#.1 In Context - The NV Cuvee Champagne Guide
Unveiling the Pinnacle of Champagnes: A Journey Through the World’s Finest Bubbles
Lamont’s Cottesloe recently held the Champagne Weekend Extravaganza hosted by Tyson Stelzer with the launch of his new Champagne Guide, what be came evident while trying so many Champagnes side by side is that context is king.
With so many Champagnes to choose from, and all being fantastic in their own right, creates a problem for the customer…
How does someone know which Champagne is for them?
We’ve split the Champagnes of the weekend onto two pages
NV Cuvee Champagnes / Exceptional Vintage & Signature Rose Champagnes
On the page below are the NV Cuvee Champagnes tasted over the different events of the weekend. with the prices, critic scores, points, and reviews for each Champagne.
Please use the buttons below to explore the page on the Exceptional Vintage & Signature Rose Champagnes!
We hope they serve as a guide for anyone looking for “their” Champagne.
The Summary
Charles Heidsieck Rosé NV
Our Price: $182
94 Points Alison Napjus
93 Points Tyson Stelzer
93 Points James Suckling
92 Points Roger Voss
Summary: This Rosé is a beautiful blend of yellow peach, strawberry, and biscuit flavors. It’s balanced and fresh, with a touch of minerality that makes it perfect for pairing with a variety of dishes.
Egly-Ouriet Extra-Brut Grand Cru NV
Our Price: $300
97 Points James Halliday, Australian Wine Companion
95 Points Tyson Stelzer, The Champagne Guide
97 Points Huon Hooke
18/20 Points Jancis Robinson
94 Points Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com
Summary: it’s a rich and powerful champagne that still manages to be elegant and refined. Think baked apple and citrus flavors with a touch of spice. It’s aged for over four years on lees, which gives it a fantastic depth and complexity. With its low dosage, it offers a beautifully balanced taste. Perfect for those who enjoy a high-quality champagne that’s both luxurious and pure. Ideal for celebrations or a special evening at home.
Krug Grand Cuvée 171ème NV
Our Price: $442
99 Points James Suckling
96 Points Alison Napjus
95 Points Tyson Stelzer
95 Points Tom Hewson
95 Points Antonio Galloni
94 Points Yohan Castaing
18 Points Jancis Robinson
Summary: Krug Grand Cuvée 171ème is a blend of multiple vintages, offering flavors of ginger, orange zest, and crème brûlée. It’s rich and flavorful, with a long finish that makes it truly special.
Laherte Frères Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature NV
Our Price: $109
93 Points Peter Moser
91 Points William Kelley
Summary: This Blanc de Blancs is crisp and refreshing with notes of mango and fresh apple. It’s got a tight, lively finish with a hint of saltiness, making it a great food companion.
Louis Roederer NV Collection 244
Our Price: $105
95 Points Tyson Stelzer
94 Points Stuart Piggot
93 Points Alison Napjus
92+ Points William Kelley
Summary: Collection 244 is a wonderfully balanced champagne with flavors of ripe pear, white cherry, and almond skin. It’s elegant and seamless, perfect for any celebration.
Piper Heidsieck Brut NV
Our Price: $67
91 Points Peter Moser
90 Points Roger Voss
Summary: Piper Heidsieck Brut NV is balanced with flavors of white fruits and a hint of tropical notes. It’s refreshing and versatile, making it a great choice for an aperitif.
Pol Roger Brut Réserve NV
Our Price: $99
94 Points Tyson Stelzer
92 Points William Kelley
92 Points James Suckling
92 Points Alison Napjus
92 Points Roger Voss
17 Points Richard Hemming
Summary: Pol Roger’s ‘White Foil’ is a refreshing and lively champagne with citrus, apple, and pear flavors. It’s elegant and pure, perfect for any occasion.
Pommery Brut NV
Our Price: $73
90 Points Peter Moser
90 Points Roger Voss
Summary: Pommery Brut NV is easy-drinking with flavors of ripe yellow apple, honey, and mango. It’s uncomplicated and perfect for a relaxed evening with friends.
Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut NV
Our Price: $89
92 Points Tyson Stelzer
Summary: Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label is a classic with flavors of red apple, strawberry, and raspberry. It’s vibrant and fresh, making it a favorite for many occasions.
