(70% pinot noir and 30% chardonnay; disgorged August, 2012): Bright gold. Deeply pitched aromas of poached pear, orange pith, honey and anise, with a smoky mineral topnote. Rich and broad but lively as well, offering intense orchard and pit fruit flavors braced by a note of bitter lemon rind. The mineral quality comes back on the finish, which shows a chewy texture and suave floral character. (JR)

Quite golden in color. A restrained nose is displaying some maturity though I underscore that the aromas of ripe white and yellow orchard fruit, yeast and citrus zest remain agreeably fresh if not bright. There is excellent richness to the full-bodied, bold and borderline robust flavors that are supported by a moderately firm mousse on the delicious and impressively complex if slightly warm finish. This is not really a classic Clos des Goisses in style though with that said, it should also be noted that few wines do actually retain their usual style in 2003. I would add that I believe that it was a very good decision to use a very low dosage in 2003 as the dry finish allows this to remain quite refreshing. For my taste this has arrived at its peak though for those who enjoy aging their Champagne, this will certainly last for years to come.

The 2003 Clos des Goisses is a tad on the exotic side fairly early on in its evolution, but it is a very, very strong example of the vintage. As Charles Philipponnat commented, “one must remember that the heat of the summer was not the defining element of 2003, but rather the extreme frost damage in the winter and spring, which reduced yields in the vineyard to draconian levels.” The bouquet on the ’03 is excellent, wafting from the glass in a musky blend of peach, a touch of raspberry, brioche, passion fruit, stony minerality and a topnote of citrus peel. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and long, with a fine core, classic Goisses mineral drive, elegant mousse and outstanding length and grip on the blossoming and succulent finish. This is a young vintage of Clos des Goisses that I would not hesitate to start drinking, though it still has plenty of life ahead of it and is probably still a few years away from its apogee. In the 2003 vintage, only Krug Vintage is superior in my experience to this lovely bottle. Drink between 2017-2040.