- 97 Points - Wine Spectator
- 96 Points - Wine Enthusiast
- 96 Points - Decanter
- The 11th time made in over 4 decades
- Only 2,000 cases imported
- 2008 = All-Time Greatest Vintage in Champagne
This tete de cuvée is only made only made in years when weather conditions are considered perfect for what their cellarmaster Regis Camus calls 'an extraordinary cuvée', when the grapes receive enough heat to become truly lush. The first Rare vintage was made in 1976 after an incredibly intense heatwave. Since then, there have only been 10 more Rare cuvées: 1979, 1985, 1988, 1990, 1998, 1999, 2002 and 2006, 2007 (their first-ever rosé) and this long-awaited 2008 release offered today.
Rare cuvées can contain up to 17 crus, from some of the best sites throughout the Champagne region. The blends can be different from one vintage to another, too: their Cellar Master blends among the different crus just like an artist would use different colors in his painting palette. The style remains the same but the components will change according to the vintage.
We've done several wine dinners and tastings over the years featuring 1988-2007 vintages. Everyone was always blown away — so much so, that an attendee served the magnum release of 1998 at his wedding.
In case you haven't heard yet, 2008 was a phenomenally great vintage for Champagne, as you can see in this quote from Antonio Galloni:
"The 2008s are racy, energetic and tense, in the style of cool years like 1996, but with more fruit depth and less austerity. At the top end, the finest 2008 Champagnes are viscerally thrilling, chiseled wines that will soon be recognized as modern-day icons. Temperatures were never too hot during the summer and ripening was gradual. 2008 is a year with high acidity, approaching 10% in some cases, and also high potential natural alcohol (because of the improved weather in September), a combination that yielded vibrant, crystalline Champagnes. Of course wine is much more complex than numbers alone, but the first 2008s I have tasted point to an exceptional, and perhaps even legendary, vintage."
From Tom Stevenson (co-author of the Christie’s World Encyclopedia of Champagne & Sparkling Wine and founder of the Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships):
“2008 is one of the greatest champagne vintages of my lifetime...So fine and focused, unbelievably long, with great precision, purity and intensity, yet barely perceptible weight.”
Alastair Woolmer of Farr Vintners had this to say:
“From what I have seen so far, 2008 is the best young champagne vintage I have ever tasted...The 2008s have a very similar energy and intensity to the great 1996s, but with arguably better balance and more consistency. It could well prove to be the best champagne vintage since 1988.”
Most of the important 2008s have been completely sold out for years by now.
We have only an extremely limited allocation of this epic 2008.
Lightly honeyed and silky on the palate, this finely balanced Champagne offers a layered palate of poached pear, almond financier, smoky mineral and candied kumquat and ginger. A seamless, mouthwatering version that I guarantee will have you addicted and scrambling back for more.
Cheers,
—James Tran
