New Champagne in the Flickinger Fine Wines inventory http://www.flickingerwines.com/wineregions/champagne.asp WA 96 (12/2005): Once again proving that Champagne is the only French viticultural region with innovative marketing gimmicks, for their 1995 Amour de Deutz Blanc de Blancs Brut Deutz has developed with designer Pascal Morabito a "gold" capsule that turns into a pendant, complete with the necklace and "real jewel" held by Deutz’s cherub (my niece Camille loves it). More importantly, the Champagne this capsule protects is exceptional. Its superb aromatics of flowers, apples, pepper, and pears leads to a profound full-bodied character. Broad, expansive, and silky-textured it is so vinous that it comes across more Burgundian than Champenois.WS 93 (10/2003): A sharply defined, mineral-laden Champagne, this shows a hint of oxidation, with honey, citrus and coffee notes, all supported by a firm, gum-tingling structure. Its finish is the best part, however, with a long brioche aftertaste. Drink now through 2008. 1,000 cases made.IWC 91 (12/2004): Highly nuanced nose combines citrus skin, smoke, truffle, maple syrup and cut grass, along with a sweet pastry note. Frothy and round; intensely flavored but in a rather easygoing style despite solid underlying backbone. A lovely, toasty, consistent midweight with lovely weight and palate presence. Finishes firm and quite suave.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/MaisonDeutz.aspIWC 91+ (12/1998): Pale color. Vibrant aromas of lemon oil, chalk, spice and earth. Dry, toasty and very intensely flavored, with strong extract and bracing acidity. Classy, precise flavors of ginger, minerals, chalk and toffee. Has the acid structure to improve in bottle. Finishes young and strong.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/MaisonDeutz.aspWS 89 (11/2006): Fresh and spicy, with ginger, honey and lemon as the main flavor themes. Picks up a biscuity note as it fans out on the caressing finish. Drink now through 2008. 250 cases imported.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/MaisonDeutz.aspWS 89 (12/1988): Ripe and rich, with toasty pear aromas and flavors, slightly spicy like ginger, smooth, maybe a bit off-dry.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/MaisonDeutz.aspWS 85 (12/1993): This shows intense vanilla and apple aromas and flavors; it has a full body but is rather rough on the finish, with searing acidity. Needs time. 3,500 cases made.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/MaisonDeutz.aspIWC 89 (12/1999): Complex nose combines high-pitched lemon drop and candied lime notes with lower-toned, toffeed suggestions of yeast autolysis. Very dry and assertive in the mouth, with a strong spicy character. Offers excellent flavor intensity with no excess weight. Youthfully fresh, minerally and still evolving. Would make a perfect accompaniment to raw shellfish.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/MaisonDeutz.aspIWC 89 (12/1999): Complex nose combines high-pitched lemon drop and candied lime notes with lower-toned, toffeed suggestions of yeast autolysis. Very dry and assertive in the mouth, with a strong spicy character. Offers excellent flavor intensity with no excess weight. Youthfully fresh, minerally and still evolving. Would make a perfect accompaniment to raw shellfish.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/MaisonDeutz.aspIWC 92 (12/2008): Light yellow with a delicate bead. Spicy citrus and green apple aromas are complicated by baking spices and chalky minerals. Taut, sharply focused lemon and lime flavors slowly give way to fleshier tangerine and poached pear. Brisk on the finish, which strongly repeats the lime note and leaves a suave spicy trail behind. My style of Champagne.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/JoseDhondt.aspWS 91 (10/2007): A broad-shouldered style, this has weight, but also richness and character. Whole-grain toast, malt and citrus flavors are matched to a slightly grainy texture. There's a mushroom note on the lingering finish. Drink now through 2018. 1,200 cases made.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/CharlesEllner.aspWS 88 (12/2005): Dry, lean and bracing, here's a lightweight mix of lemon, mineral and honeysuckle flavors, but the tartness upsets the overall balance in the end. Food will help. Drink now through 2009. 1,200 cases made.