Jacques Selosse Lieux-dits "Mareuil-sur-Ay Sous le Mont" Grand Cru Extra Brut Champagne

This wine had only been disgorged five weeks before my visit to the cellars in spring of 2014, so I have scored it in a range, as it was still difficult to see if it was only going to be stellar, or if its destiny was even higher! This bottling from the Sous Le Mont vineyard was from the base year of 2007, and as the first release of this was from 2003, it means that its reserve “solera” now has four vintages with which to work. Readers may recall from last year’s notes on the domaine, the vineyard lies in the village of Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, on the same hillside as Clos des Goisses, with Sous Le Mont on the east-facing side of the hill, where it receives the morning sun. There is a strong vein of magnesium in the soil here, which lends a nice sense of youthful reserve to the wine and, to Monsieur Selosse’s mind, truly defines this terroir. The superb and youthful nose offers up scents of white cherries, apple, plenty of smokiness, a great base of chalky minerality and gentle notes of bread dough in the upper register. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and nascently complex, with a lovey core, great mineral drive, elegant mousse and stunning length and grip on the focused and racy finish. This is going to be great wine! (Drink between 2017-2035) 95-96+