CHAMPAGNE

The 2006 Krug Vintage is fabulous. Here the richness breadth and texture of Pinot come through loud and clear in a Champagne that is classic Krug. Red plum coffee spice baked apple tart and lemon confit all flesh out effortlessly... Read More

Entirely Pinot Noir the 2019 Champagne Grand Cru Verzy Le Cepage is fleshy with kirsch yellow flowers and orange peel and is structured and dry with savory salinity grapefruit pith and crushed rock. This is a wine that can hold... Read More

Another of Adrien Renoir’s changes at the family domaine since his arrival is to begin to bottle a few single vineyard cuvées. His les Epinettes from a vineyard in Verzy made its debut in the 2015 vintage. These are old pinot... Read More

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... Read More

A full-bodied sparkling with sliced cooked pears and apples. Dusty chalk and some mineral and stone undertones. Full-bodied with firmness and tightness at the end. Linear and compact on the palate. Tangy finish. Drink or hold.... Read More

A firm focused version wrapping the steely frame of acidity in a fine satiny mousse that carries well-meshed notes of toasted almond dried apricot fleur de sel and crystallized honey. Aging gracefully this lingers on the finish... Read More

The nose is remarkably fine and complex expressing scents of orchard fruit white peach apricot and lemon with a touch of verbena. On the palate the immediate impression is of a certain unctuosity providing great charm and even... Read More

The inaugural Clandestin NV Brut Nature Les Grandes Lignes is a 100% Chardonnay from a single south-facing parcel on shallow Kimmeridgian clay-limestone soils in the Aube. Entirely harvested in 2015 it was barrel fermented (in... Read More

The Pinot Noir based Les Semblables displayed a remarkably fresh mix of dried flowers and peach with fresh herbal tones and crushed stone minerality lifting from the glass. On the palate I found finely beaded textures giving way... Read More

The NV Extra Brut Oeil de Perdrix is a Meunier-based Rosé all from the 2017 harvest. Translucent and yet deceptive in its richness the Oeil de Perdrix has a lot going on. Orange peel spice rose petal and sweet red cherry... Read More

A blend of the six Grand Cru villages of the Cote de Blancs, with 6.5 grams per liter dosage, the 2014 Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut is fresh and precise, with aromas of vibrant green apple, pleasant reduction with flint, and... Read More

Vinified in barrique the NV Champagne Cramant Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut is from 55-year-old vines and is 70% from the 2018 vintage with the remainder perpetual reserve wine. It has a lovely perfume with soft florality... Read More

The NV Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru Les Terres Fines offers a striking expression of Chardonnay from Cuis. Smoke slate crushed rocks white pepper and lemon confit are all vivid in this striking wonderfully nuanced Champagne.... Read More

A driven and serious DP with aromas of chalk biscuits apricot stones a

The 2012 Champagne is 51% Chardonnay and the rest Pinot Noir and has 4 grams per liter dosage. Its style is finessed and elegant, revealing a soft, smoky perfume of fresh white flowers, pear, and fresh bread dough. The palate... Read More

"Pale orange-bronze color. Pinot-like aromas of blood orange game smoke and earth along with hints of orange marmalade and peach; the nose of this wine always reminds me of Nuits-Saint-Georges or Vosne-Romanee. Very intensely... Read More

"Moet’s 2003 Brut Rose Dom Perignon exhibits both richness and robustness reflecting its torrid vintage yet manages to stint neither on primary juiciness nor transparency to nuance; nor does it come off as at all heavy. Lightly... Read More

The 2008 Dom Pérignon Rosé is magnificent. Rich and deep in the glass the 2008 offers up an exotic mélange of aromas and flavors. Sweet red cherry mint orange peel and rose petal all grace this beguiling beauty. Bright acids... Read More

The 2008 Dom Pérignon Rosé is magnificent. Rich and deep in the glass, the 2008 offers up an exotic mélange of aromas and flavors. Sweet red cherry, mint, orange peel and rose petal all grace this beguiling... Read More

The 2002 Dom Pérignon P2 is wonderfully open in its aromatics but a bit less giving on the palate especially next to the regular release. Lemon confit white flowers mint and white pepper open up first followed by hints... Read More

The 2004 Dom Pérignon P2 is precise and wonderfully refined just like the first release. There’s a hint of reduction from extended time on the cork as well as a feeling of effusiveness that is so appealing. Readers will find... Read More

