Description
97 points James Suckling
"Very pronounced and wonderfully complex nose of persimmon, egg yolk, cinnamon, tarte tatin, caramel, mango pastry, apricot tart and spice box. The full-bodied palate feathers a fine line between sheer power, luscious dried fruit and laser-guided acidity. Very long and intense on the finish." (7/2019)
96 points Wine Spectator
"A voluptuous Champagne that entices with its lovely, lightly viscous texture and its fragrant thread of exotic spices that waft on the nose and wind through the palate. Shows impeccable balance, with a lithe spine of acidity providing focus and definition for the opulent range of blackberry coulis, kumquat and passion fruit, with notes of coffee liqueur, roasted nut and honeycomb. (AN) "(11/2021)
95 points Decanter
"Lovely intense and invitingly rich baked bread aromas lead to a very dry, ripe, rich and powerful palate. Oxidative, fat and autolytic, it has a savoury and honeyed character that's both exotic and hedonistic. There's good mineral acidity to keep the show firmly on the road, but it's not the main component here, and it shows fabulous length on the finish. Definitely a fizz for food. (JS)"(11/2018)
94 points John Gilman
"The October 2014 disgorgement of Brut Initial is from the base year of 2008, with 2007 and 2006 juice comprising the remainder of the blend. This is a beautifully classic and refined example, soaring from the glass in a pure and youthful aromatic blend of pear, white peach, chalky soil tones, a touch of tangerine, spring flowers and vanillin oak. This is very floral in personality, but not as exotically musky as the 2009 version. On the palate the wine is pure class, with its full-bodied and seamless format presenting excellent depth at the core, refined, pinpoint bubbles, lovely focus and nascent complexity and a very long, minerally and elegant finish. This is very, very easy to drink today, but again, patience will be rewarded with an even more beautiful bottle! "(7/2019)
94 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
"Disgorged in May 2021, the latest rendition of Selosse's NV Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Initial is showing beautifully, unwinding in the glass with aromas of pear, dried fruits, confit lemon, fenugreek, fresh bread and toasted almonds. Full-bodied, vinous and complex, it's a rich, fleshy Champagne that's underpinned by bright acids and complemented by a pinpoint mousse, concluding with a long, sapid finish. As usual, this bottling derives from the lower-altitude slopes of Avize, Cramant and Oger, where the soils are richer in clay and yields are higher when compared with the vineyards that inform V. O. (WK) Inner quote mark (1/2022)
94 points Vinous
"The NV Initial, a blend of vintages 2015, 2014 and 2013, is quite powerful and vinous. Orange peel, lemon confit, hazelnut, chamomile, licorice and dried flowers are all amplified in this dramatic, large-scaled edition of Initial. What a way to start this tasting! Disgorged: May 12, 2021. (AG) " (12/2021)
Jancis Robinson
"Blend of Avize, Cramant and Oger. 100% Chardonnay. Three consecutive years 2011–2013. 5 years on lees approximately. Wild yeasts. Dosage 5g/l. Deep golden straw. Very distinctively savoury on the nose – broad like a bold (not modern and austere) white burgundy. Hits the very back of the palate with umami and Marmite. Real weight and real length to this. Tastes bone dry but not painful. (JR) " (6/2019)
"Very pronounced and wonderfully complex nose of persimmon, egg yolk, cinnamon, tarte tatin, caramel, mango pastry, apricot tart and spice box. The full-bodied palate feathers a fine line between sheer power, luscious dried fruit and laser-guided acidity. Very long and intense on the finish." (7/2019)
96 points Wine Spectator
"A voluptuous Champagne that entices with its lovely, lightly viscous texture and its fragrant thread of exotic spices that waft on the nose and wind through the palate. Shows impeccable balance, with a lithe spine of acidity providing focus and definition for the opulent range of blackberry coulis, kumquat and passion fruit, with notes of coffee liqueur, roasted nut and honeycomb. (AN) "(11/2021)
95 points Decanter
"Lovely intense and invitingly rich baked bread aromas lead to a very dry, ripe, rich and powerful palate. Oxidative, fat and autolytic, it has a savoury and honeyed character that's both exotic and hedonistic. There's good mineral acidity to keep the show firmly on the road, but it's not the main component here, and it shows fabulous length on the finish. Definitely a fizz for food. (JS)"(11/2018)
94 points John Gilman
"The October 2014 disgorgement of Brut Initial is from the base year of 2008, with 2007 and 2006 juice comprising the remainder of the blend. This is a beautifully classic and refined example, soaring from the glass in a pure and youthful aromatic blend of pear, white peach, chalky soil tones, a touch of tangerine, spring flowers and vanillin oak. This is very floral in personality, but not as exotically musky as the 2009 version. On the palate the wine is pure class, with its full-bodied and seamless format presenting excellent depth at the core, refined, pinpoint bubbles, lovely focus and nascent complexity and a very long, minerally and elegant finish. This is very, very easy to drink today, but again, patience will be rewarded with an even more beautiful bottle! "(7/2019)
94 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
"Disgorged in May 2021, the latest rendition of Selosse's NV Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Initial is showing beautifully, unwinding in the glass with aromas of pear, dried fruits, confit lemon, fenugreek, fresh bread and toasted almonds. Full-bodied, vinous and complex, it's a rich, fleshy Champagne that's underpinned by bright acids and complemented by a pinpoint mousse, concluding with a long, sapid finish. As usual, this bottling derives from the lower-altitude slopes of Avize, Cramant and Oger, where the soils are richer in clay and yields are higher when compared with the vineyards that inform V. O. (WK) Inner quote mark (1/2022)
94 points Vinous
"The NV Initial, a blend of vintages 2015, 2014 and 2013, is quite powerful and vinous. Orange peel, lemon confit, hazelnut, chamomile, licorice and dried flowers are all amplified in this dramatic, large-scaled edition of Initial. What a way to start this tasting! Disgorged: May 12, 2021. (AG) " (12/2021)
Jancis Robinson
"Blend of Avize, Cramant and Oger. 100% Chardonnay. Three consecutive years 2011–2013. 5 years on lees approximately. Wild yeasts. Dosage 5g/l. Deep golden straw. Very distinctively savoury on the nose – broad like a bold (not modern and austere) white burgundy. Hits the very back of the palate with umami and Marmite. Real weight and real length to this. Tastes bone dry but not painful. (JR) " (6/2019)