Another great wine from Selosse:Contraste
I think that Selosse is making the most exciting wine in Champagne. He first makes extraordinary wine and then makes a champagne out of it.
The Jacques Selosse Contraste Blancs de Noirs Grand Cru is no exception. The colour shows a wine which has been very worked, seeing lots of air during its elevage. The colour was that of a Champagne from, say, 1982. At first it was smoking. After two minutes, it built enormously. Aromas of raspberries, cream, cedar, five spice and dried herds explode out of the glass. It is the first champagne that I could literally smell across the room. The palate is confounding in its richness and superb structure. I’m tempted to say that this is like a great Burgundy but that’s not right: this is what champagne wants to be. The finish is so sophisticated and long lasting. The wine held up for hours as I sat and marveled at its greatness.
This bottle was disgorged le 31 janvier 2005. I’d like to see a much older bottle.
This is a rather expensive wine, costing 95 euros. Krug Grande Cuvée can be found for 120. Beyond price, though, it is hard to compare the two: the Contraste is excitingly different and challenging, it is unique. I feel as though, with the knowledge, money and talent of Krug, anyone could make Grande Cuvée but the same could not be said of this wine. It is inspired and inspiring.
