WTN: Selosse Initiale (Grand Cru B de B)

[Jenise]

Until last Friday, the only Selosse sparklers I've had were the basic entry level wines, which really aren't that basic at all. The occasion was dinner with friends in Los Angeles, the same friends who, about 20 years ago, gasped when I volunteered to pay around $40 for a basic Selosse in Houston, where they lived at the time, promising them "Just wait, you'll see, it's THAT good." Well, they did all right: as soon as we finished that bottle we piled into their tiny Geo like a bunch of clowns in a parade and shot across town to relieve the retailer of his remaining stock. After all this time, they didn't remember the name on the bottle, but they remembered that night and so were delighted when I produced this bottle to open our evening with. I bought it on Winebid about six months ago for $130, an insane amount of money I'm not in the habit of spending but curiosity and the chance to splurge on something with a meaningful past to share with our dearest and oldest friends won out. But my price sounds like a bargain now, as Winebid has some listed at $165 and the lowest price in the U.S. per Winesearcher is $155. Most sell around $180.

The 'Initiale' is one of three or four higher end bottlings Selosse makes but I don't know what the differences are between them--only that this is the more common of the bunch. But it sure isn't common in the mouth. Disgorged in 2007, there was quite a bit of oak on the nose but before we could start worrying about that, we sipped the wine which I have to say was one of the most intense champagnes I've ever tasted. Only a few Salons and a bottle of that super rare $300+ Bollinger come close in my memory. There's lemon curd and apple cider and all kinds of good flavors here, but the wine is riveting less because of the flavors than because of the maximalist depth and concentration as well as the sophisticated persistence and quality of the pin-prick bubbles that landed on one's tongue about a thousand at a time. Or so it felt.

So yeah it costs a bunch but wow, you can taste every penny of it.

[David M. Bueker]

I've had three different high end Selosse bottlings, and while they are very, very well made, I just don't get the excitement. Glad you enjoyed it.

I've had really good bottles of this and a couple that are more 'meh.' $150 is about right, if you get lucky.

For my money, though, Taittinger CdC is the best Champagne out there, edging out Krug in most years (the 1996 being an exception). I love Salon, too, but it is an entirely different wine, and has gotten insanely expensive with the 2005 vintage.

[Jenise]

Jim, Peter Liem said on his blog that he too has run into a lot of variation with this bottling, but only described in detail a good bottle (same disgorgement date as mine) and not what was wrong about the lesser bottles. Would be a bummer to spend that kind of dough and be disappointed, though of course it happens occasionally with all wine. Speaking of disappointment, on tasting this John and Annabelle bemoaned the bottles of 04 Cristal they purchased to celebrate John's mother's 90th with recently. Those were nowhere near as spectacular as this Selosse, and the other celebrants it turned out would have just as soon drunk beer. I've never had the Taitt--must amend this hole in my experience!

[David M. Bueker]

The oxidative style seems to be prone to more variation. Some bottles just go too far.

I really enjoy the Selosse that I've had (Substance, rose', La Cote Faron), which isn't this bottle yet (but there is a lone bottle in my cellar).

[Jenise]

I really enjoy the Selosse that I've had (Substance, rose', La Cote Faron), which isn't this bottle yet (but there is a lone bottle in my cellar).

You found me.

ha! Only because I was doing inventory adjustments whilest reading WLDG.