Selosse Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne Version Initial NV

97 points James Suckling: "Very pronounced and wonderfully complex nose of persimmon, egg yolk, cinnamon, tarte tatin, caramel, mango pastry, apricot tart and spice box. The full-bodied palate feathers a fine line between sheer power, luscious dried fruit and laser-guided acidity. Very long and intense on the finish. Drink now or hold. Disgorged 13 November 2018. (9/2/19)"

95 points Wine Spectator: "This gorgeous blanc de blancs pulls you in with a subtle thread of enticing dried rose and incense accents. Plush on the palate, with pinpricks of effervescence and a rich underpinning of chopped hazelnut and salty minerality, all supporting flavors of quince paste and tangerine and hints of white truffle and herbes de Provence. Long and supple on the clean-cut finish. Drink now through 2034. (6/30/24)"

95 points Sarah Mayo (The Wine Independent): "The Initial is a blend from three villages, Avize, Cramant and Oger, over three vintages, 2014, 2015 and 2016 produced from lower slope parcels. Redolent and rich with aromas of rich lemon curd, citrus confit, white grapefruit, butter pastry and acacia honey, the medium-bodied palate has a rich depth of citrus fruit concentration with vibrant, undulating acidity adding freshness. This Initial finishes with incredible length with a tiny beauty mark of bitterness. Disgorged March 2023 and finished Extra Brut. Alcohol 12.5%. Drink: 2023-2038. (12/7/23)"

95 points Tyson Stelzer (The Champagne Guide): "(tasted in 2021 in France; 2014 base with reserves from 2013 and 2012; Avize and Cramant; exclusively vineyards at the top of the hill, with east exposition). Signature Selosse, such is the bombastic complexity and volume of V.O. that it resembles mature white burgundy as much as it does champagne. It reverberates with orange rind, fruit mince spice and fruit cake of impressive ripeness, body and complexity. The hard chalk of the top of the hill infuses definition and structure, brimming with fine chalk minerality of impressive carry, uniting with grapefruit pith texture and grand acid line that drive a long and accurate finish. (Edition VII; 2024)"

94 points Decanter: "Any story of Champagne in the 21st century has to include Anselme Selosse as a major character, and his wines continue to display a deeply personal style that attracts loyal followers. Initial, a blend of Chardonnay from Avize, Oiry and Cramant and based on the 2017 vintage (with reserves from 2016 and 2015) is a fine way into the explosive, highly impactful style of deep umami savour, brine and cinnamon-bark spice over roasted lemons and baked apples, long and dynamic. Drinking Window: 2024-2034. (3/2/24)"

94 points John Gilman (View From the Cellar): "The brand new example of Jacques Selosse “Initial” Blanc de Blancs non-vintage Brut gracing the market was disgorged in October of 2022, so is most likely from the base year of 2016. It was finished with a dosage of 2.5 grams per liter. As is customary with this bottling chez Selosse, the cuvée includes reserve wines from the previous two vintages and is made from the same parcels of vines the family have always used for this wine, situated in the villages of Avize, Cramant and Oger. The bouquet is bright, refined and complex, wafting from the glass in a mix of apple, pear, hazelnut, fresh-baked bread, caraway seed, gentle notes of buttery oak and a gorgeous base of chalky soil. On the palate the wine is brisk, focused and full-bodied, with a superb core of fruit, excellent mineral drive and cut, a snappy spine of acidity, elegant mousse and a long, beautifully balanced and complex finish. This is a superb wine, but it is still quite youthful and some time in the cellar will be very nicely rewarded. Great juice. 2024-2050. (Nov/Dec 2023)"

94 points William Kelley (Wine Advocate): "Disgorged in May 2021, the latest rendition of Selosse's NV Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Initial is showing beautifully, unwinding in the glass with aromas of pear, dried fruits, confit lemon, fenugreek, fresh bread and toasted almonds. Full-bodied, vinous and complex, it's a rich, fleshy Champagne that's underpinned by bright acids and complemented by a pinpoint mousse, concluding with a long, sapid finish. As usual, this bottling derives from the lower-altitude slopes of Avize, Cramant and Oger, where the soils are richer in clay and yields are higher when compared with the vineyards that inform V. O. Drink: 2021-2035. (Jan 2022)"

94 points Audrey Frick (JebDunnuck.com): "The NV Champagne Grand Cru Blanc De Blancs Initial is a blend of the 2016, 2015, and 2014 harvests from the lower portion of the slopes of Avize, Oger, and Cramant. The soils in that area are more clay and more fertile, resulting in more abundant yields that lend the wine a more open-knit profile. Pouring a golden straw hue, this wine is expressive, with brothy aromas of apricot, Meyer lemon, and baked bread. Supple and inviting, the palate displays a rounded mouthfeel with more modest acidity. It has a very fine mousse and shows off its rich, chalky texture, savory salinity, and broad, almond-noted finish. Generous and ripe, it’s beautiful for drinking now and will be great over the next 10 or more years. 2 grams per liter dosage. Drink: 2023-2034. (11/17/23)"