If Initial can be described as feminine, the NV Extra-Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru V.O. (Version Originale) is decidedly masculine. Here the fruit shows off remarkable depth and muscle, with deep, burnished tones that add complexity and weight to a dense, structured, yet plush expression of Chardonnay. The wine literally covers every inch of the palate with layers of mineral-drenched fruit. This is a fabulous showing for the Version Originale. Disgorged October 20, 2010. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2016. I visited Anselme and Corinne Selosse just as they were putting the finishing touches on their new boutique hotel in Avize. I am not sure they make enough wine to satisfy the thirst of their patrons, but that is another story! This is a fabulous set of wines, among the very best I have ever tasted here.Importer: The Rare Wine Co., Sonoma, CA; tel. (707) 996-4484

The NV Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru V.O. (Version Originale) is a massive wine boasting superb concentration and a level of textural richness that is unprecedented in Champagne. Here the fruit coats every inch of the palate in a stunning, virtuosic expression of ripe fruit. Smoke, minerals and incense add a visceral, exotic dimension to the wine that is impossible to resist. Version Originale is Chardonnay from Avize, Cramant and Oger, vintages 2002, 2001 and 2000. In a word: awesome Disgorged: November 5, 2008. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2019. This is a marvelous set of new releases from Anselme Selosse. All of the wines were still vibrant and fresh when I re-tasted them a day after opening.Importer: The Rare Wine Co., Sonoma, CA; tel. (707) 996-4484, Moon Imports, (Italy only), Genova, Italy; tel +39 010 313849

This set of wines opens with the superb NV Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Version Originale, a blend of 2002, 2001 and 2000 juice from Avize and Cramant. The wine reveals an extraordinary array of honey, cloves and candied orange peel in what is an unctuous, full-bodied style at the outset. The wine turns more delicate in the glass, with notes of minerals and spices that come forward. The rich texture and slightly oxidative notes make this a wonderfully complete wine to enjoy now and over the next few years. The Originale is made from hillside vineyards, and Selosse describes the wine as vertical, but to me the expression of fruit is linear and focused. The dosage is 1.2 grams per liter and this bottle was disgorged on October 23, 2007 Anticipated maturity: 2008-2014. Readers will need to drop all preconceived notions about what Champagne is and can be in order to fully experience the wines of Anselme and Corinne Selosse, as these are Champagnes like no other. No one has pushed the boundaries of what Champagne can be further than Selosse. As great as his own wines are, Selosse’s most lasting legacy may very well be influencing the younger generation of producers who have worked alongside him over the years. For the last six years Selosse has been absent from the US market and his wines virtually impossible to obtain, but thankfully that is starting to change. Selosse represents the most poetic voice behind the idea that Champagne is first and foremost a wine before it is anything else. Selosse takes this one step further by eschewing vintage designations for most of his wines, as the qualities he seeks to exalt most are those of his 7.5 vineyards in Avize, Cramant, Oger, Le Mesnil, Ay, Mareuil-sur- Ay and Ambonnay. The various cuvees are assembled barrel by barrel based on how the wines taste to Selosse, rather than through technical analysis and/or predetermined selection of sites, parcels, etc. Selosse’s newest wine is a solera-style Champagne from the famed Le Mesnil vineyard, perhaps the most storied site in all of Champagne. I tasted the first vintage, the 2003, which will ultimately be blended with subsequent vintages to form a solera-style Champagne. It was superb. I also tasted similar solera-style wines from Avize, Cramant, Le Mesnil, Mareuil-sur- Ay and Ambonnay from barrel, all of which were compelling. The Selosse Champagnes possess extraordinary aromatics and a very fine mousse that is the result of density and richness in the fruit. With a few minutes in the glass, the bubbles will completely disappear from most of the wines. These Champagnes are best enjoyed with food, and should be served in generous white wine glasses rather than the customary flutes, which will allow for the full range of the wines’ aromas and flavors to emerge. Simply put, these are among the most monumental, profound wines being made anywhere, but like a great novel, painting or symphony, the greatest enjoyment and purest pleasure awaits those who engage the wines fully.Importer: The Rare Wine Co., Sonoma, CA; tel. (707) 996-4484