James Suckling (99)

An extraordinary champagne experience that you’ll never forget! Tons of white chocolate on the savory nose pulls you into this concentrated and chalky champagne with rich candied citrus and mirabelle fruit. So much oily umami complexity right through the huge breathtakingly vivid finish. Just 10% of each vintage of Cristal gets the extra years of aging for release as Vinotheque. Tasted at the Cristal vertical tasting at the champagne house on July 6th, 2023. Drink or hold.

Wine Advocate (96)

The 2000 Cristal Rosé Vinothèque is similarly striking, soaring from the glass with notes of confit orange and stone fruit mingled with honeycomb, freshly baked bread and subtle hints of fresh field mushrooms. Full-bodied, vinous and multidimensional, it's ample and layered, with a concentrated core of fruit, lively acids and a long, sapid finish. It's a remarkable wine in its prime today.

James Suckling (95)

This is a cool, mineral and even austere white, showing notes of apricot stones, chalk, wet clay, white ash, grapefruit and sandalwood. It’s medium-bodied, sharp and alert, with spiciness and tension. Chardonnay from lieu-dit Volibarts in Le Mesnil-Sur-Oger. Mostly vinified in ceramic with 25% in new oak. Better from 2024.

Vinous (93)

The 2018 Camille Hommage Le Mesnil-sur-Oger is sourced from Volibarts, a well-exposed parcel in Mesnil that informed the 1961, the last Coteaux Champenois made at Roederer. It was aged in a combination of 60% amphora, 20% new oak and 20% steel. Lemon confit, almond, dried flowers and tropical accents fill out the layers effortlessly. It will drink well right out of the gate.

James Suckling (97)

So expressive on the nose, with cedar, dried lemon, praline, flint, chalk, grapefruit, white apricot and peach stone. So intense. Sharp, but creamy, with beautiful density and a compact mid-palate, yet elegant and refined. Medium body. Crazy length. Chardonnay from Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. 1,665 bottles made. Try from 2023.

Decanter (98)

A most subtle hint of toastiness is expressed as grilled hazelnut on the rather shy nose. Later on, a hint of crushed lemon balm adds to the citric aroma. The palate has a vivid mousse that carries very bright, vibrant lemon notes to the nose, backed and supported by a chalky depth. That line of acidity is luminous, scented, pure, lasting and rather linear, but it is balanced by notions of riper fruit, ripe Mirabelle plum, even apricot. There is something saline, long, absolutely citrus-focused here; exquisite. There is just so much fruit, which is always framed by citrus. Exquisitely long. Tasted from magnum.

Decanter (97)

A touch of Mirabelle plum is framed by strident lemon on the nose. Smoky echoes seem to appear with more air, alongside freshly picked chestnut mushrooms. Later on, there is a real note of honey. The palate is bundled in its lemon expression: pure, heightened, linear, alive with lemon zest, almost like freshly squeezed Amalfi lemon juice tempering ripe Mirabelle plums. Yet there are shadows of grilled nuts, of deep chalk, of subtle smokiness - the bubbles still burst, carrying all these flavours. The finish presents a lovely note of peppery rye crumb. A very complex and compelling wine. You want to go back because every time you do, new things happen. Wow. Tasted from magnum.

Decanter (97)

A touch of Mirabelle plum is framed by strident lemon on the nose. Smoky echoes seem to appear with more air, alongside freshly picked chestnut mushrooms. Later on, there is a real note of honey. The palate is bundled in its lemon expression: pure, heightened, linear, alive with lemon zest, almost like freshly squeezed Amalfi lemon juice tempering ripe Mirabelle plums. Yet there are shadows of grilled nuts, of deep chalk, of subtle smokiness - the bubbles still burst, carrying all these flavours. The finish presents a lovely note of peppery rye crumb. A very complex and compelling wine. You want to go back because every time you do, new things happen. Wow. Tasted from magnum.

Decanter (97)

The merest touch of caramel pops up on the nose – or is it a tone of apple with a touch of maple syrup? Later on, lovely smokiness sets a reductive accent. The palate has a very textural presence, a very lively mousse, almost urgent and certainly vivid. That textural element is also expressed in flavours of wet chalk, countering bright lemon and being complemented by rounded ripeness of fruit. The lemony length is endless, mouthwatering, with an edge that is reminiscent of apricot or Mirabelle plum skin, underlining the mouthfeel before that lemon zestiness takes over again on the long finish. Tasted from magnum.

