Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

The 2012 J. Lassalle Special Club is made from 60% Pinot Noir & 40% Chardonnay. The vines average 50 yrs old. Hails from Chigny-Les-Roses. Winemakers Chantal Decelle-Lassalle and Angéline Templier farm using the practice of Lutte Raisonnée, which means they fall just short of organic. Sustainable but use minimal chemicals. Rain during and at the end of the season when Mother Nature doesn’t dry the grape clusters, chemicals are often necessary to prevent mold. This isn’t Sauternes!

Texturally, it is quite nice. Beautiful fine mousse and micro oxygenation. Lively but not aggressive acidity.

Green & golden apples, pear, pineapple, lime/lemon with zest, orange citrus blend, green melon & kiwi. White spice, bread dough, nougat, limestone bits, thick chalky powder, graham cracker crust, melted caramel, vanillin, saline, sea fossils, understated herbaceous notes, fruit blossoms, spring flowers with an elegant, smartly polished, well balanced, nicely structured-crafted finish that lasts 90 seconds & lands on volcanics & spice on the long set.

You could make case for 94 here. Perhaps fully with a few more yrs of bottle age.

Pairs well with the Jasper Hill Farms Limited Edition of their Champagne washed Harbison soft white. — 2 days ago

Ryan

9.4

Date, fig, apricot, almond, tobacco. Layer upon layer of flavor! Delicious! — 19 days ago

Mackenzie Svee

9.5

Golden yellow in color, with delicate and lively bubbles. The nose has elegant aromatic complexity, with superb finesse, floral hints (rose), hazelnut, and almond aromas. Generous and unctuous, with undertones of toasted bread, stewed yellow-fleshed fruit, and a slight floral touch. — 4 months ago

Pooneet K

9.3

Absolutely excellent. Such a treat at 55 years. At first a real medicinal note which blows away with a bit of time and air. Incredibly deep and dense with great pruney fruit. Excellent acid hanging in at this age and the finish is very long. Nice wine for a weekend of Thanksgiving related meals! — 15 days ago

Jan A

9.5

Violets in the nose. Classic vintage port profile. Needed 5 hours of air to loose the harsh alcoholic notes on the palate. But after that it was balanced and singing. Together with Taylor's, Grahams is in my top three port producers. — a month ago

Lyn Farmer

9.6

Sensational Champagne with pale gold color and deep autolytic flavors. Crisp ripe apple and lemon, chalky minerality, subtle raspberry, biscuit, brioche, Acacia, hawthorn, and hazelnut with an achingly long finish showing chalk, flint, honey and biscuit. A dazzling match with pan-seared scallops. — 3 months ago

Brian Hearty

9.4

2012. Celebrating our return to Lincoln and our daughter’s birthday at our favorite place. We started with this Special Club that my daughter said was her favorite champagne to date! Paired great throughout the meal! — 25 days ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Consistency is their middle name.

This has just started to shift from fresh to aging.

Bruised red apple/pear, lemon, lime zest, tropical melons, drier stone fruits, whipped cream, ginger, brioche, graham cracker, very light caramel/butterscotch notes, grey volcanics, limestone marl, sea fossils, gritty chalk, white & yellow flowers with greens, excellent lively acidity and a well balanced-knitted, elegant & smartly polished finish that lasts near two-minutes. — a month ago

Rob Brobst III

9.5

@Peter van den Besselaar even better my friend! — a month ago

Dave

9.5

For some reason, this smells like peaches 😅 Actually, dark cherry, candied nuts, and cigar box on the nose. Flavors of apricot, honey, cinnamon candies, and pleasant oak. At 90 proof it's an easy summer sipper.
Listening to Chris Isaac (my neighbor is playing her music loud) Not complaining. — 4 months ago