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ProducerJacques Selosse
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Vintage2007
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Grape VarietyChardonnay
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RegionChampagne
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SizeBottle
Anselme Selosse’s ancestors have been growing grapes in Avize for centuries, but it was not until 1959 that his father, Jacques, became the first in the family to produce and sell his own Champagne. That first vintage yielded just 2,500 bottles because Jacques Selosse hedged his bets by continuing to sell virtually all of his grapes. After obtaining a BTS degree in viticulture and enology at Beaune, Anselme Selosse took over from his father, who was by then producing 12,000 bottles per year but was still selling the majority of the crop as grapes to Lanson.
Anselme continued to make Champagne like his father, but confesses, “I did not consume my wines. Then in 1976, my third year of winemaking, I was confronted with a great drought. I said to myself that the grapes were so ripe, I must produce less foam — just a half-mousse. So I put in less sugar, and by doing this I realized I had changed my approach. I discovered freedom.” Since that epiphany, Anselme Selosse has been revered as a Champagne visionary by some and deemed as mad as a hatter by others. He is definitely eccentric, undeniably charismatic and overtly opinionated.
97 Points Antonio Galloni
The 2007 Extra-Brut Millesime Grand Cru represents a major stylistic and generational shift at Selosse, as it is the first vintage Champagne Guillaume Selosse made with a vision of using the best parcels across the entire estate, rather than focusing on the best lieu-dits in Avize, as his father did. The 2007 is powerful, ample and resonant, with plenty of textural intensity from the 30% Pinot in the blend. Beautifully balanced, with striking transparency as well as nuance, the 2007 is a total knock-out. Dosage is 2 grams per liter.