Claude Carré et Fils Champagne Premier Cru Brut Millésimé

This took some time to open up and was much better with food than on its own. With food and some air, the wine really brightened up, developed some fruit sweetness, and rounded out.

End-of-Summer Dinner Featuring Vega-Sicilia Único (Asador Bastian - Chicago IL) : Lots here right away with apple, lemon and lemon rind but also some bitter citrus pith. The bitter softened when food accompanied the wine, really allowing it to shine. Very powerful.

Farewell Patra (La Trompette, London) : Mag. Bottles May 07, Disgorged Jan 13. So fresh. Underlying richness but the vintage tempered by a lovely freshness and line here. So drinkable, on its own and with food. Really lovely. ****1/2

Off the list at Marea. A pretty rocking bottle of champagne. More baking spices style. Interesting. It's got enough age that there's a bit more depth there. Enjoyable.

SLDS Single Bottle Dinner : 50% Chard, 50% Pinot noir, blend of two lieu-dits, 3g/l dosage and aged in old oak, disgorged 2013. Almond, orange, yellow florals, honey and a light smoky oxidative note. The palate shows that twangy ox and acid line, with plenty of texture to it. Really interesting and good drinking, but didn't quite keep pace next to the other two Champagnes.

Toller weiniger Champagner, der ein paar Grad mehr im Glas gut vertragen kann. Elegant, dicht, nicht so fein wie der überragende 2008er (95P), aber für einen 2006er ungewöhnlich ausgewogen und harmonisch. Finde ihn gerade jetzt richtig zum Trinken. 93

Wonderful wine. Such clear articulation of aroma and flavor. Smells like apricots and cherries, and not to sound overly precious, but it's those yellow Rainier cherries. After a half hour open the nose takes on some of the chalky saline component that is present on the palate from the beginning. Perfectly balanced, graceful texture, but the wow factor in this wine for me is the amazing purity, detail, and articulation of fruit and also the mineral baseline. Delicious, aromatically complex, …

Slightly lactic notes of yoghurt, citrus, minerality (slate). Medium+ bodied with medium+ acidity, good creamy mousse and very good length. Very elegant with a certain roundness and creaminess.

Had over two nights. First night this was youthful and full of crisp pear. Second night this gained depth and richness and finished with notes of red berry. Solid minerality. Really nice and in a pretty good spot.

Consumed after Salon and Selosse, hard acts to follow but this more than held its own. Vinous, subtly oxidative, yelllow apple and stone fruit. Mineral. Fine soft bead. Last bottle. Need to find more.

Crisp white and yellow fruit, subtle oxidative notes, spice. Soft bubbles. A complex vinous sparkler. Reminds of Selosse. Loved this tonight, best bottle to date.

Third time I have had this now over the last few months -- the first time was actually in October with Raphael in his tasting room. I really like this wine. The bubbles are small and soft, it is chiseled, transparent, and vinous, there is this trace of oxidative notes in the background of taut dry yellow fruit. I again served this wine blind to my wife, who for the third time described the wine as "too vinous" and thought …

excellent, but not as impressive as the beaux regards or rive gauche. reminded again that I prefer younger champagne.