Millésimé 2013

An extraordinary, highly elusive unicorn release from Anselme and Guillaume Selosse, this 100% Grand Cru Chardonnay (sourced from old-vine plots in Avize) spent over a decade in cellars after barrel fermentation with indigenous yeasts and minimal intervention, representing the pinnacle of artisanal Champagne winemaking.

The nose is profound, oxidative, and wildly complex, opening with dried apricot, candied Meyer lemon, and grilled fig, seamlessly intertwined with signature Selosse signatures of salted caramel, walnut oil, toasted brioche, pipe tobacco, and an overwhelming wave of crushed-chalk minerality. On the palate, the wine possesses monumental concentration and physical grip. A micro-fine, velvety mousse gives way to an intensely vinous core of stone fruit, citrus oil, and savory spice, perfectly countered by the electrifying, razor-sharp beam of 2013 acidity that drives the entire palate forward. It finishes with immense length, bone-dry, salivary, and deeply mineral, echoing for minutes with notes of dried orange peel, umami, and wet limestone.