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/CharlesEllner.asphttp://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/Korbel.aspWA 96 (12/1994): No tasting note.WS 94 (12/1996): A seductive, fully mature, spicy-flavored Champagne that's rich in texture, full in body, still quite firm in balance and long on the finish. What a satisfying taste experience! Drink now through 1999.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/Krug.aspWA 95 (12/2008): The 1995 Vintage provides a fascinating contrast to the 1996. This is a tightly wound, sinewy Champagne loaded with brioche, toasted oak, lemon rind, flowers and minerals. The mousse is extremely fine and the style decidedly more linear and fresh than the 1996. Though deceptively medium-bodied in style, the wine appears to be built for extended cellaring.. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2025.IWC 95 (12/2006): Light yellow. Rich and powerful, with leesy pear and white truffle aromas accented by gentle notes of white pepper and cinnamon. Extremely powerful Krug, with rich orchard fruit flavors, a velvety texture and warm, rich, inviting noteshttp://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/Krug.aspWA 93 (12/2005): Oddly, the most consistent Krug wine I have been tasting lately is their non-vintage Brut Grand Cuvee, a big, boldly styled Champagne with smoky, earthy, pear, apple, and spicy aromas as well as flavors, loads of effervescence, and fine body and depth.IWC 93+ (12/2003): Explosive but fine mousse. Complex, yeasty aromas of lemon, honeysuckle, wet stone, toffee, hazelnut and caramel. Subtle and creamy on entry, then dense, powerful and youthfully brisk, with flavors of minerals, nutmeg and mace framed by strong lemony acidity. Solid, vibrant, dry and rather backward. Not quite as large-scaled or harmonious as last year's release and a bit more youthfully unevolved. As always, an urgent but suave style of Champagne. Powerful, slow-mounting finish stains the palate.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/Krug.aspWA 93 (12/2005): Oddly, the most consistent Krug wine I have been tasting lately is their non-vintage Brut Grand Cuvee, a big, boldly styled Champagne with smoky, earthy, pear, apple, and spicy aromas as well as flavors, loads of effervescence, and fine body and depth.IWC 93+ (12/2003): Explosive but fine mousse. Complex, yeasty aromas of lemon, honeysuckle, wet stone, toffee, hazelnut and caramel. Subtle and creamy on entry, then dense, powerful and youthfully brisk, with flavors of minerals, nutmeg and mace framed by strong lemony acidity. Solid, vibrant, dry and rather backward. Not quite as large-scaled or harmonious as last year's release and a bit more youthfully unevolved. As always, an urgent but suave style of Champagne. Powerful, slow-mounting finish stains the palate.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/Krug.aspWS 98 (11/2000): Stops you in your tracks. Fascinating-from thebarrel-fermented coconut, vanilla, pineapple andmarmalade bouquet to the incredible richness andconcentration, this is an original. The peach,vanilla, honey and tangerine flavors ride a crestof bracing acidity, dry and forceful, to alingering aftertaste of spring blossoms andhazelnut. Drink now through 2006. 1,200 cases made.IWC 94+ (12/2000): Deep, soil-inflected nose combines coffee, mushroom, toffee, roasted grain and minerals. Extremely concentrated and penetrating, with powerful minerality and soil character and notes of key lime and green cardamom. Bracing acids give this single-vineyard Champagne great vinosity and back-end grip. Still quite young but rounding into shape.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/Krug.aspWS 96 (7/2007): Offers fine depth and complexity, showing aromas of coffee, mushroom and candied citrus. This is laserlike on the palate, focusing its citrus, honey and mineral flavors and corralling them to a long finish. Still a baby, with great length and potential. Best from 2010 through 2030. 817 cases made.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/Krug.asphttp://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/Lanson.aspWS 92 (5/1987): Elegantly focused flavors of apple, lemon and vanilla balanced with toastiness lift this one into the top range of non-vintage Champagnes. Stylish and beautifully made. Drink now.IWC 91+ (12/2000): Pale, green-tinged color. Vibrant, youthful aromas of lemon, fresh herbs and minerals, plus a hint of horseradish. Brisk, fine mousse. Quite backward in the mouth, but strong extract gives it a tactile feel. Solidly structured and dense, with firm but ripe acidity. Slight hint of banana. Seemed to grow longer as it opened in the glass.