From a cooler, fresher vintage and based on more Chardonnay than usual (55%), with 45% Pinot Noir, the Philipponnat 2008 Clos des Goisses Extra-Brut shows an exciting bouquet of bright fruits, crushed chalk, bread and iodine notes. On the palate, this is an excitingly vibrant, fresh and chalky Clos with lovely citrus and cumquat flavors on the finish. The 2008 is very complex, bright, super clear and fresh, with a tightly woven structure but still great finesse and elegance. This is a fabulous Clos for the next three decades. (SR) 96+

The 2008 Clos des Goisses is one of the very few where the chardonnay in the blend is in ascendency over the pinot noir, as in this vintage the cépages is fifty-five percent chardonnay and forty-five percent pinot noir. The only other vintage where I can think of this blend being found in Clos des Goisses is in the magical 1964, which may portend greatness for the beautiful 2008 version. The wine was disgorged in May of 2017 and today is showing beautifully, albeit in its youthful guise, wafting from the glass in a blend of apple, pear, a touch of almond, beautiful minerality, a touch of citrus peel and hints of the musky floral tones to come with further bottle age. On the palate the wine is crisp, pure and full, with a fairly closed down and youthful personality today, a great core of fruit, precise, seamless balance, very elegant mousse, great length and grip and simply stunning potential for a decade down the road. This will be a legendary vintage of Clos des Goisses in the fullness of time, but it is still a puppy and needs more bottle age! 2028-2085. 95+.