NV Jacques Selosse, Initiale, Champagne

(Anselme Selosse)

100% Chardonnay

Dosage: around 5-6 g/l

Production: 33.000 bottles (2/3 of his entire production)

Vineyards location: Avize, Cramant and Oger (the lower part of the slopes)

Blend: 3 vintages

Time on it’s lees: 3 years

Disgorgement date: 18. January 2008

Glass: Spiegelau Adina “Red wine”

I was drinking Initiale yesterday. There is always some sort of excitement factor, when opening a bottle of Initiale - in terms of the disgorgement date, natural evolvement (which goes reasonable fast) to the huge bottle variations it holds. This bottle was served with Caesar salad, which is a very friendly Champagne matching dish (remember to sprinkle with lots of parmesan cheese flakes just before serving) – if; the Champagne holds some sort of nutty flavours and are not overly shy and completely shield in new born citrus fruits.

Intiale was perfect – its nose is terrific with dried baby banana, corn, malt, flowers, vanilla, lemon, honey and hazelnuts. On the palate it’s smooth – giving and pleasing. However, I was missing some sort of bite and it’s even more pronounced when I one hour later had the rest of the bottle (alone) without food, while watching James Bond seducing an outrageous good looking brunette in “Casino Royal”. While James ordered a bottle of Bollinger Grande Année from room service, I poured myself another glass of Initiale. Once again this pleasing nose, but on the palate it’s again not that challenging. Problem is that everything goes on in front of the mouth, where it moulds too much and never do you get a real sensation of minerals nor tallness from firm acidity. However – on a scale of laid back drinking, this is fairly good bubbly juice, simply because it delivers’ aromatic pleasure.