Marion-Bosser Millésime Brut 2013

SCORING WINE IS usually done with an uneven number of assessors, most commonly three senior judges. Because experience and opinions differ, this gives the best opportunity to get multiple evaluations of the same wine and allows each point of view to be challenged and debated. It’s called consensus judging, and it’s the way it’s done in the world of wine. It’s so unusual for a panel of judges to unanimously agree, that the phenomenon has a name. A ‘group hug’ is when every judge gives the same score and the most exciting and elusive of all is the high-score group hug.

While part of the Champagne community for five generations, it was only in 1994 that Marion-Bosser was bottled under the family name, a change instigated by the impressive Bernadette Marion. Today, she works alongside her daughter Elodie Bosser in something even rarer than the group hug – a mother-daughter Champagne-making team.

Roasted hazelnuts, brioche and smoke commingle on the nose which is both unctuous and vibrant, with golden apples, lemon sorbet and whispers of white blossoms. It’s incredibly structured, precious and persistent with a finish that goes on and on. This spectacular millésime had our judges bewitched as each gave their highest score on both tastings. It was described by one judge as “genuine luxury” and another as “incredibly hedonistic”. Three French Vines threefrenchvines.co.nz