Billecart-Salmon Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Brut NV
Our Price: $199
95 Points Tyson Stelzer
95 Points James Suckling
93 Points William Kelley
91 Points Alison Napjus
Summary: This Blanc de Blancs is a real treat with its fresh pear, apple, and citrus flavors. You'll notice hints of wild honey and toasted brioche, making it both rich and refreshing. It's perfect for any celebration.
Billecart-Salmon Brut Réserve NV
Our Price: $95
95 Points Tyson Stelzer
95 Points Michael Edwards
92 Points James Suckling
91 Points Yohan Castaing
Summary: The Brut Réserve is a delightful bubbly that combines fresh red apple and wild strawberry flavors. It’s elegant with just the right touch of toastiness, making it a fantastic choice for an aperitif or a casual get-together.
Billecart-Salmon Rosé NV
Our Price: $199
93 Points James Suckling
92 Points Roger Voss
92 Points William Kelley
Summary: This Rosé is charming with its lovely pink color and notes of strawberries and apples. It’s dry, fresh, and has a clean finish, perfect for those who enjoy a stylish and crisp champagne.
Bollinger Rosé NV
Our Price: $170
97 Points Tyson Stelzer
93 Points James Suckling
92 Points William Kelley
17 Points Jancis Robinson
Summary: Bollinger Rosé NV is a standout with its fragrant rose petal and cherry aromas. The flavors are rich and balanced, making it a great choice for those who appreciate a deeper, more complex rosé.
Bollinger Special Cuvée NV
Our Price: $94
96 Points Tyson Stelzer
95 Points Huon Hooke
95 Points Brianne Cohen
92 Points William Kelley
Summary: Special Cuvée is known for its rich and complex flavor. With notes of orchard fruit, citrus, and fresh bread, it offers a generous and creamy texture. It’s a classic choice that never disappoints.
Charles Heidsieck Blanc de Blancs NV
Our Price: $169
95 Points Tyson Stelzer
94 Points Roger Voss
93 Points James Suckling
92 Points Alison Napjus
Summary: This Blanc de Blancs is fresh and lively with flavors of lemon and crunchy apple. It has a crisp minerality that makes it wonderfully refreshing and perfect for enjoying on a sunny day.
Charles Heidsieck Brut Réserve NV
Our Price: $137
96 Points Tyson Stelzer
95 Points IWC 2022
94 Points James Suckling
18 Points Julia Harding
93 Points Roger Voss
92 Points Yohan Castaing
92 Points Alison Napjus
Summary: The Brut Réserve is a fantastic champagne with green apple and brioche flavors. It’s complex yet approachable, with a creamy texture and a lively finish. Great for both special occasions and everyday enjoyment.
Charles Heidsieck Rosé NV
Our Price: $182
94 Points Alison Napjus
93 Points Tyson Stelzer
93 Points James Suckling
92 Points Roger Voss
Summary: This Rosé is a beautiful blend of yellow peach, strawberry, and biscuit flavors. It’s balanced and fresh, with a touch of minerality that makes it perfect for pairing with a variety of dishes.
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What is a Cuvee Champagne? In its simplest sense, cuvée refers to an individual blend or style that the winemaker is expressing.
However, in Champagne, cuvée means something more, hence the general confusion around the terms. In Champagne, technically it refers to the juice extracted during the pressing of the grapes from which the highest quality juice is extracted. From a 4000kg batch of grapes this would be the first 2050 litres of juice.
The Champagnes in depth (and in) alphabetical order…
Billecart-Salmon Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Brut NV, Our Price $199
95 Points Tyson Stelzer, Champagne Guide:
"I have long adored this wine, and now there’s even more to love, sporting smart blue foil on the front label and the disgorgement date on the back. A bright, pale straw hue, this is a release that embodies its 2015 base in its contrast of structural tension with considerable concentration. Pear and apple fruit of depth and presence is cut with grapefruit and wild lemon. Reserves declare considerable dimension in layers of wild honey, toasted brioche, candied almonds, even suggestions of fruit mince spice. Such magnitude is contained impeccably, equally by energetic acidity and the omnipresent, mouth-embracing, frothing, salty chalk mineral declaration of four of the sparkling world’s most commanding chardonnay crus. A grand statement indeed."
95 Points James Suckling, jamessuckling.com:
"The palate's a riot of fleshy and flavoursome chardonnay fruit with a helping of stone fruits and another of green mango flavours and deeper-set citrus zest. Seamless balance flows to the finish."