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/GuyLarmandier.aspIWC 93 (12/2008): Bright yellow with a strong bead. Toasty citrus and orchard fruit aromas are complemented by buttered toast, mineral and yeasty qualities. Fleshy pear and peach pit flavors are gently firmed by juicy acidity and pick up a note of floral honey with air. Brighter citrus notes gain volume on the spicy and impressively long finish. Delicious now, but I'd bet on this gaining complexity with another seven or so years of age. Incidentally, in September I drank a bottle of the 1990 Cuvee Angeline Brut that I bought on release, and it was superb: ready to drink but in no danger of falling apart.WA 89 (12/2008): Lassalle’s 2000 Premier Cru Cuvee Angeline is a powerful, tightly wound wine redolent of smoke, earthiness, menthol, apricots and licorice. Still quite fresh, this deceptively medium-bodied wine should continue to develop positively over the next few years. This bottle was disgorged on November 26, 2007. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2015.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/JLassalle.aspIWC 90+ (12/2000): Pale color. Fine mousse. Aromas of lime, apple, orange, clove, licorice, minerals and earth. Brisk, light, youthful and quite dry on the palate, with spice and orange peel flavors brightened by vibrant acidity. Finishes clean and long. Classy chardonnay, still quite young.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/RLLegras.aspIWC 90+ (12/2000): Pale color. Fine mousse. Aromas of lime, apple, orange, clove, licorice, minerals and earth. Brisk, light, youthful and quite dry on the palate, with spice and orange peel flavors brightened by vibrant acidity. Finishes clean and long. Classy chardonnay, still quite young.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/RLLegras.aspIWC 90+ (12/2000): Pale color. Fine mousse. Aromas of lime, apple, orange, clove, licorice, minerals and earth. Brisk, light, youthful and quite dry on the palate, with spice and orange peel flavors brightened by vibrant acidity. Finishes clean and long. Classy chardonnay, still quite young.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/RLLegras.aspWS 90 (11/2008): Lovely balance is the hallmark of this Champagne. It has richness backed by a vibrant structure that sets the stage for grapefruit, whole-grain bread and vanilla notes, with a nice crisp finish. Drink now through 2020. 1,100 cases made.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/HenriMandois.aspWS 90 (11/2008): A tight grain and moderate acidity keep this strawberry- and cherry-flavored bubbly focused. Well-balanced, with nice grip on the toasty finish. Drink now through 2010. 2,000 cases made.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/HenriMandois.aspIWC 97 (12/1999): Pale orange. Extraordinarily complex aromas of raspberry, strawberry, smoke, truffle, clove, Burgundian underbrush, brown butter, mint and game. Huge, rich and mouthfilling; glyceral and seamless, yet this dances on the palate. Intriguing minerally hint of gunsmoke. As complex as a great grand cru red Burgundy. Finish builds and builds. This has gained substantially in richness in the past year.WA 90 (12/2000): Mature, yet combines freshness with cinnamon, cherry, forest and mushroom flavors and a well-integrated, elegant structure and supple texture. Lovely lingering aftertaste of baking bread and mushroom. Firms up on the finish. Drink now through 2002.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/MoetChandon.aspMB **** (9/2000): An interesting pair of freshly disgorged botles: first, in September 1996, bottles disgorged the previous month: pale; excellent, lightly oaky-smoky bouquet; dry, crisp, refined. Very good. Next, a bottle disgorged in June 1998: very pale; very rich, smoky nose; sweet approach, dry farewell. Even at this age, a very distinct Pinot character.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/MoetChandon.aspWS 90 (10/1995): A steely, full-bodied and complete Champagne, showing a touch of honey, cedar, butter and spice. Has fruit and lime flavors, with a long finish.