Winetex 
Austin, Texas
Master of Wine
Posts: 11243
 | | 11-22-2003 07:41 PM |
| $35; 89 WA; 90 IWC; Winetex 91
This is made from an average blend of 60% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay and 15% Pinot Meunier. The blend explains a bit of how this champagne tastes. It smelled like a ripe red apple with a bit of spiciness and toast. The color was a deep, almost vintage-like gold. This was not a pale, delicate champagne but was rather weighty and quite structured. The finish was long, spicy and finished like a fine Pinot with berries and spice. With its weight and flavor profile it would be an excellent match with food.
Mr. Winetex liked this better than some of the vintage champagnes we’ve had and insisted that this be a staple in our champagnes.
12% alcohol | | |
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futronic
Toronto, Canada
Wine Bottler
Posts: 3214
| | 11-25-2003 01:10 AM |
| This was recently given a 93 by WS. It's available here next week at $63CAD, so you got a great price. Either that, or we're getting hosed up here. That's right ... the hosers are getting hosed.  I'll post a thread about other Champagne offerings in the main forum. | | | |
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jason
Napa Valley
Wine Addict
Posts: 6900
| | 11-25-2003 01:36 AM |
| Costco has magnums for $53.00. | | | |
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Winetex
Austin, Texas
Master of Wine
Posts: 11243
| | 11-25-2003 02:49 AM |
| Futronic - you said it yourself. $63 is too high.
Alohaj - great price on the mag. | | | |
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Winetex
Austin, Texas
Master of Wine
Posts: 11243
| | 09-14-2004 09:37 PM |
| - N.V. Bollinger Champagne - Champagne, Champagne, France (9/12/2004)
A very good NV Champagne. By default it has become our "house" champagne and I've been buying it by the case. For a NV champagne it has great weight and structure along with a pervasive spiciness. I get apples and cinnamon but with a creaminess that sets is apart from most NV champagnes. From what I understand from people ITB it is the recent release (unfortunately no way to tell) that is in this class. You can taste not only the Pinot but the vintage champagnes that they use in the blend. Almost like a Krug baby brother.
[I could (and just might) drink this every night; $35] (91 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker! | | | |
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ChangeMe
Barrel Filler
Posts: 1475
| | 09-15-2004 03:01 AM |
| Quote:
... creaminess that sets is apart from most NV champagnes. From what I understand from people ITB it is the recent release (unfortunately no way to tell) that is in this class.
I checked my notes from my last bottle of this (1/04), which included: "not as creamy as I hoped or expected."
Funny. I love the Grand Annee, but have never been very impressed with the NV Special Cuvee. Maybe I need to try some of this new batch   | | | |
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rmkam
Grape Fermenter
Posts: 524
| | 09-15-2004 12:34 PM |
| This is a heavy weight bubbly with lots of caramel. It is big and bold and may not be for those who want finesse in their bubbly. I liked it but need to be in the mood to drink it. | | | |
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Winetex
Austin, Texas
Master of Wine
Posts: 11243
| | 09-15-2004 01:11 PM |
| Raybanz - that's really funny. The problem with the NV champagnes is that without a disgorge date on the back of the bottles (rare), there's no way to tell when the bottle was released. The major champagne properties regularly release NV champagnes and the blend can be slightly different. This is fairly apparent if you check NV champagne reviews over the years .
Terry Theise's imported NV champagnes do have disgorge dates so if release date is a concern they could be something to look for. | | | |
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ChangeMe
Barrel Filler
Posts: 1475
| | 09-16-2004 07:12 AM |
| I think release dates are a great idea. Not only do they give some insight into batch variations, but they give you an idea if a champagne is in its ideal drinking window. Too old is usually not a problem (in my house), but sometimes I get a disjointed NV champagne that I think needed a little more time to come together in the bottle.  | | | |
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Rothko
Palm Beach
Wine Connoisseur
Posts: 5721
| | 09-16-2004 01:18 PM |
| They can do it for beer. I imagine they can do it for champagne. | | | |
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DJ Hombre
Napa Valley, California
Barrel Filler
Posts: 1367
| | 12-29-2004 08:50 AM |
| Had this tonight for the first time. Really, a stellar champagne. I have to agree with winetex's notes. You can taste the vintages. The weightest / creamiest / most complex NV Champagne I've ever had. But that's not saying a lot. | | | |
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Rothko
Palm Beach
Wine Connoisseur
Posts: 5721
| | 12-29-2004 03:19 PM |
| I had a bottle on Christmas and was also very impressed with it. An excellent NV champagne. I have 2 bottles left, and will look for more. It's pretty rare (ie: expensive) down here in Florida. | | | |
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ChangeMe
Barrel Filler
Posts: 1371
| | 12-29-2004 03:54 PM |
| Well one of our friends visiting for New Years indicated he was bringing a bottle of what i presume to be NV Bollinger's, I hope that it is this one. | | | |
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KillerB
Barrel Racker
Posts: 1533
| | 12-31-2004 01:59 PM |
| This has always been down as 'heavyweight' in naming NV champers. It is one of the best along with Louis Roederer. Krug is a category on its own. | | | |
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ChangeMe
Barrel Filler
Posts: 1371
| | 12-31-2004 02:06 PM |
| Turns out that this is what our friend brought. Will be cracking it tonight, and I am looking forward to it. | | | |
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calcabs
Grape Fermenter
Posts: 453
| | 01-02-2005 09:35 PM |
| Have had this a few times recently, fuller bodied than many champagnes. Hands down my favorite NV Champagne to date. | | | |
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whiner
Second star to the right, and straight on till morning
Wine Thief
Posts: 2875
| | 01-04-2005 03:04 AM |
| FWIW, this is consistently my fav in its price range. But, you have to like its doughier, weightier style.
a | | I can't listen to that much Wagner. I start getting the urge to conquer Poland.
-- Woody Allen | |
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ChangeMe
Barrel Filler
Posts: 1475
| | 03-24-2005 01:39 AM |
| Bollinger Special Cuvee - Biscuity nose, medium gold color. Flavors of sour cherries and grapefruit give way later on the palate to notes of caramel, slate, and petrol. A strong pinot character is obvious in both the dense, chewy and extraced mouthfeel and the long, lingering finish. Very good and very distinctive for a NV Champagne.
This was the first of 4 bottles of this I recently purchased and I was really pleased. Re: my note above, still not particularly creamy, but definitely has the depth and character to shine. | | | |
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Winetex
Austin, Texas
Master of Wine
Posts: 11243
| | 03-31-2005 05:24 PM |
| Raybanz - Mr. Winetex and I discussed the "creamy" attribute to this wine over a couple of glasses of it last night. After some discussion I decided that I should have used "creamy" as a flavor attribute and not as a textural note. I'm referring to the vanilla note on the finish. You know you are a wine geek when this discussion takes the better part of two glasses. | | | |
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ChangeMe
Barrel Filler
Posts: 1475
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