Special Club Oger Grand Cru Champagne Blend

For all things there is a first. The cork while twisting it out of the bottle snapped in half. I had to take the rest out with a cork screw.

I really enjoy their work. The quality is really good and for $99 in today’s champagne market if you buy it right, it’s still fairly priced. I’ve had much more expensive champagne with bigger brand names that aren’t this good. I’m enjoying this over some Krug N/V’s I’ve had.

Nice mousse, lively crisp acidity, bruised golden/red apple, bruised Bosc pear, lemon/lime pulp w/zest, some pineapple-mango, blood orange led citrus blend, grapefruit, ginger-ale, some yeastiness, baguette, graham cracker crust, white spice w/palate heat, grainy, grey volcanic minerals, limestone, hints of mint leaves, frothed cream, vanilla, caramel-light brown sugar notes, sea fossils, undertones of saline, withering yellow flowers/lilies, white-spring flowers with greens, jasmine, excellent acidity, well structured-toned-balanced and a fine elegant finish that lasts two-minutes and long sets beautifully on volcanics & spice.

Photos of; Gimonnet and Olivier and Didier Gimonnet.

Popped and poured; no formal notes. While the Goutorbe was ready for the business, this 2016 from Gimonnet was more of a discussion about its potential. This Special Club bottling showcases Oger and naturally, is a 100% Chardonnay BdB. I like where it’s headed, it’s just so youthful and tightly coiled. Loads of minerals and acid. Needs time. Drink after 2026 and through 2046.

Happy holidays. 🎅🧑‍🎄 ☃️ 🎄 🎁 ❄️

This is delicious. When it first hits your palate, it’s like hey, woah. It is super soft, micro-micro oxygenation. Delicate mousse, some maltiness, red apple cider reduction, pear, lemon meringue, lime pulp, grapefruit, orange peel, tropical melon, ripe pineapple, saline, sea fossils, chalky powder with an edge as it sets, white spice-ginger, white pepper, love the perfect limestone powder, brioche, baguette, some dough & light yeast, orange blossoms, white, spring flowers, racy, crisp acidity, excellent tension, structure, balance with beautiful long finish that lingers 90-120 seconds. Certainly one of the best and different champagne I’ve had in some time.

This cuvée is 100% Chardonnay and comes from the villages of Cramant, Chouilly, and Cuis.

Special Club Champagne must be produced with grapes from outstanding vintages harvested from the estates own vineyards. The cuvée must also be estate bottled and aged. It is the tête de cuvée(the most premier bottle of a grower’s estate) selection for the Champagne house.

There were 12 founding members, three of which currently remain: Pierre Gimonnet, Gaston Chiquet and Paul Bara. New members come and go every year. As of 2021, there are 28 members.

The process to become a Special Club is as follows. The wines must pass two rigorous stages of selection. Before that happens, members gather each February to taste each other’s still wines from the previous vintage. The members vote on whether to declare a vintage year, which would mean that the vintage was outstanding, and worthy enough of a vintage-dated Champagne. The vote must be unanimous.

jesus had this 2 years ago