The 2010 Dom Ruinart is truly epic. It’s also an eye-opening wine. And I do mean wine. Because the first impression is really of wine more than Champagne. The 2010 signals a major shift in philosophy as Dom... Read More

The 2016 vintage of Clos de l’Abbaye from the Doyard family spent fully fifty-one months aging sur latte prior to its disgorgement in October of 2021. It was finished this year with a dosage of two grams per liter. The half... Read More

The 2018 Extra-Brut Grand Cru Millésimé Œil de Perdrix is lovely wafting from the glass with scents of orange blossom mirabelle plum sweet citrus fruit and red berries. Medium to full-bodied ample and pillowy with a fleshy... Read More

A spectacular wine Doyard's 2008 Extra-Brut Grand Cru Les Lumières was disgorged in November 2018 with minimal dosage. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of orange oil crisp yellow orchard fruit fresh pastry honeycomb and... Read More

The NV Extra Brut V.P. Grand Cru (Vieillissement Prolongé) is a rich textured Champagne that expresses all of the natural intensity gained after having spent eight years on its lees. Baked apple tart pastry spice chamomile... Read More

The NV V.P. Vielleisement Prolongé (base 2014) is a powerful explosive wine. The combination of the base year with the extended time on the lees and low dosage yields an especially stark austere Champagne that will need a few... Read More

The NV Brut Blanc de Noirs Les Crayeres Grand Cru explodes from the glass with a range of Pinot aromas and flavors that is just breathtaking. Bright acids and beams of saline intensity offer striking contrast. Even though it has... Read More

Powerful and vinous in the glass the Boulard's NV Brut Nature Petraea shows the natural radiance of the 2012 vintage off to great effect. Dried flowers mint orchard fruit and lemon confit all infuse the Petraea with notable... Read More

"Magnificent in its complexity and pure breeding the 2002 Extra Brut Celebris has it all. The Extra Brut style confers the signature Gosset drive while extended time on the lees has given the wine just enough texture and body... Read More

The 2008 Champagne Celebris Extra Brut is 54% Chardonnay and the remainder Pinot Noir aged for over 9 years in cellar on its lees with 4.8 g/l dosage. It is rounded with ripe aromas of orange oil almond pastry and peach and is... Read More

Having retained all its youthful acidity because there was no malolactic fermentation, the Champagne is brilliantly lit. Acidity and a light texture from the Pinot Noir in the blend give the wine a crisp edge with still-young... Read More

Like the Special Club this is restrained and even cool with a lovely if subtle complexity to the citrus-inflected and relatively high-toned nose where there is enough yeast to notice yet it doesn't dominate the aromas. There... Read More

A relatively discreet if very pretty nose reluctantly offers up notes of yeast green apple lemon peel and a hint of mandarin orange. There is a lovely texture to the distinctly tension-filled and well-delineated flavors that possess... Read More

The 2008 Krug Vintage is scheduled for release in the fourth quarter of this year and it is going to be a stunning year for this iconic bottling so start making plans early. Cellar Master Julie Cavil notes that 2008 was a classical... Read More

From vintages spanning from 1998 to 2014, the NV Champagne Grande Cuvee 170eme Edition is decadent and nuanced, with a rounded perfume of toasted brioche, lemon curd, and honeydew melon. Ripe yellow orchard fruits fill the palate... Read More

Although this is only from 2017 it already tastes pretty mature with overripe-pear and dried-apple aromas. A bold and generous mouthful with plenty of depth at the crisp finish. Pretty long though not overly complex. From vines... Read More

The 2018 Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Les Grandes Crayères 1er Cru is a savory, intensely mineral and driven wine. Chalk, mint, white flowers and dried herbs all grace this linear, taut Champagne. The Crayères is understated... Read More

The 2018 Extra Brut Blanc de Noirs Les Longues Voyes 1er Cru, 100% Pinot Noir, is the most engaging of the three parcellaire wines today. Aromatic, deep and exquisitely layered, the Longues Voyes is super-expressive today. Crushed... Read More

The 2018 Extra Brut Vignes d’Autrefois is a selection of 100% Meunier sourced from vines planted between 1947 and 1964. Deeply-pitched and vinous, the Autrefois fills out beautifully with a bit of time in the glass. The... Read More

