Bonnaire Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne Ver Sacrum NV

92 points Tyson Stelzer (The Champagne Guide): "(2006 base; a blend of Cramant and Bergères-les-Vertus; aged on natural cork for more than 6 years; 6g/L dosage). The crunchy pear and lemon zest of chardonnay are united with notes of mixed spice and roast hazelnuts from bottle development. This is a slightly oxidative style, which contracts the finish a little, though maintains expressive acidity, fine, mineral mouthfeel and plenty of character. (2016-2017)"

91+ points John Gilman (View From the Cellar): "The Ver Sacrum bottling of non-vintage Blanc de Blancs from the Bonnaire brothers is aged sur latte under cork, rather than crown cap, for a period of more than six years on its fine lees prior to disgorgement. I did not take down the date of disgorgement for this bottle, but it is from the base year of 2006 and is comprised of sixty percent fruit from Cramant and forty percent from the premier cru village of Bergères-les-Vertus. The wine offers up an excellent bouquet of delicious apples, orange zest, crème patissière, white soil tones, brioche and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, vibrant and beautifully balanced, with a fine core of fruit, elegant mousse, fine focus and very fine length and grip on the lively and complex backend. This is really a lovely bottle at its prime, but with years and years of life ahead of it as well. 2015-2025. (May/Jun 2015)"

91 points Allen Meadows (Burghound): "(composed of grand and premier cru fruit, 6 g/L). An elegant, pure and even airy nose presents notes of green apple, citrus peel, yeast and a discreet floral hint. The medium-bodied flavors are quite finely detailed and this impression is enhanced by the relatively fine supporting mousse that easily allows the lovely complexity of the finish to be appreciated. I very much like the understated style of this refined effort and for my taste this could reward another 2 to 4 years of bottle aging if desired. Drink: 2017+. (Jun 2015)"

(*) Peter Liem (ChampagneGuide.net): "This is essentially the same blend as Bonnaire's millésime, but aged on cork instead of capsule for the second fermentation. Compared to the capsule-aged version, this is richer in texture, with unusual notes of mocha and cacao. It's chewy and dense, and its dark notes of apple and citrus are slightly earthy and grainy, showing the rusticity of the vintage, but it's intriguing to compare this with the regular vintage wine, and I'm looking forward to future releases. Last tasted: 11/12."