95 Points Vinous
Then again, this vintage was much more favorable. Aromatic, bright and sculpted, the 2018 is so complete. Silky contours and well-judged oak give the 2018 a great deal of finesse to compliment dried orchard fruit and floral nuances. In this release, the Sous Bois is 63% 2018 and 37% reserve wines.
94 Points James Suckling
Baked apples, peaches, cloves, honeycomb and freshly baked croissants on the nose. It’s creamy and lightly honeyed on the palate, with richness yet brightness and layered, very fine bubbles. Silky finish. 43% grand cru chardonnay, 29% meunier, 28% premier and grand cru pinot noir, based on the 2017 vintage, with a third of reserve wines from a perpetual reserve dating back to 2006. Vinified in barrels. Five years on the lees. 5 g/L dosage.
94 Points Jeb Dunnuck
The NV Champagne Sous Bois Brut pours a medium yellow to deeper straw hue, and the nose is warming and more generous with notes of toast, red fruit of ripe raspberry, spice, and espresso. The palate is rounded, with rich texture though dry, offering notes of orange peel and currant. It has a silky texture and a fairly long finish, with ripe concentration.
93 Points Wine Spectator
Fragrant, with hints of graphite, cherry blossoms and spices, revealing a firm frame of vivid acidity that's tightly meshed with flavors of blackberry tart, lemon granita and salted Marcona almond. Shows a raw silk–textured mousse that carries a chalky note on the finish. Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay.
93 Points Wine Enthusiast
With 40% of older reserve wines in the blend, this Champagne was fermented in wood. Its aroma brings out toastiness, while on the palate, the richness of the wine suggests maturity. It is a finely balanced wine.
92 Points Decanter
Fermented and aged over winter in second-hand small barrels and barrels seasoned in-house (although future editions will include wine from larger casks). Rich and inviting apricot and kernel notes, brown butter and nutty honey. Some soft strawberry and an appetising, tangy apple length, highly expressive but really rather polished and rounded out. One third each Pinot Noir, Meunier and Chardonnay.
93 Points Wine & Spirits
This is equal parts chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs, pinot noir from Aÿ and Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, and pinot meunier from the Marne Valley, all fermented and aged in oak casks, without undergoing malolactic conversion. Onethird of the blend is reserve wines, married over the course of six years on the lees in bottle. The latest release buzzes with limestone freshness and the pale herbal richness of chamomile flowers. A stylish blend with earthiness that powers through it.
91 Points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Heavily based on the 2017 vintage (with 34% reserve wines dating back to 2006), fermented at low temperatures and entirely vinified in oak, the NV Le Sous Bois blends fruit from vast areas of Montagne de Reims, Vallée de la Marne and Côte des Blancs (notably Oger, Chouilly and Cramant). Disgorged with a dosage of five grams per liter in spring 2023, after five years of lees aging, it reveals aromas of green apple, vanilla, peach and toasted nuts, mingling with hints of caramelized sugar. On the palate, it is medium to full-bodied, precise and fine-boned, featuring a youthful fruit core supported by vibrant acidity, with subtle bitter phenolics asserting themselves on the finish.
Winemaker Notes
A radiant yellow crystalline appearance with golden glints brought to life by a luminous bead of persistent fine bubbles. There is an olfactory impact due to the richness of harmonious expressions (dry fruits, fresh citrus, and white fruits) coupled with finely buttered seductive notes. A defined aromatic undertone which expresses the mature complexity linked to the vinification in oak barrels.
The caressing and refreshing texture enhance the creamy sensation, dominated by a beautiful bracing vivacity. A burst of flavours (notes of grilled brioche, toffee) thanks to the distinguished power and maturity which is a mark of the great wines of Champagne.
