yellow gold and the nose offered ginger and spice infused citrus fruit with lemon and lime most evident; the taste had more of the same and eventually, some delicious yellow apple joined in; it had an amazing mouthfeel with its oily, viscous texture that had some weight that was immediately noticeable and appreciated; this was simply outstanding in every way; it had class and elegance, sophistication, charm and reeked of royalty; it had super inviting aromas, an amazingly delicious taste profile and finished with everything coming together for a grand, climatic finish; we just marveled throughout the evening after each sip and I found myself rationing smaller sips to lengthen the near nirvanic experience once again.
Cheers,
Blake
6 Likes
2023 Roses de Jeanne VV (Cote de Val Vilaine)
So vibrant, citrus of course but it’s got the cutting zing of citrus zest with some nice honeysuckle qualities. The nose is so creamy. I keep picturing an eclair in my head and lots of lemon curd. On the palate it’s a seamless continuation of the nose. Incredible texture - velvety, fluffy with lovely acidity and a floral dryness on the finish. I love how the texture evolves as the effervescence fades. So elegant.
I know Cedric Bouchard despises oxidation, but I can’t help feel there’s some kinship with the creaminess displayed here and what I would typically call a very subtle oxidative style (Bérèche immediately comes to my mind in relation to this bottle, albeit this is playing in a very different stylistic sandbox overall). Is this bottle advanced a very slight whisper? Not sure, first bottle of this wine, but I wouldn’t bet a dollar that’s the case. Is my sense of this quality leading me to use “oxidative” incorrectly? Possibly, much more likely! Is it delicious? Ohhh yea!
5 Likes
I absolutely loved this. 100% reserve wines aged for four years on the lees. It’s toasty with a lovely toffee like richness complimenting peach and apple pie notes, which is a perfect foil for the smokey, mineral inflected acid snap driving the resonant finish. Complexity and breadth without weight. This is the best Champagne I have opened in 2026. I just wish there was a little more transparency about the composition of the reserve wines.
7 Likes
I, too, get a creaminess in CB wines. I’m down to my last 9 or 10 bottles and I’m priced out these days. 
3 Likes
Had the '22 a few weeks ago and understand where you’re coming from with the creaminess. I perceived it more as a form of purity but I think it was because the texture really cut through the bubbles. The elegance of it combined with the purity was, for me, a rare encounter in Champagne.
2 Likes
Really special wine here. For whatever reason my shop’s allocation has not been spoken for and I’m strongly considering adding to the stash that I placed my initial bet on. Bet won, I think…looking forward to experiencing the other bottles in the range.
I always thought Bouchard’s use of malo or partial malo, in conjunction with lovely fruit and champagne bottle at meaningfully lower pressure gave the impression of creaminess without that vibrant aggressive bead even when young.
1 Like
Scott,
Agreed that it would be nice if reserve wine information was easier to find for the Heritage. I hope Laurent-Perrier comes up with an easy way to follow releases - be it better label information or an ‘iteration’ labeling. For this first release, the blend is approximately:
- 20% 2014
- 20% 2016
- 30% 2018
- 30% 2019
5 Likes
Evly-Ouriet Grand Cru 2020 base was just fantastic a couple of weeks ago. Probably my faavorite Champagne of the past year.
10 Likes
also posted in pizza and wine, but this was my first experience with ulysse collin, and a (disappointingly) good one. 15 base, 36mo, dg 5/19, this had time in bottle to integrate and it really showed (i think). Note from CT below, only thing I might not capture is there was definitely some quince in there as well.
- NV Ulysse Collin Champagne Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut Les Pierrières - France, Champagne (8/16/2026)
Dominant lemon verging on preserved, hint of chamomile, strong saline and complex mineral finish. Aware of the yeasty notes but nothing overpowering or overtly brioche, this was great. Secretly disappointed to get the hype.
Base 15, dg 3/19 (93 points)
Posted from CellarTracker
One thing of note that I haven’t seen much discussion of, is how long vin clair are aged. Based on my bad math, it would seem that harvest was fall 15, and bottling for second fermentation was may 16, to hit the 36mo on the label for disgorgement in 05/19. Not that 6-7 months of vin clair aging is that much time, but how does that compare to other producers and ‘traditional’ practices? It’s not uncommon to age still wine before bottling, but is there a limit to how short or long you can age still wine before turning it into sparkling?
4 Likes
Have a bottle of this but the 48-month version, do you think it can improve?
This is 60% reserve entirely from 2014, which would have spent 7 months in old Burg barrels (like the 2015 base) + 12 months in foudres.
Legally, the lower bound for second fermentation is Jan 1st after harvest. I believe one can age vin clair to no upper limit, but risks losing the fresh primary-ness and acidity needed to balance out lees aging.
Extended vin clair (in oak) aging adds weight, concentration, and complexity compared to shorter aging (in steel). Places which do the standard 3–4 months are probably relying on the bottle lees aging much more to do the heavy lifting and or are deliberately going for a reductive pure style ie. Pierre Gimonnet.
Not great with shrimp scampi but brilliant with a ribeye! Learn something new every day. It has some tropical fruits and lemon good acidity and a touch creamy in a good way.
7 Likes
This makes me so happy. Is the R20 truly ready for current consumption or is enjoyment mostly about its potential for improvement?
Either way, it sounds like if I have a few bottles, I should open one soon. 
I like Champagne in it’s youth, when there’s energy and freshness. This was delicious, just lovely balance.
3 Likes
As do I.
1 Like
Have you found a price better than the $115 I paid at Total Wine?