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/MoetChandon.aspWA 96 (2/1997): The profoundly rich 1990 Dom Perignon is a creamy-textured, full styled offering that loses none of its elegance in spite of its flavor authority. It will improve for 5-10 years, and appears capable of surpassing the fabulous 1985 and 1982. It seems obvious that the quality of the 1990 Champagne vintage is going to be remarkable, and the world-wide demand will be unprecedented. The message - buy them now!IWC 93+ (12/1998): Pale color. Youthful aromas of lemon, quince, pear, toast, spice, chalk and red berries. Big, sweet and seamless, if a bit clenched in the early going. A powerful, very young wine whose fruit builds slowly in the mouth and explodes on the finish. A charry note contributes to its complexity. Possesses amazing depth of fruit, but the high quality of this wine can most easily be seen today on the extraordinary finish. May ultimately merit a 95+ rating.WS 90 (12/1998): Fans of bold wine will love this Champagne. It's made in a full-bodied, assertive style that blends overt toasty, earthy aromas with bracing, dry fruit flavors and a robust but smooth texture. Drink now through 2003.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/MoetChandon.aspWA 92 (12/2002): This wine was recommended, but no tasting note was given.IWC 91 (12/2002): Complex nose combines citrus scents with chalk, toast, hazelnut and pine nut. Very dry, full and suave; a bright, brisk wine with really insinuating, subtle flavors. Ripe, racy and quite dry on the end, with lively acidity giving the wine excellent grip. There's nothing like Mesnil chardonnay.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/PierreMoncuit.aspIWC 91+ (12/2003): Aromas of baked bread, crystallized ginger and spices; showed a tart berry hint with aeration. Dense and brisk, with flavors of orange peel, apple and spices. Possesses a tight core of spicy fruit and considerable inner-mouth energy, but comes across as a bit youthfully disjointed today owing to slightly clenched acidity.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/PierreMoncuit.aspBH 90 (10/2007): An elegant and slightly yeasty nose that is quite fine and leads to detailed, intense, crisp and savory flavors that possess good richness and this does not thin out or stop short on the finish. Very solid quality at this level and it will certainly offer several years of in-bottle improvement if you enjoy aging nonvintage cuvées.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/BrunoPaillard.aspBH 90 (10/2007): An elegant and slightly yeasty nose that is quite fine and leads to detailed, intense, crisp and savory flavors that possess good richness and this does not thin out or stop short on the finish. Very solid quality at this level and it will certainly offer several years of in-bottle improvement if you enjoy aging nonvintage cuvées.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/BrunoPaillard.aspWS 92 (12/2008): A gentle, refined mousse sets the stage for bread dough, peach and citrus notes. It's round, yet bright and balanced, yielding to a chalklike feel on the finish. Really unfolds gracefully. Drink now through 2018. 200 cases imported.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/JosephPerrier.asphttp://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/Perrier-Jouet.aspBH 92 (10/2007): A mature nose features notes of moderate yeast influence, baked orange peel and hints of brioche set off against lush and round flavors that possess real depth and excellent length on the citrusy finish. For my taste, this has arrived at full maturity though it will certainly hold here for up to a decade. In sum, given the simply superb quality that Clos des Goisses routinely delivers, I would call the '97 a very good rather than exceptional vintage for it. Drink 2007+.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/Philipponat.aspBH 92 (10/2007): A mature nose features notes of moderate yeast influence, baked orange peel and hints of brioche set off against lush and round flavors that possess real depth and excellent length on the citrusy finish. For my taste, this has arrived at full maturity though it will certainly hold here for up to a decade. In sum, given the simply superb quality that Clos des Goisses routinely delivers, I would call the '97 a very good rather than exceptional vintage for it. Drink 2007+.