Clay Bullwinkel

9.7

One of the best Italian wines by one of the best ever Italian wine makers, the recently passed giant of the craft, Emidio Pepe. Heavenly rich with southern Italian orchard fruit, herbs, honey. — a month ago

David Walser

9.3

Tasting nice at year 10. Last bottle. — a year ago

Lee Pitofsky

9.8

(Disgorged 1/19)- Always my favorite of the Lieux-Dits and without question one of the very best Blanc de Blancs Champagnes on the planet, it’s stunning tonight, rich, powerful and intense with crazy depth to its layers, unfurling in a Burgundy glass to reveal its complex core of rich orchard fruit, roasted nuts, gun smoke, old rum barrels and candied white flowers, all with seamless integration and balance. The palate is generous and detailed, with racy acids, waves of saline laced chalky Le Mesnil minerals and a finish that just keeps going. For me, the BdB benchmark. — 3 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.4

Tasted blind. Light gold color. Fruit forward nose, almost tropical. Notes of green apple and orchard fruits, wet river stone, apricot, white flowers. Notably younger in its evolution than the first two bottles today, with a slightly lower heaviness and depth. I go with a guess of 2000 Leflaive Pucelles. Nice to see a young 02 Leflaive sans premox, with a lot of upside in front of it. 94+ — 4 years ago

Ming L

9.2

Aromas of blackcurrant, blueberry, cassis, licorice, dried herbs, and espresso. The palate, riding on the medium to full body, is round and lively with delicious ripe black fruits and juicy acidity.
Enjoyable now, and will have at least a decade ahead. — 4 years ago

Esther Garcia

9.8

Hazelnuts, orchard fruits.
Spices, complex. — 5 years ago

Oliver N

9.2

Orchard fruit, canned pineapple, ginger, zippy acidity, kinda funky and minerally. Delicious! — 6 years ago

Todd Anderson

9.2

The '05 vintage has aged well and this is drinking lovely, but it's time to drink up. Enjoy! — 5 months ago

Andrew McIntyre

9.3

Can only repeat the comments here of orchard fruit and luxurious perlage. Have wanted to drink one of these for years and felt it perhaps didnt live up to the hype. For the money there are much better Champagnes — a year ago

Lee Pitofsky

9.7

Even more giving than the last time I had 17 nearly one year ago, it’s rocking right off the bat tonight showing tremendous power and intensity in its layers of clean orchard fruit, crushed oyster shells, savory algae and citrus blossoms. It’s so concentrated, detailed and laser focused and it continued to evolve texturally, gaining so much weight and expanding on the palate before a finish that just keeps going. Simply electric, and one of the absolute greats of the vintage. — 3 years ago

David Shaw

9.2

Last bottle of the 2020 vintage, 130 cases made. Orange with a hint of pink, excellent clarity. Floral and stone fruit aromas, subtle. Lactic, citrus and subdued orchard fruit flavor. Some skin astringency on finish but less than you would expect after a 72 cold soak before fermentation in used wood. An orange wine with finesse, or at least a light touch. Refreshing — 4 years ago

Winton Sweum

9.5

Straw with green hints; orchard fruit and mineral from a somewhat quiet nose; the mouth is lush, silky and saline, this is intense and delicious. Some spiciness came with time. Expecting still more to follow from this excellent bottle. — 4 years ago

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9.2

Light chartreuse. Expressive, mineral-accented citrus and orchard fruit aromas are complemented by subtle floral and herb notes. Penetrating Meyer lemon, pear, honeysuckle and ginger flavors take a turn to deeper peach and melon with air. Conveys depth but comes off lithe, finishing with sharp definition and resonating floral and mineral flourishes. (Josh Raynolds, Vinous, June 2021)
— 5 years ago

Chris

9.2

Lovely Riesling from Alsace with apple and other fruits from the orchard, crisp and dry. Beautiful day here. — 6 years ago

Winton Sweum

9.6

Yellow straw with a green tinge; nose is very giving of ripe orchard fruit, white flowers, oranges, almond and limestone; palate is ripe and zesty, nicely grippy, sapid, and even a little Burgundian while finishing with saline minerality. At L’Angolo Divino wine bar, Rome. — 6 months ago

Ivor

9.1

Intense white with a wide profile ranging from intense orchard fruits through nuttiness ending in a minty mineral finish. Good acidity as well. Time brought some more complexity but this one van go on for several more years. — 2 years ago

Lee Pitofsky

9.4

The first couple times I tried 08 I was definitely too quick to judge. It needs a ton of air, and it’s different from the rich, oxidative, nutty house style of the past, particularly the warm and ultra forward 2006, the previous release. 2008 is indeed young, tightly wound with a pulsating core of energy.

The first glass offers very little. Subdued, austere and youthfully reserved. But ensuing pours eventually unleash its core of powerful clean orchard fruit, coffee bean and grilled nuts. On the palate it continues to become so much more textural with crazy gains in weight, depth and fruit intensity as the night goes on. It really fills the mouth, saturating the palate with a satin-like texture, ripping citrusy acids and saline laced minerals that follow deep into its finish. Enjoyable now with enough air (needs 2 hours), but no doubt one to hold. To live forever. — 4 years ago

Lee Pitofsky

9.5

Albeit young, 2008 Cristal is drinking very well at this point in time, even if unsurprisingly not yet showing all that it can be. Drank solo over the course of 3 hours in a Burgundy glass, it had plenty of time to evolve and express. 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, 08 Cristal flaunts a gorgeous bouquet of fresh white flowers, yellow orchard fruit, baking spice, vanilla bean and crushed seashells. The palate is searingly intense with ripping citrusy acids, incredible elegance and pin point precision in its delivery before giving way to a saline and mineral infused finish that just keeps going. Again, very young, no doubt, and while already terrific, it’s easy to see what the fuss is about and how special the vintage will be down the road. But in my opinion there’s no harm in drinking now if you accept and enjoy the stage it will be in. — 4 years ago

Charlie Tapp

9.5

Yeast, honey, walnuts and orchard fruit. — 5 years ago

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9.0

This captivating Pecorino shows a bouquet of candied ginger with dusty florals, wild herbs, incense and crushed green apple. Silky and rich, yet balanced by stimulating acids and mineral-tinged orchard fruits, it tapers off spicy with a hint of sour melon that keeps the palate wanting more. $22.00 (Eric Guido, Vinous, April 2021) — 5 years ago