Camille Savès Brut Champagne Carte Blanche 1er Cru NV

92 points Tyson Stelzer (The Champagne Guide): "(disgorged November 2013; 75% pinot noir and 25% chardonnay from Ambonnay, Bouzy, Tours-sur-Marne, Tauxières-Mury; 2009 base with 2008 reserves; 9-10g/L dosage). Hervé Savès calls Bouzy 'the Chambertin of Champagne', and to temper its strength and dominance he adds a touch of chardonnay to his entry blend. The result is a beautifully pure and focused expression of some of Champagne's most powerful villages. Pretty lemon, red berry and red cherry fruits are accented with a note of wild tomato, culminating in a crescendo of pronounced, fine chalk minerality and tightly defined malic acidity. (2016-2017)"

92 points Allen Meadows (Burghound): "(a blend of 75% pinot noir and the balance in chardonnay). A beautifully complex nose displays discreet yeast hints that add nuance to the ripe pear, apple and floral aromas. There is equally good depth to the overtly effervescent and utterly delicious flavors that possess excellent intensity and fine length. I very much like this as it offers both vivid character and plenty of personality on the clean, dry and quite crisp finish. While this could certainly be aged to good effect, it’s already so good that it’s hard to keep from opening Champagne like this often. With that duly noted, I would suggest acquiring a case and opening a few bottles each year over the next 5 or so. Note that this is materially better than the same cuvée reviewed in Issue 28. Drink: now+. (Jan 2012)"

91 points Wine Spectator: "[$55 list] Delicate, fresh and floral, this displays fine balance and good verve to the mouthwatering acidity, backed by flavors of white cherry, fresh ginger, lemon sorbet and apple. Disgorged February 2013. Drink now through 2018. (12/15/13)"

91+ points John Gilman (View From the Cellar): "As is customary with this cuvée, the wine is a blend from the villages of Bouzy, Ambonnay, Tours-sur-Marne and Tauxières, with the latter village only entitled to premier cru status, so that is the reason this fine bottling is ranked as a premier cru (despite the inclusion of seventy-five percent grand cru grapes in the blend). The cépages is seventy-five percent pinot noir (from the grand cru villages) and twenty-five percent chardonnay from Tauxières, with the wine aged three years on the lees and receiving a dosage of nine grams per liter. Sixty percent of the blend is from the 2008 vintage in this release, with the balance from the previous vintage. The wine offers up a superb nose of apple, quince, bread dough, a complex base of chalky soil tones and a nice topnote of spring flowers. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and beautifully delineated, with a fine core, crisp acids, lovely focus and balance, delicate mousse and fine grip on the long and classy finish. I have always loved this bottling and the new label only makes the wine even more aesthetically appealing. 2013-2025+. (Jul/Aug 2013)"

91 points Fine Wine Review: "Savès is a small producer who has been gathering a following in recent years. He is located in Bouzy, prime Pinot Noir country, and indeed, this cuvée is 75% Pinot Noir (from grand cru vineyards) and 25% Chardonnay from premier cru vineyards. This is relatively big, barrel-fermented wine with toasty and yeasty aromas and real presence on the palate. Interestingly, with time, pure raspberry fruit develops on the palate. I prefer blanc des blancs for aperitif, but this wine can serve for that purpose, too, and should be excellent for a meal. (Issue #126; 2009)"

90 points Roger Voss (Wine Enthusiast): "The nonvintage cuvée from this producer is gently textured with a fine pure line of acidity set against the citrus and white fruit flavors. The Champagne is dominated by Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims, giving great freshness and texture. Drink now. (Aug/Sep 2022)"

Peter Liem (ChampagneGuide.net): "Made of 3/4 pinot noir and 1/4 chardonnay, this cuvée represents roughly 55% of the estate’s production. It’s currently blended from 2004 and 2003, showing a bold, forward depth of red fruit fragrance, its ripe fruitiness and ample aroma feeling very expressive of the southern Montagne de Reims. While it packs a lot of flavor, its acidity keeps it tightly focused on the fresh, harmonious finish. Last tasted: 7/08."