Matthew Jukes (20+)

08NF was made from 83% Grands Crus and 17% de Premiers Crus: 60% Pinot Noir from the Premiers and Grands Crus of the Montagne de Reims and the Grande Vallée de la Marne (Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Aÿ, Ambonnay, Bouzy, Verzenay et Verzy); 40% Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs (Mesnil, Chouilly, Cramant, Vertus); 17% of the wines were vinified in oak barrels, and it was aged on its lees for 150 months; The dosage is 2.9 g/l, and it was disgorged in January 2022. This super-deep wine dwells low in the glass with weight and depth of delivery that is completely unhurried. Vinous, powerful and with a full spectrum of fruit and patisserie, it is remarkable just how little citrus and herb there is on the front end of this staggeringly impressive wine. It is more layered and exotic than any current release Champagne I can think of, and then when it seems as though the scene is set, everything changes instantly. The palate drops about three gears revealing arresting zestiness and tanginess that completely engulfs the senses. I learned that this cuvée’s release was delayed by nearly two years because the back end was so twitchy, nervy and excitable. As it turns out, the Billecart gurus made the right call here – this is an electrifying wine, and the finish shows that the potential here is incredible. I am lucky enough to have tasted the 1959 and the 1961 Billecart-Salmon vintage wines, among others, and the DNA and detail in this 2008 are near-identical. While the top half of this wine is showy, flamboyant and seductive, the lower half is firm, chiselled, rigid and breath-taking.

Matthew Jukes (20+)

08NF was made from 83% Grands Crus and 17% de Premiers Crus: 60% Pinot Noir from the Premiers and Grands Crus of the Montagne de Reims and the Grande Vallée de la Marne (Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Aÿ, Ambonnay, Bouzy, Verzenay et Verzy); 40% Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs (Mesnil, Chouilly, Cramant, Vertus); 17% of the wines were vinified in oak barrels, and it was aged on its lees for 150 months; The dosage is 2.9 g/l, and it was disgorged in January 2022. This super-deep wine dwells low in the glass with weight and depth of delivery that is completely unhurried. Vinous, powerful and with a full spectrum of fruit and patisserie, it is remarkable just how little citrus and herb there is on the front end of this staggeringly impressive wine. It is more layered and exotic than any current release Champagne I can think of, and then when it seems as though the scene is set, everything changes instantly. The palate drops about three gears revealing arresting zestiness and tanginess that completely engulfs the senses. I learned that this cuvée’s release was delayed by nearly two years because the back end was so twitchy, nervy and excitable. As it turns out, the Billecart gurus made the right call here – this is an electrifying wine, and the finish shows that the potential here is incredible. I am lucky enough to have tasted the 1959 and the 1961 Billecart-Salmon vintage wines, among others, and the DNA and detail in this 2008 are near-identical. While the top half of this wine is showy, flamboyant and seductive, the lower half is firm, chiselled, rigid and breath-taking.

Tyson Stelzer (97)

PN AYC18 is a showpiece for the expansive dimensions, intoxicating allure and purity of Aÿ pinot noir; a wonderfully characterful blanc de noirs that celebrates the sumptuous fruit generosity of 2018 and the purity and precision of this fabled cru. With the generous tones of a full straw hue and a blush tint, it ripples with grand fruit depth of red cherries and perfectly ripe plums. The magnificent depth of complexity that is Bollinger rumbles in deep reserves, reminiscent of fruit mince spice and dried nectarines. I love that it is so emphatically Aÿ, so intrinsically Bollinger, and yet all transposed with the transparency and delicious fruit generosity that is 2018. It holds fantastic, succulent allure on a very long finish; the ripeness of 2018 translating in supple, silky fruit generosity, yet in no way heavy or broad, beautifully energised by the fine chalk salinity and pure acid freshness that make Aÿ such a beloved place.

Decanter (93)

The nose is remarkably fine and complex, expressing scents of orchard fruit, white peach, apricot, and lemon with a touch of verbena. On the palate, the immediate impression is of a certain unctuosity providing great charm, and even the structure has round contours, but it seems to tighten on the chalky, airborne finish. The salinity that marked the previous two iterations of this PN series seems less present, with this one having more notes of pastry and hazelnuts as well as some zesty citrus, but airing adds an iodine-like tang. This is a Champagne that should pair well with fresh fish and shellfish dishes. 100% Pinot Noir. Dosage: 4 g/L. Disgorgement: January 2022.