93 Points William Kelley, The Wine Advocate:
"Based on the 2015 vintage and dominated this year by Mesnil sur Oger, Billecart's NV Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru was disgorged in July 2021 with seven grams per litre dosage. Exhibiting aromas of citrus oil, tart stone fruit, freshly baked bread and white flowers, it's medium to full-bodied, pillowy and layered, its sweet core of fruit framed by racy acids and chalky structure."
91 Points Alison Napjus, Wine Spectator:
"A lively blanc de blancs, with lemon peel acidity defining the fine, creamy swath of poached quince, pastry cream and crushed almond, revealing accents of elderflower and star anise."
Billecart-Salmon Brut Réserve NV, Our Price $95
95 Points Tyson Stelzer, champagne.guide:
"Billecart’s enchanting Brut Réserve upholds its aspiration of lofty freshness and elegance, even in the presence of impressive levels of reserve wines, now generously more than 50% of the blend, and impressive lees age. This cuvée is a captivating contradiction, dressing one of Champagne’s higher representations of meunier in one of the most delicate and graceful of attires. The brilliant crystalline radiance that defines Billecart shines bright and strong in the 2016 base, epitomising the purity and precision that we adore of this beloved house. Meunier and pinot noir unite in a core of delightfully fresh, crunchy red apples, spicy wild strawberries and ripe raspberries, streaming out long and true with a line of lemon acidity. The subtlety of long lees age is intricately played, lending only the most gentle brioche, almond meal, honey and toast. Dosage is perfectly played to lift its fruit and its structure. It coasts long and refined on a sea of fine chalk minerality. The consummate apéritif!"
95 Points Michael Edwards, Decanter:
"A fine straw-gold colour with great finesse of bubble flow and mousse. Joyful aromas of apple blossom and ripe pear. A full, defined palate demonstrates richness that will help to give this a long life in the cellar."
92 Points James Suckling, jamessuckling.com:
"Dried lemon, grapefruit, croissants and salted almonds here, with a flavourful palate. Creamy bubbles. Layered and delicious NV. 40% pinot meunier, 30% chardonnay and 30% pinot noir."
91 Points Yohan Castaing, The Wine Advocate:
"Medium to full-bodied, the palate is moderately weighted, with a delicate mousse and a perfectly balanced texture. Very charming. It concludes with a saline, aromatic finish. It represents the first stage in the qualitative evolution of the house, initiated by Mathieu Roland-Billecart."
Billecart-Salmon Rosé NV, Our Price $199
93 Points James Suckling, jamessuckling.com:
"Pale salmon color, showing notes of sliced strawberries, apples, grapefruit and crushed biscuits. Sleek, dry and fresh, with tight bubbles and a very clear finish."
92 Points Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast:
"This pale-pink wine is stylish, crisp and relatively dry. Full of wild strawberry and citrus, it is lively, bright and lightly perfumed. The texture shows a touch of tannin as well as delicate minerality. Drink this well-balanced wine now."
92 Points William Kelley, The Wine Advocate:
"Bursting with scents of sweet red berries, peonies, stone fruits, white cherries, freshly baked bread and spices, it's medium to full-bodied, pillowy and charming, with a seamless and enveloping core of fruit and a lively, fine-boned profile."
Bollinger Rosé NV, Our Price $170
97 Points Tyson Stelzer, Champagne Guide:
"The first surprise of this cuvée is its exuberant lift of captivatingly fragrant bouquet, like nothing I have ever seen from Bollinger Rosé NV before, an exquisite explosion of rose petal, musk, cherry liqueur and cherry kernel that defines the very essence of southern Montagne pinot noir. The second is that the palate delivers all of the same, set against a phenomenal backdrop of super fine, emphatically chalk-defined mineral texture. This contrast of fragrance and minerality delivers a freshness that transcends Bollinger, and yet delivers every bit of the deep-set spice and creamy texture that we expect. An absolute phenomenon, radiant in its magnificent medium salmon hue, and drop-dead gorgeous."
93 Points James Suckling, jamessuckling.com:
"Deep red-berry nose, plus some nectarine, spice and candied-orange notes. Powerful and fresh, the hint of tannin from the red-wine component of the blend neatly balanced by the creaminess. Excellent textural complexity, then a long, delicately spicy and mineral finish."
92 Points William Kelley, The Wine Advocate:
"The latest release of Bollinger's NV Brut Rosé is showing especially well, offering up complex aromas of sweet stone fruit, honeycomb, freshly baked bread and orange oil, followed by a medium to full-bodied, pillowy and vinous palate. Layered and concentrated, with a pretty pinpoint mousse and ripe but racy acids, it concludes with a long, expansive finish."