Decanter (97)

The merest touch of caramel pops up on the nose – or is it a tone of apple with a touch of maple syrup? Later on, lovely smokiness sets a reductive accent. The palate has a very textural presence, a very lively mousse, almost urgent and certainly vivid. That textural element is also expressed in flavours of wet chalk, countering bright lemon and being complemented by rounded ripeness of fruit. The lemony length is endless, mouthwatering, with an edge that is reminiscent of apricot or Mirabelle plum skin, underlining the mouthfeel before that lemon zestiness takes over again on the long finish. Tasted from magnum.

James Suckling (96)

Just over two-thirds pinot noir (Verzenay) and the balance southeast-facing chardonnay from Chouilly. This has 30% of oak fermentation which has compressed the wine, lending it an air of extreme concentration. The nose is gently spicy, offering peaches and cherries as well as neat autolysis edge. The palate has a powerful, long and assertive feel, with peach and lemon pith, chalky minerals, and some grapefruit. A powerful vintage for Roederer.

Wine Advocate (95)

Roederer's newly released 2013 Brut Vintage is showing brilliantly, unwinding in the glass with a youthfully reserved but incipiently complex bouquet of crisp yellow orchard fruit, citrus zest, fresh bread and honeycomb. Medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, this is a tightly coiled, elegantly muscular Champagne, its layered core of fruit built around an incisive spine of acidity. Seamless and complete, this is an over-performing vintage that puts many prestige cuvées to shame. Built to age, it will reward patience.

James Suckling (95)

Round and creamy, yet bright and tangy, with delicious pie crust, walnuts, lemons, sourdough, white peaches and apricot stones. More gourmand, with a creamy mousse. Lingering praline and pastry notes. Pinot noir and chardonnay. Drink or hold.

Indulge in the exquisite Marie Noelle Ledru Brut Grand Cru Millesime 2010, a distinct, luxurious champagne showcasing the impeccable craftsmanship of Marie Noelle Ledru. Cultivated in the revered vineyards of Ambonnay, a prime region in Champagne, France, each bottle encapsulates the essence of the terroir.

This prestigious cuvée is made from 100% Pinot Noir, meticulously hand-picked and vinified using traditional methods. With its splendid balance of freshness and complexity, the 2010 vintage incapsulates the year's idyllic conditions. The genius of Ledru, a champion of manual processes and organic principles, is demonstrated in this spectacular vintage.

The Marie Noelle Ledru Brut Grand Cru Millesime 2010 teases the senses with intricate notes of ripe fruits, toasted almonds and a hint of brioche. On the palate, it unfolds in layers of deep, vibrant flavours, culminating in a persistent, minerally finish. A radiant testament to the allure of champagne, it's truly an epicure's delight.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (90)

The NV Brut Grand Cru is a fine introduction to the Marie-Nöelle Ledru house style, a Champagne with plenty of the resonance and breadth that are such signatures of the Pinot-Noir-driven wines from Ambonnay.

An exquisite product of the Champagne region, the Marie Noelle Ledru Grand Cru Cuvee Goulte Blanc Noirs Brut 2007 is a testament to the unique mastery of its revered producer. One of the few female vignerons in the region, Marie Noelle Ledru meticulously cultivates a small set of vineyards, applying traditional and sustainable practices.

Crafted solely from dark-skinned Pinot Noir grapes, this Blanc de Noirs champagne imbues a golden clarity. The wine exemplifies the terroir with its expressive aromas and flavours. Raspberry and apple notes softened by brioche undertones result from its meticulous méthode champenoise. Fermented in oak, the wine spends an impressive 9 years on lees before disgorging. Its remarkable complexity and depth are reflections of this extended maturation.

A testament to the elegance of Ledru's style, the Marie Noelle Ledru Grand Cru Cuvee Goulte Blanc Noirs Brut 2007 personifies both power and grace, offering a distinctive and rewarding gustatory experience.

Jancis Robinson (17)

Grand Cru Ambonnay. Originally had 6 ha, now only 1.8 ha as she heads for retirement. Lovely developed nose, as though it were older than 2010. Very nervy and refreshing. Perhaps not the tightest texture.