Richard Juhlin (95)

The presentation is brilliant and is reminiscent of the house's legendary blanc de noirs Bollinger ’Vieilles Vignes Françaises’….. A Verzenay blanc de noirs with sprinkles of Aÿ, Bouzy and Tauxières, where 50% of the wine comes from 2015 with reserve wines on magnum dating from 2009. Verzenay and Aÿ are, as you know, the dominant villages in Bollinger's vintage wines. Verzenay is often the chalky and mineral-rich backbone of Bollinger's vintage build-up. The wine is vibrantly fresh, mineral-driven and extremely pure. There is a clarity and sharpness that is outstanding, where gunpowder notes and aroma of grilled meat develop as the glass warms up slightly. I love this wine as it is a perfect creation from one of the most important villages in the whole of Champagne dominated by the aforementioned minerality, but also with notes of violet and red grapefruit so typical of Verzenay of the highest class. On aeration the scent develops more and more notes of pears, figs and freshly baked baguette and the taste develops towards peach and apricot jam. Personally, though, I will wait as long as I can before opening my own bottles to get the increasing depth of caramel and grilled hazelnut flavour that only time in the cellar can provide.

Decanter (95)

Produced exclusively from vineyards owned by Bollinger, this takes advantage of the dynamic equilibrium between the structured, robust Pinot Noir grape and a terroir that is late-ripening. Picking began on 25 September and delivered a wine with plenty of concentration and impressive freshness and balance, with expressive green apple fruit accented with notes of toast and smoke and a creamy, supple, and open texture. Dosed at 6 g/l. Disgorged in November 2020.

Wine Advocate (92)

Bottled in February 2021 (no, that isn't a typo), Defaix's 2009 Chablis 1er Cru Côte de Léchet wafts from the glass with aromas of honeycomb, golden orchard fruit, apricot, spices and dried white flowers. Medium to full-bodied, broad and satiny, it's a lively, saline wine that concludes with a delicately nutty finish.

Savour the exquisite Esprit Leflaive Pouilly-Fuisse Le Clos Reyssier 2019, an exemplary expression of craftmanship from the iconic estate of Domaine Leflaive. Hailing from Macon region in Burgundy, this wine is cultivated on a unique limestone and clay terroir in Le Clos Reyssier. The 2019 vintage captures the essence of the vineyard, with meticulous bio-dynamic farming and traditional vinification in oak barrels lending depth and complexity to this Chardonnay.

Under the visionary leadership of Brice de La Morandière and the winemaking prowess of Pierre Vincent, Esprit Leflaive Pouilly-Fuisse Le Clos Reyssier 2019 offers a harmonious blend of floral notes, stone fruit accents, and minerality. The palate presents a vibrant acidity balanced gracefully with a rich texture and a long, luxurious finish. Esprit Leflaive continues the Leflaive heritage of producing world-class wines, and this vintage is no exception. A heavenly experience undeniably awaits with each sip of the Esprit Leflaive Pouilly-Fuisse Le Clos Reyssier 2019.

Vinous (92)

The NV Esprit Nature is a fabulous introduction to this range. Creamy, open-knit and so expressive, the Esprit Nature captures all of the textural intensity that is such a Giraud signature, but in an approachable style. The Esprit Nature is 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay done mostly in oak, with a bit of sandstone amphora. This release is based on 2017, 50% reserve wines. Readers should note that the "Nature" is used here as part of the wine name, rather than an indication of dosage, which is 6 grams per liter. Disgorged: October 21, 2020.

Wine Enthusiast (99)

In this great year for white Burgundy, Bâtard-Montrachet shines out as the epitome of balance between superb fruit and intense mineral and terroir characters. Its subtle touch of wood highlights the unctuous surface texture while just hinting at the steel sharpness of the structure beneath. Age this superb wine for at least 10 years.