17 Points Jancis Robinson, jancisrobinson.com:
"Pale orangey-grey colour reminiscent of a vin gris. Really dense, mature nose that hints at oak ageing. Great spread across the palate with real extract and density. Not sure this is really an aperitif but more of a champagne to drink with shellfish. Lobster salad, anyone? Long, pretty dry (but certainly not bone-dry) finish. Intellectually stimulating."
Bollinger Special Cuvée NV, Our Price $94
96 Points Tyson Stelzer, The Champagne Guide:
"The complexity and richness of Special Cuvée is unparalleled among the entry non-vintage blends of every Champagne house, short of ascending to the mesosphere of Krug…The generous, creamy texture of barrels and lees magnificently contrasts the pronounced fine, salty chalk minerality of esteemed crus. As brilliant and rock-solid as ever."
95 Points Huon Hooke, The Real Review:
"Light yellow/straw to rose-gold colour; the bouquet is very complex and driven by mellow toasty, brioche and nutty characters but also parsnip, celery, dried herbs and orange-peel with a trace of brown-apple. The palate has even more accentuated toastiness, with lively acidity which is fresh and cleansing, while the finish is very dry following a fruit-rich middle, the follow-through very long-lasting. Impressive."
95 Points Brianne Cohen, Decanter:
"If it’s good enough for James Bond, it’s good enough for you. Bollinger Champagne has made a number of cameos in James Bond films over the year. This non-vintage Special Cuvée is an example of a classic Champagne done well. Notes of marzipan on the nose and the palate give toastiness and leesy notes, specifically sourdough. It’s classic for a reason and would only elevate any table it finds itself on."
92 Points William Kelley, The Wine Advocate:
"Disgorged in May 2021, the latest rendition of Bollinger's NV Brut Special Cuvée is showing beautifully, offering up aromas of ripe orchard fruit, citrus oil and peach, mingled with hints of walnuts and freshly baked bread. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and enveloping, with a generous core of fruit, lively acids and a pillowy mousse, it's seamless and complete, concluding with an expansive finish."
Charles Heidsieck Blanc de Blancs NV, Our Price $169
95 Points Tyson Stelzer, Champagne Guide:
"After four years on cork this cuvée has upheld the tightly coiled lemon and crunchy apple tension and fennel notes that define the purity, drive, energy and longevity of 2014. The saline minerality of the Côte des Blancs lays out a splendid expanse of glittering, textured structure. It's a grand testimony to the integrity and longevity of the reintroduction of Blanc de Blancs non-vintage to Charles Heidsieck."
94 Points Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast:
"This Chardonnay-based Champagne from the Côte des Blancs is perfumed, fragrant. The citrus edge and minerality are in harmony, bringing together a wine that is taut, textured and ready to drink."
93 Points James Suckling, jamessuckling.com:
"Beautiful nose of white flowers with candied lemon peel aromas underlined by a delicate white bread character with just a hint of toast. At once generous and elegant on the front palate, then the salty and chalky character builds beautifully, very nicely balancing the dosage at the long-polished finish."
92 Points Alison Napjus, Wine Spectator:
"Delivers toasty hints of brioche and grilled nuts on the nose, which are rich accents to poached pear, dried white cherry, preserved lemon and candied ginger flavors that are finely meshed and carried on the satiny mousse."
Charles Heidsieck Brut Réserve NV, Our Price $137
96 Points Tyson Stelzer, champagne.guide:
"This is an entry cuvée with the confidence and integrity to be cellared long after its release, and never have I seen this more profoundly declared than in this bottle. This is a Charles in a magnificent place, with an air of sweet pipe smoke and truffley complexity and layers of evocative complexity. It transcends its base vintage with an energy and vibrancy that will hold its confidence for some years yet. A grand testimony to the longevity of Charles Brut Réserve."
95 Points IWC 2022, Tasting Notes:
"Crisp green apple flavours with nuances of brioche. Complex and intense with a fine toastiness and great balance."
94 Points James Suckling, jamessuckling.com:
"Very impressive for a "regular" non-vintage Brut, not only in terms of aromatic complexity - candied citrus, dried peach and fresh mirabelle plus a hint of bread dough - also in terms of texture, the creamy, rich and crisp sides of the wine neatly interlocking. Long, structured finish. A cuvee that's half 2018 and half reserve wines, some of which are a couple of years old, but many of them are five- to 10-years-old, with several over 10-years-old."
