Gosset Grande Reserve Magnum 1.5L, Champagne

Grande Réserve is the key focus of Gosset, progressively growing in volume to overtake Brut Excellence, and the first priority for fruit allocation before vintage cuvées. It represents a blend of 50 villages, all vinified separately, with reserves built both from single years and from the full blend of the previous year, in what Mareigner likened to ‘a partial solera system’. This cuvée has been aged nine months longer than in the past, which he suggests is very important.

The tension and energy of Grande Réserve are on full display, filled with crunchy, exact red gala apple, lemon and even a hint of fennel. Power meets tension in a celebration of impressive fruit sources, showcasing their pedigree in depth and tension, blessed with all the toasted brioche and spice of long bottle age, illuminated by bright malic vitality and Gosset’s signature of prominent, gently rolling, fine chalk mineral finesse. A very fine mousse wraps around a spine of magnificent, ripe yet confident malic acidity. Chalk minerality is heightened to profound levels, lingering very long with frothing salt mineral texture. Every detail lingers with generous length and accurate line. This is a Grande Réserve of great precision, harmony and persistence.

95 points Tyson Stelzer tysonstelzer.com