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/Philipponnat.asphttp://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/Philipponnat.aspWS 88 (12/1997): Flavorful yet dry, with lean citrus accents, lively acidity and a crisp, almost austere finish. Still has a great mouthfilling mousse after all these years on the yeast. Drink now.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/PolRoger.aspWS 96 (12/2000): Power and intensity in a glass. Bold and full of bread dough and apple, with a marmalade note, married to a big, firm structure, it still seems youthful. A brilliant Champagne that should develop beautifully. Best from 2001 through 2010. 6,250 cases made.IWC 96 (12/2000): Deep, expressive aromas of nut skin, minerals and earth; this has developed markedly on the nose in the past year. Then extraordinarily powerful, thick and concentrated, with huge palate-saturating extract. Like a solid in the mouth, yet with this cuvee characteristic austerity. Offers superb complexity, strong balancing acids, and an almost painfully tactile back end.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/PolRoger.aspWA 98 (12/2005): One of the finest Champagnes I have ever brought to my lips, the 1999 Cristal bursts from the glass with fresh hazelnut and apple scents. Elegant, deep, and silky-textured, this medium to full-bodied beauty is immensely concentrated, pure, packed with apple flavors, and astoundingly long in the finish. Louis Roederer does not display a disgorgement date or consumer friendly lot number on its non-vintage Brut. This is regrettable as it has consistently been one of the finer bottlings in this category.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/LouisRoederer.aspWS 91 (12/1998): A vivid, lively, distinctive and robust Champagne with assertive flavors. Has toasty, earthy, nutty aromas, buttery flavors and a lemony finish. Drink now through 2000.IWC 88 (12/1998): Highly nuanced, rather exotic aromas of roasted coffee, smoked meat, bacon fat, herbs, earth, lemon and truffle. Alternately smells like great white Burgundy and sulfidey Kistler chardonnay. Fresh and dry in the mouth, but currently rather unforthcoming. Then the aromatic notes repeat on the long, dry, suave finish.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/Ruinart.aspWS 96 (11/2000): A laser beam. Beautifully focused, intense and densely flavored with lime, honey and chanterelles in butter. So rich it's almost too much, but the vibrant acidity keeps everything in check and driving through the long finish. Drink now through 2010. 700 cases imported.IWC 95 (12/2000): Multidimensional nose of lemon, apple, minerals, nut skin, mushroom, honey, toffee and coffee. Tiny bubbles. Powerful, rich and solid as a rock, with strong mineral underpinning. Great concentration and structure. Finishes with almost painful intensity and remarkable persistence. Extremely expressive on the nose, but still evolving in the middle palate and likely to be long-lived.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/Salon.aspWS 97 (11/2001): Brilliant stuff. Vinous, with a patina of nutty maturity offset by a citrus- and honeysuckle-tinged freshness, all embraced by a taut, silky structure. The best is the finish, a kaleidoscope of biscuit, fig and walnut that goes on and on. Drink now through 2004.IWC 93+ (12/2001): Rather deep copper color. Aromas of brown butter, toffee and walnut call to mind a dry oloroso sherry. Then large-scaled, rich, smooth and mouthfilling, with impressive concentration and a powerful impression of solidity. Shockingly fresh in the mouth following the mature aromas. In fact, this wine seemed to grow more vibrant as it opened in the glass. Finishes very rich and very long. This superrich vintage produced chardonnay with a tendency toward heaviness, but this wine is undeniably impressive.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/Salon.aspWS 95 (12/2007): A deep, vinous style, with understated power and grace. The lemon verbena, toast and honey aromas and flavors are propelled by the well-integrated structure and fine bubbles. There's just a hint of greenness, marking its youthful impetuosity. Has great length. Best from 2010 through 2030. 840 cases imported.IWC 95 (12/2006): Green-tinged gold. Incredibly complex, intense bouquet of smoky, leesy orange, pear, licorice, minerals and bitter quinine. The superconcentrated citrus, quince and pear liqueur flavors convey an almost painful impression of extract and positively explode across the palate. Elegant, poised and precise in a manner rare for a wine with such flavor intensity. The vibrant, minerally, extremely long finish simply doesn't let up. This should age effortlessly for a decade or two.