18 Points Julia Harding MW, Jancisrobinson.com:
"Subtle lemony nose. Stony, too, with the merest hint of white blossom, holds up really well in the glass. The smoky, reductive character is very slight but highlights the mineral/stony aspect. The citrus fruit and peel are ripe but there is masses of tension. The mousse is fine and gentle and also lasts really well in the glass. Becomes a little toastier with air. Deep yet extremely refined, pulling into a precise finish."
93 Points Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast:
"Even the nonvintage cuvée from this top producer has bottle age, so the yeasty edge and touches of almonds balance with the Champagne's acidity and fruitiness of white fruits and citrus flavours. This fine poised wine is ready to drink."
92 Points Yohan Castaing, The Wine Advocate:
"Medium to full-bodied, creamy and fleshy, the palate is charming with lively acids and a chalky finish. It’s approachable now but also evolving with grace."
92 Points Alison Napjus, Wine Spectator:
"Firm acidity defines this rich, well-integrated Champagne, with aromas and flavors of toasted brioche and grilled nut, white peach and cherry fruit, coffee liqueur and grated ginger. Like a cashmere scarf, there's a pleasing plushness to the mouthfeel, wrapping the structured frame in fine tailoring."
Charles Heidsieck Rosé NV, Our Price $182
94 Points Alison Napjus, Wine Spectator:
"A harmonious rosé Champagne that layers bright, buoyant acidity and satiny texture with a fine range of yellow peach, strawberry, biscuit and crystallized honey flavours. Minerally hints of smoke and saline show on the finish."
93 Points Tyson Stelzer, champagne.guide:
"Charles Rosé is crafted from younger reserves than Brut Réserve to maintain its youthful fruit focus, so it is no surprise that it does not stand the test of time on cork as confidently as Brut Réserve or Blanc de Blancs. Two years post-disgorgement it has evolved to a medium copper salmon hue and a place where its primary fruits have subsided to a mood of candied orange rind, persimmon, ginger and liquorice, with a little phenolic grip on the finish."
93 Points James Suckling, jamessuckling.com:
"Enticing nose of nectarines, citrus, red berries and summer flowers. Creamy and elegant on the generous palate with some red wine character forming the core. Long, very layered finish with just a hint of tannin adding emphasis. 90% of the cuvee is the same as the Brut Reserve with the rest made up of 5% pinot noir and 5% pinot Meunier."
92 Points Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast:
"Rich, well balanced and gently mature, it has retained enough red fruits to keep an element of freshness. It is a food wine, rich and full in the mouth."
Krug Grand Cuvée 171ème NV, Our Price $442
99 Points James Suckling, jamessuckling.com:
"The tightness and tension of this is impressive considering the youngest wine from this is 2015 (hot and dry year), with some wines going back to 2000. Ginger and orange zest. Some creme Brule. It's medium-bodied with apple, pie crust and floral character. It's salty and zesty yet, at the same time, complex and gorgeous. Chamomile and other floral teas highlight everything. Turns rich and flavourful at the finish. Terrific release. Really takes off at the end."
96 Points Alison Napjus, Wine Spectator:
"A vivid Champagne, with chiselled acidity and a fine, vivacious mousse creating a buoyant frame for layered flavours of crushed black raspberry, grilled nuts, pink grapefruit sorbet and coffee liqueur, plus fragrant accents of ground ginger and anise, graphite and lime blossoms. Long and expressive on the finish, crackling with a lingering fleur de sel note. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Meunier. Disgorged winter 2022 to 2021. Drink now through 2033."
95 Points Tyson Stelzer, The Champagne Guide:
"The structure and scaffolding of phenolic grip and apple skin texture that defines the warm and generous 2015 harvest have been well tensioned with the cut and drive of cool vintage reserves and malic acid drive. Even on the moment of its release, this is a Grande Cuvée of bite and crunch, with phenolics, acidity and chalk minerality working together harmoniously. There is a note of green pea that is true to the 2015 harvest. It will age very long, sustained equally by phenolics, acidity and chalk minerality."