Decanter (99)

Created in 1876 to satisfy the demanding tastes of Tsar Alexander II, Louis Roederer’s Cristal has since become a symbol of luxury all around the world. Produced only during the best years, it’s made from 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, the grapes coming from 45 of the finest lieux-dits in the region. 2013 was a late bloomer, with flowering only taking place in July after a cool spring. The summer was ideal with long periods of dry and warm weather. One third of the wine is aged in oak and there’s no malolactic fermentation. Vincenzo Arnese: Packed with elegant yet powerful aromas of ripe orchard trees that merge with brioche and dry cookies. This is a harmonious and well-defined Champagne with integrated residual sugar and astonishing acidity. Divine! Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW: Lemon coloured with a pink hue. Like a blanc de noirs, with cherries and white fruit aromas. Balanced and suave. Goes from less to more, with an exceptionally long and complex finish. Amanda Barnes: Appealing notes on the nose of pastry dough and apple tart that are very open. On the palate there’s beautiful concentration with lingering savoury notes. Minerally and sophisticated. Nominated by Peter Liem

The Wine Independent (98)

The 2015 Cristal is a blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay. No malo-lactic was employed, and 25% wine was aged in oak. The dosage is 7 grams per liter. An exquisitely delicate yet complex perfume of clover honey, freshly shaved ginger, marzipan, and jasmine slowly emerges from the nose, giving way to a core of pear tart, persimmons, and apple butter. The palate is an exercise in finesse, featuring very fine bubbles and fantastic intensity with a myriad of spice and floral nuances, finishing with impressive persistence and jaw-dropping poise. This is a style for those that embrace purity, soft-spoken expression, and impeccable crafting. It won't disappoint those who love Champagne in its initial youthful perfume flushes, yet will undoubtedly reward the patient with a richer, toastier, more obvious and opulent style with 5-10 years+ of cellaring.

Decanter (93)

Made up, half and half, of base wine from the sunny 2018 harvest, and reserve wine from Rodolphe’s Perpetual Reserve which goes back to 1988, this is one of the most consistently excellent NV wines on the market. Its current iteration is especially impressive, floral, chalky, upstanding, and very complex; the palate sharing notes of dried apricot, plum and lemon pith with more developed intimations of sour honey and patisserie. An exemplary wine with real purity and precision on the finish.

Decanter (93)

Vanilla-laced citrus and tropical fruit aromas with soft floral flecks. Generous and lively with pineapple, lemon and mango fruit giving richness while an undercurrent of salty, flint minerality gives tension and drive. Concentrated, long and balanced. 59% Sauvignon Blanc (vinified in stainless steel) and 41% Semillon (new oak barrels for six months with regular lees stirring). Grapes are grown on gravel soils over sandy clay.

Robert Ampeau Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Combettes 1997 offers an unforgettable journey to the heart of fine winemaking, embodying the renowned tradition of French viticulture. This exquisite white wine, crafted under the watchful eye of the esteemed Robert Ampeau, hails from Puligny-Montrachet in Burgundy and is part of the premier cru, denoting its exceptional quality.

The wine is famed for its elegant vibrancy and subtle complexity, a testament to Robert Ampeau's meticulous approach. Spared from invasive modern techniques, Ampeau tends his vineyards with care, allowing the authentic terroir of Montrachet to your glass.

The Robert Ampeau Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Combettes 1997 showcases rich character, nuanced with pear, citrus, almond and stony mineral notes. The palate is robust yet impeccably balanced, carrying through to a lingering, sophisticated finish.

Let this vintage transport you, an emblem of time, passion, and the indomitable spirit of French winemaking tradition.

Each Limited Edition 2008 Oenotheque Case contains:

2 x 75cl Salon 2004 - 96 pts | William Kelley (Wine Advocate) & 97 pts | Antonio Galloni (Vinous)

2 x 75cl Salon 2006 - 95 pts | William Kelley (Wine Advocate) & 96 pts | Antonio Galloni (Vinous)

2 x 75cl Salon 2007 - 96 pts | William Kelley (Wine Advocate) & 97 pts | Antonio Galloni (Vinous)

1 x 150cl Magnum of Salon 2008 - 100 pts | William Kelley (Wine Advocate) & 100 pts | Antonio Galloni (Vinous)

• Highly sought with immense collectable value

• Each vintage scores at least 95 points by William Kelley (Wine Advocate)

• Only 8,000 magnums of the 2008 vintage ever produced

Vinous (92)

The NV Brut Grand Cellier is bright, effusive and wonderfully charming. White flowers, chalk, mint and lemon confit give this mid-weight, nervy Champagne tons of energy. All the elements are so nicely put together. I especially like the energy and crystalline purity here. There are a lot of terrific wines in this range, but the Grand Cellier is quintessentially Vilmart. This release is based on 2019, with the addition of reserve wines from 2018. Dosage is 7 grams per liter. Disgorged: May 2022.