One of the great champagnes of the 20th century is 1990 Dom Pérignon Oenothèque. This bottle absolutely blew me away the first time I had it, which was at the private vertical tasting Dom Pérignon held at Crush. Everyone agreed - even among other exceptional bottles, the 1990 Oenothèque had no peers. Though we also had to admit that the 1990 Rosé, served from magnum, was also outstanding - further testimony of the greatness of the 1990 vintage.

An Elegant Powerhouse
2000 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne
Wildly Delicious Now, with a Cellar-Worthy Upside

Really, there are just three wines in the Blanc de Blancs pantheon: Krug Clos de Mesnil, Salon and Taittinger Comtes de Champagne.

When you consider the company Taittinger keeps in this elite Champagne category, the value here is unreal.

Bollinger is known for their sexy, curvaceous, statuesque wines, but all of that would soon get boring without the great finesse the house also manages. As Champagne expert Peter Liem says, “Bollinger’s Champagnes are often known for their richness, but whenever I taste one, it’s usually its fineness that I notice first and foremost.”

Epic Chardonnay from Pinot's Grand Cru Turf
2002 Gaston Chiquet Blanc de Blanc d'Aÿ MAGS
Terroir Reigns: Richness, Harmony, Detail

"What I'm tasting [in Chiquet's lineup] are wines of pure terroir. They are, in effect, anti-varietal. Even the celebrated Aÿ Chardonnay isn't so much a variant on Chardonnay as it is another dialect of Aÿ." - Terry Theise

Another dialect of Aÿ. Yes, the wines of Gaston Chiquet, above all, speak clearly of where they come from.

When "where you come from" is Aÿ, you don't need to do much more. Aÿ, along with Verzenay, Ambonnay, Cramant and Mesnil, is considered one of the top five Grand Crus of Champagne.

MAGS Mean MORE: Rarity, Longevity, Value
2004 Taittinger
Comtes de Champagne Rosé Magnums
The Only Magnums in the Country:
with No Upcharge for the Format

Every year, Taittinger's Comtes Rosé is one of our favorite rosé Champagnes; for serious Champagne lovers, this is a must-buy bottle. But today we're not talking about bottles.

We’re talking about MAGNUMS: And these on offer are the only ones in the country.

In any format, Taittinger’s tête de cuvée rosé is one of our favorite rosé Champagnes. Few wines marry, so seamlessly, opulence with rigor. Magnums take it all to another level.

Grand Cellar, Gold Standard
2004 Vilmart et Cie Grand Cellier d'Or
Cult Grower Champagne

Here's an enigmatic Champagne, where the high-yield vintage didn't affect outstanding quality, where oak treatment never overwhelms delicate acidity, where the low price simply doesn't match the class, the cult following...

Last week, we offered out Vilmart's non-vintage rosé, and the high demand reinforced the fact that this is a house with a very avid following. It's evident that, as Richard Juhlin says, "Vilmart has quickly established cult status, only topped among growers by J. Selosse."  

Today we offer a step up in the Vilmart collection: 2004 Grand Cellier d'Or.

Champagne Shock Waves
2008 Cedric Bouchard Inflorescence Val Vilaine
Lowest Pricing Ever - In Stock!

"The explosive, kaleidoscopic Champagnes of Cedric Bouchard are some of the most compelling wines coming out of the region today... Readers should do whatever they can to experience these magnificent wines."
- Antonio Galloni, The Wine Advocate

Whatever you can.

Today, with the holidays LITERALLY around the corner, we begin a week of very special pricing...  a small parcel of the Inflorescence Val Vilaine - now in stock! - at the lowest price we’ve ever been able to offer single bottles: $49.95 a bottle.

What says "Happy Holidays" better than this? (Keep in mind, this special price is good this week only!)

A Special Summer Party Favor
2008 Cedric Bouchard Inflorescence Val Vilaine
Blanc de Noirs
One Last Parcel of the Fantastic 2008
at the Lowest Price in the Nation

Cedric Bouchard's Val Vilaine has to be one of the fastest moving sparklers ever to grace Crush. We first wrote about it two years ago, right after Antonio Galloni wrote: "Readers should do whatever they can to experience these magnificent wines."

If you're reading this email, you followed his instructions. That initial email sold out in less than 24 hours, and our five or so subsequent offers have all followed suit. Each time, we've sought out more, but this is an artisanal production, and you all are a thirsty following. Today's offer goes out only to those of you who have supported our grower Champagne program before.

Champagne Monument
1988 Krug Clos du Mesnil
Sharp Pricing, Just as It's Getting Really Good

Provenance is everything.

Let’s be honest: If you’re going to buy old Clos du Mesnil, you'd better know that the stock is pristine.