95 Points Tom Hewson, Decanter:
"Two years on from its disgorgement, this 2015-based edition has settled beautifully, showing all the sunniness of the base year with its mandarin and apricot plushness, surprisingly smooth and silky up front before settling into its broad, inviting range of praline, cappuccino and bitter almond aromatics and subtle fruit skin chewiness. It's a punchy, fulsome edition thanks to the base year's intensity, but it has been beautifully tamed into a characteristically suave and multilayered Grande Cuvée. A blend of 131 wines, with reserves back to the year 2000."
95 Points Antonio Galloni, vinous.com:
"The NV Grande Cuvée 171ème Edition, based on the 2015 vintage, is every bit as impressive as it was the last time I tasted it. Creamy, layered and resonant, the 171 is seriously impressive. The style is one that favours tension over volume. Lemon peel, white flowers and white pepper open first. Hints of marzipan, tangerine peel and spice add an exotic flair to this mid-weight, understated Grand Cuvée. Floral notes and bright acids perk up the finish. The 171 is wonderfully fresh and vibrant from start to finish. The blend is 45% Pinot Noir, 37% Chardonnay and 18% Meunier, vintages 2015 through 2000. Krug ID: 122013. Disgorged: Winter: 2021-2022."
94 Points Yohan Castaing, The Wine Advocate:
"The NV Grande Cuvée 171ème Edition is a delightful blend of 45% Pinot Noir, 37% Chardonnay and 18% Pinot Meunier and boasts an attractive and captivating aroma of dried fruits, pastry, lemon oil, marzipan, spring flowers and ginger, with hints of almond and vanilla notes that become more pronounced over time. This medium to full-bodied wine is precise and well-structured, with a fleshy core of fruit and a sapid, incisive finish. Crafted around the 2015 vintage, the blend comprises 131 reserve wines from as far back as 2000 (42% of the total blend) and is expected to age beautifully over the next decade."
18 Points Jancis Robinson, jancisrobinson.com:
"Very lively, crisp nose. Tense and surprisingly vibrant for such a hot growing season – positively explosive in terms of its impact on the nose and palate. Lots of acidity and impressively long. A very good Krug, Grande Cuvée."
Laherte Frères Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature NV, Our Price $109
93 Points Peter Moser et al., Falstaff:
"Pale golden yellow, silver reflections, fine, persistent mousse. Delicate notes of mango and fresh yellow apple, some blossom honey, a hint of candied orange zest, mineral touch. Taut, tightly woven, white apple fruit, fresh acidity, salty-lemony finish, a crisp food companion, versatile."
91 Points William Kelley, The Wine Advocate:
"Based on the 2018 vintage and disgorged this year, the NV Brut Nature Blanc de Blancs derives from vines growing in the chalky Côteaux Sud d’Épernay. Unwinding in the glass with notions of crisp green apple, nougat, fresh bread and Meyer lemon, it's medium to full-bodied, chiselled and chalky, with tangy acids and a long, saline finish even in this demonstrative vintage."
Louis Roederer NV Collection 244, Our Price $95
95 Points Tyson Stelzer, The Champagne Guide:
"The grand contrasts of 244 finds a heightened tension in the 2019 base, and at the same time a seamless coherence. This blend unites all the multifaceted elements that build its tremendous, multidimensional blend matrix with a feeling of micro-engineered precision, bringing together all the disparate universes of citrus, orchard fruits and spice, with the toasty, nutty, nuances of old oak, the cut of malic acidity and the salinity of chalk minerality. Definitive Collection and - as is the ever more apparent way with Collection - it will be an even greater wine at the end of its release cycle than it is now at but the beginning."
94 Points Stuart Piggot, jamessuckling.com:
"The first impression is as invigorating as a sea breeze. I love the interplay of mirabelle, grapefruit and lychee fruit with minty freshness and waxiness from lees contact. And all this is welded to a beautifully proportioned palate with plenty of structure, the acidity bright and the mousse animating. Very salty finish that pulls you back for more."
93 Points Alison Napjus, Wine Spectator:
"An elegant Champagne, with bright acidity buoying a well-integrated range of ripe pear and white cherry, almond skin, fleur de sel and apple blossom notes. Fine and seamless, with a lingering, spiced finish."
92+ Points William Kelley, The Wine Advocate:
"Based on the 2019 vintage, Roederer's NV Brut Collection 244 is the finest release of the house's reimagined non-vintage Brut to date. Offering up aromas of pear, peach and nectarine mingled with notions of white flowers, beeswax, freshly baked bread and buttery pastry, it's medium to full-bodied, layered and fleshy, with a pretty pinpoint mousse, racy acids and a long, chalky finish. The quality of the base vintage really shines through."