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/Salon.aspWA 90 (2/1997): Taittinger's 1990 Brut may be the finest vintage Champagne I have tasted at this level for Taittinger (keep in mind that their luxury cuvee, Comtes de Champagnes, is not yet released). It seems obvious that the quality of the 1990 Champagne vintage is going to be remarkable, and the world-wide demand will be unprecedented. The message - buy them now!WS 90 (12/1998): A fresh and vibrant Champagne, with fresh dough aromas, bright lemon and butter flavors and a lively texture that seems to propel the flavors to a lingering finish. Delicious. Drink now through 2003.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/Taittinger.aspWA 90 (2/1997): Taittinger's 1990 Brut may be the finest vintage Champagne I have tasted at this level for Taittinger (keep in mind that their luxury cuvee, Comtes de Champagnes, is not yet released). It seems obvious that the quality of the 1990 Champagne vintage is going to be remarkable, and the world-wide demand will be unprecedented. The message - buy them now!WS 90 (11/1996): Quite elegant in texture, this is light and airy but has plenty of fruit flavors and complexity. Subtle and delicious in its combination of fruit and spice flavors. Drink now through 1999.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/Taittinger.asphttp://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/Taittinger.asphttp://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/JeanVesselle.aspMB ***** (6/1998): on New Year's day: pale gold; 'lovely fish scales' nose; fairly dry, full-bodied, lovely flavour, balance and acidity. In short, a good drink. Then, on 22 July 1996, prior to dinner at Christie's on Daphne's birthday, merely noted, appropriately, as 'refined, mature'. Most recently, at Ch de la Brede in Graves: pale for its age; rich, smoky nose. Perfect.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/VeuveClicquot.aspWS 90 (12/1990): Attractive fig, peach, toast and vanilla flavors are rich, deep and complex, with a smooth texture and a long, full finish that keeps echoing the fruitiness. Drink now through 1994. 98,000 cases made.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/VeuveClicquot.aspWS 90 (12/1990): Attractive fig, peach, toast and vanilla flavors are rich, deep and complex, with a smooth texture and a long, full finish that keeps echoing the fruitiness. Drink now through 1994. 98,000 cases made.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/VeuveClicquot.aspWA 95 (12/1994): No tasting note.WS 94 (12/1993): Like a wild horse. Tons of potential. It's extremely exuberant and lively. Full bodied with masses of lemon, toast and apple character. It shows great acidity and long finish.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/VeuveClicquot.aspIWC 96 (12/1999): Rich, multidimensional, highly aromatic nose of pear, red berries, apple, honey, toast and spice. Extremely rich and concentrated, with its medium to full body leavened by bright citrus notes and compelling minerality. Great inner-mouth aromas. Conveys an impression of powerful yet remarkably fine raw materials. The spicy finish offers exceptional persistence and richness. WA 95 (10/1998): I highly recommend the Veuve Clicquot 1990 La Grande Dame. It is exquisitely rich and accessible, yet bursting with potential.WS 90 (10/1999): Assertive and buttery style, dry and bold in flavor, but with the lively effervescence and toasty finish for balance. Drink now through 2002.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/VeuveClicquot.aspIWC 93+ (12/1999): Pale orange. Deep, vinous aromas of apple and pear, plus the faintest suggestion of currant. Big, rich, concentrated and very young, with pristine flavors thanks to excellent acidity for the vintage. Structured to develop slowly in bottle. Very long, slowly mounting finish hints at blackberry and currant. This is essentially Grande Dame to which a bit of red wine has been added. Only the second release for this wine, but it is already clear that this is one of the finest roses on the market.WS 88 (10/1999): A ripe-tasting, dry, full-bodied rosé with pronounced flavors and a lingering finish. Still lively and assertive. Drink now through 2002.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/VeuveClicquot.asp