Rare Champagne Tasting – James Suckling

99 POINTS – RARE CHAMPAGNE 2008 (MAGNUM)

A restrained Champagne with youthful aromas of white flowers, lemon peel, chalk and a touch of exotic fruit. Full-bodied and tingling with almost austere acidity, it’s tight-knit and super tense. Iodine, chalk and minerals in the finish. Tasted from magnum. Disgorged in 2023. Drinkable now, but best from 2026.

 

98 POINTS – RARE CHAMPAGNE 2002

An impressively youthful and focused Champagne showing aromas of candied citrus, stones, chalk, vibrant minerals, fresh pineapple and subtle toast. Caressing bubbles with a full body and toasty complexity on the palate, which is very savory, tense, lemony and silky. Grip in the finish. Classic and outstanding. Disgorged in 2017. Drink or hold.

 

98 POINTS – RARE CHAMPAGNE 1985

This is a very floral Champagne with aromas of rosewater, fresh apples, almonds, coconut and exotic touches of lychees and flint. Superfine bubbles on the medium-bodied, savory and tight-knit palate. Pure, pristine, long and chewy with zesty acidity, 9 g/L of dosage. Disgorged in February 2025. Drink or hold.

 

97 POINTS – RARE CHAMPAGNE 2013

Quite restrained, fresh and very minerally, with aromas of white pepper, yellow apples, pineapple, linden tree, coconut, toast, roasted nuts and a hint of honey. Medium-bodied with pinprick bubbles, juicy and crisp acidity and great integration. Lemon flavors and a long, chalky, minerally finish that’s a bit austere in a very positive way. Drink now.

 

97 POINTS – RARE CHAMPAGNE 2015 (coming soon)

An intense, perfumed and pristine Champagne with aromas of apple pie, white chocolate, flowers, limes, lemons, passion fruit and elegant pastry. Medium-bodied with fine bubbles, zesty acidity and a tight, super-polished finish. It’s slightly exotic yet tense. Disgorged in February 2025. It will be released in 2026. Try then.

 

96 POINTS – RARE CHAMPAGNE 2012

An evolved and layered Champagne with aromas of ripe pineapple, stone fruit, caramelized nuts, white chocolate, apples and refreshing touches of white flowers and candied citrus. Full-bodied with a creamy mousse, a zesty and tight-knit structure, and toasted flavors well balanced by tension. Silky finish. Disgorged October 2024. Drink now.

 

 

96 POINTS – RARE CHAMPAGNE 1990

96 POINTS – RARE CHAMPGANE 1979

96 POINTS – RARE CHAMPAGNE LE SECRET

95 POINTS – RARE CHAMPAGNE 1999

95 POINTS – RARE CHAMPAGNE 1998

95 POINTS – RARE CHAMPAGNE 1976

95 POINTS – RARE CHAMPAGNE 1985 (DISGORGEMENT 1990S)

94 POINTS – RARE CHAMPAGNE 2006