Piper Heidsieck Brut NV, Our Price $67
91 Points Peter Moser, Falstaff:
"Light golden yellow, silver reflections, delicate mousse. Fresh mango notes with a hint of lime, orange zest, light blossom honey, nuances of yellow apple. Medium body, subtle fruit expression, yellow tropical fruit, integrated acidity, honey touch in the finish, versatile."
90 Points Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast:
"Balanced, full of white fruits and attractive acidity, this is a gently textured Champagne. It is rounded, the dosage giving softness. A wine that is a great apéritif style, it is ready to drink."
Pol Roger Brut Réserve NV, Our Price $99
94 Points Tyson Stelzer, The Champagne Guide:
"Pol Roger’s famous ‘White Foil’ is an attractive and refreshing apéritif and the company’s investment in its facilities and fruit sources over the past two decades is now paying strong dividends. Individual parcel vinification preserves fantastic detail, showcasing its components with greater precision than ever. This is a benchmark Brut Réserve that ranks confidently among the finest yet, all the more incredible in the difficult 2017 season. Projecting a medium straw hue, it strikes an enticing contrast between the vibrant citrus zest, apple and pear that proclaim the vivacity of Pol Roger and the subtle almond meal and brioche of long age. Wonderfully fine salt minerality highlights an excellent, fine, fresh, lively and pure finish that celebrates the elegance and purity of the house. When I commended Laurent d'Harcourt, he responded, 'We are now getting the fruits of what we have been doing in the past 10-15 years.'"
92 Points William Kelley, The Wine Advocate:
"The current release of Pol Roger's NV Brut Réserve is quite dramatic, bursting with aromas of mandarin oil, honeycomb, elderflower, fresh bread and musky peach. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and enveloping, it's generous and textural, with a rich core of fruit, lively acids and a pillowy mousse."
92 Points James Suckling, jamessuckling.com:
"Fresh Amalfi lemons, pear skins, apples, rhubarb and hints of anise on the nose. Excellent depth and flavour concentration here, with a medium body and creamy bubbles. Fruit and spice deliciously integrated."
92 Points Alison Napjus, Wine Spectator:
"An expressive Champagne, with a pure beam of ripe black currant fruit enlivened by vivacious acidity. Harmonious and satiny in texture, with accents of star anise, pickled ginger, toast and preserved lemon echoing on the finish."
92 Points Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast:
"This is the nonvintage cuvée from this producer. It is in a rich style, with a high proportion of Pinot Noir, very much the house style. This bottling is fresh and hinting at maturity."
17 Points Richard Hemming, jancisrobinson.com.au:
"Cooked apple, biscuit, savoury and long. Delicious salted-bread aftertaste. The absolute prototype of champagne, and I appreciate the generous dosage."
Pommery Brut NV, Our Price $73
90 Points Peter Moser et al., Falstaff:
"Pale golden yellow, silver reflections and a delicate mousse. On the nose, ripe yellow apple, notes of honey and mango with a background hint of lime. Medium-bodied with sweet, ripe apple, quite loosely knit, offers uncomplicated, grown-up drinking pleasure."
90 Points Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast:
"An equal blend of the three major Champagne grape varieties, this cuvée is a reference in the region. It has a fine balance and is rich but with good touches of minerality as well as crisp white fruits. The finish with its bite of citrus is attractively refreshing. Drink the bottling now."
Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut NV, Our Price $69
92 Points Tyson Stelzer, The Champagne guide:
"Yellow Label is a towering monument to just what can be achieved at an astronomical scale of production, with fanatical attention to every minute detail – and no small thanks to tremendous depth and breadth of what must be the greatest reserve wine program on earth. The wonderful 2019 base continues the noble trajectory of refinement that Yellow Label has traced over recent decades, and here in the commencement of an exciting new era, a grand tribute to the wizardry of Didier Mariotti in his first blend, presenting pinot noir of grace, poise and refinement, less reliant on dosage than ever. A pale straw hue heralds a Yellow Label of red apple, strawberry and raspberry fruit, energised with pink grapefruit freshness, a tribute to the fruit purity of the warm 2019 season, with a backbone of bright acidity and a foundation of fine chalk minerality. This is the finest and most elegant I have ever seen Yellow Label, and for all it represents, nothing short of a triumph."
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