Jay Kline

9.4

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 2008 pours a straw color with a persistent mousse. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of passion fruit, green apple, marzipan, light brioche, lemon curd, and chalk for dayzzzz. On the palate, the wine is dry with high acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and textural; leezy. I’m smitten. Lovely stuff. Drink now through 2048. Disgorged April 2022. — 5 months 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. — 8 months 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. — a year ago

David Walser

9.5

What a delicious bottle of wine. I’m not remembering when or where I got this or the cost but I’m impressed with how well it has held up after 23 years. — a year ago

Christian Fischer

9.1

Very young. Still somewhat unstructured and tannins that need to mellow. But good potential. — 2 years ago

Manj Gunawardane

9.1

Rich but not over the top and not too revealing on the nose or palate. Tasty nonetheless. Maybe a little maturity to settle in. — 5 years ago

Peter Coulthard

8.9

Waitrose. Liked it. Fruity raisin taste after double aerating. Slightly drying aspect on the palate. Decent — 6 years ago

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. — 7 months 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. — 10 months ago

Billy L.

9.3

Celebrating John K. Selling Long Beach House! Cheers 🍾🥂👍🏻👏🏻 — a year ago

Anthony Ludwig

10

But again from club shipment — a year ago

Brendan Baker

9.2

Green apple and pear, salted lemon, baguette, med acid ✨ — 3 years ago

Jamie Lopez Arevalo

8.9

Blackberry and plum skin flavor, evidence of whole cluster with top notes of floral (lavender) and hints of camphor. — 6 years ago

Joe Wines

9.1

Super yummy — 6 years 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! — 7 months ago

Dave Hoffman

9.0

40% Pinot Noir; 40% Gamay; 10% Chardonnay — 7 months ago

Mark Osmers

9.1

Don’t brush off Merlot‘s. Especially if those Merlot’s are from Yountville, in Napa Valley. The climate in Yountville is particularly well-suited for grape growing. It sits in a sweet spot where it receives warm, sunny days perfect for ripening grapes, while cool evening breezes and fog from San Pablo Bay help too.
Let this wine open up and breathe for 2+ hours and you’ll be delighted with a similar complexity to a Cabernet, with Oakey notes and bright raspberry and plum flavors

An excellent choice from the same area as Stag Leap vineyards

Try it and tell me what you think — happy drinking! — 10 months ago

Jeremy Shanker

Sommelier at RN74

9.0

Good but a little too heavy on the malo for me — a year ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.0

Primarily Cabernet Sauvignon with small amounts (6%) of Merlot and Malbec blended in. Dark ruby color. Aromas of black cherry/currants, violets and toffee. The palate is also black fruit focused with additional flavors of chocolate, black licorice and black pepper. Touch of vanilla and fresh herbs on the medium length finish. The tannins have smoothed out and the acidity is quite bright. More medium bodied and subtly sweet. Easy drinker. — 2 years ago

Willie Carter

9.3

Well they’ve done it again. Who is they? Why Cédric Moussé and the Club Trésors de Champagne of course. Another superstar bottle from them.

A muted pale lemon color with an effusive stream of tiny bubbles. Aromas of honeyed almonds, peaches, and crushed herbs. Fresh cherries and apricots sparkle here. Toasty brioche bread and chalky minerality show after some time with green apples being quite dominant after receiving some air.

The Master of Meunier and here it shows. 100% Pinot Meunier from the village of Cuisles located in the Vallee de la Marne. This Special Club offering is from one plot of land, giving it its name, Les Fortes Terres. Disgorged on 10/21/19 with a dosage of 1 g/l, this is refreshingly stark with beautifully racy acidity.

Full bodied and bold on palate, the complexity and purity of the Meunier shines through. Butterscotch and apples start the party off with more cherries and citrus playing along. A nice long, dry finish. Vibrant and captivating. Moussé and Special Club champagnes never disappoint. — 5 years ago