Very hot summer. Very crisp, powerful and refreshing nose with quite a bit of development. Almost aggressively bracing. There's a hint of ginger here and then a bone dry finish. This wine is really very intellectual as opposed to hedonistic. At the moment there is an almost astringent note on the end. Great nose; hard work on the palate. - JR
JR18
The 1998 Blanc de Blancs Clos du Mesnil has developed beautifully since I last tasted it. What a wine. For the first few years of its life, the 1998 seemed to lack personality, then, suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, it blossomed. Today, the 1998 is rich, powerful and explosive, none of which was a few years ago. Layers of textured fruit, pastry, spices and crushed rocks jump from the glass. Still an infant, the 1998 promises to drink well for two to three decades. This is without question the best bottle of the 1998 I have ever tasted. Time to do another complete vertical? - VM
VM97+