The NV Extra Brut Petit Meslier is fabulous. Rich and effusive the Petit Meslier exudes tremendous aromatic intensity and depth. Yellow flowers mint spice lemon confit and marzipan are some of the many notes that soar out of the... Read More

The NV (2016) Brut Nature Intuition is another intriguing wine in this range from Alexandre Lamblot. The Intuition is maybe just a bit fleeting in its overall feel. Floral aromatics are quite attractive but it would be nice to... Read More

Smells fresh with lemon and soft floral scents. Delicate and refined this is crips sharp and piercing yet also layered and rich. Bitter lemon rind mixes with honeyed orange and some pie crust savoury elements to give real character.... Read More

“An initially faint but distinct hint of freshly cut green but ripe apple of lemon with subtle florality a mere touch of freesia hints at more nuance to come. More time in the glass reveals a sense of still... Read More

The 2013 Louis Roederer Cristal Rosé is composed of a blend this year of fifty-five percent pinot noir and forty-five percent chardonnay with all of the pinot hailing from the village of Aÿ and the chardonnay from Avize and... Read More

4The 2015 Brut Vintage Rosé is generous and demonstrative bursting with aromas of peach orange and pear mingled with hints of red berries fresh bread and ginger. Full-bodied layered and vinous it's rich and enveloping its... Read More

This shows the richness of the 1999 vintage with density and softness now yet it remains fresh and lively. Full-bodied and layered offering plenty of ripe fruit with flavors of brioche pineapple dried apple and earth. Very clear.... Read More

This shows the richness of the 1999 vintage with density and softness now yet it remains fresh and lively. Full-bodied and layered offering plenty of ripe fruit with flavors of brioche pineapple dried apple and earth. Very clear.... Read More

The NV Champagne Collection 243 Brut is the third release and is based on the 2018 vintage, with the addition of 30% of the perpetual reserve started in 2012 and 10% reserve wine that has been aged in oak. It is ripe and balanced,... Read More

The 2002 Cristal is one seriously big huge even Champagne and while this cuvee normally shows a seamless elegant style the 2002 vintage’s fruit profile dominates this wine. Toasted bread oak spice orchard fruits and toasted... Read More

An open and inviting nose references cream oatmeal and Amalfi lemon with the slightest edge of smoke. The palate immediately strikes with a mouthwatering lemon ripeness and a juicy mouthfilling generosity reminiscent of yellow... Read More

Intense nose of preserved lemons salted yellow plums walnuts toast salted caramel roasted chestnuts and dried pineapple. Beautiful and complex from 15 years 5 years en pointe before disgorgement in 2018. Delicious salty toffee... Read More

This is very minerally and stony, with chalk and salt and oyster-shell undertones. It’s full-bodied and layered, yet remains intense with a lively finish. Done dry. Umami. No dosage. From biodynamically grown grapes with... Read More

Crisp, tangy and focused, with aromas of raspberries, biscuits, watermelon, seashells, lemons and pink grapefruit. Sharp acidity with very fine bubbles. Field blend from a single plot in Cumieres. 80% field blend of chardonnay,... Read More

The 2016 Extra-Brut Noces de Craie is bright effusive and full of character. There is a sense of weightlessness to the 2016 that is very appealing but behind that there is plenty of depth too. Lemon confit dried flowers chamomile... Read More

Benoît Marguet’s 2016 Avize and Cramant bottling is a bit more tightly-knit out of the blocks than his Oiry Blanc de Blancs as one would expect from these two grand cru communes which tend to make some of the most structured... Read More

A collaboration between two sommelier friends and Michel Gonet the 2016 Rajat Parr & Marco Pelletier Brut Nature Blanc de Blanc Les Compères was disgorged May 2021 and derives from old vines in Mesnil sur Oger lieu-dit Les Hautes... Read More

Sébastien Mouzon’s “L’Ascendant� bottling is a solera of previous vintages of his non-vintage “L’Atavique� cuvée with the current release being a blend of fifty percent from the 2014 base year and the other half... Read More

The new release of Mouzon-Leroux “l’Atavique� non-vintage Extra Brut is from the base year of 2017 but as is Sébastien Mouzon’s custom for this bottling fifty percent of the blend is from reserve wines from the preceding... Read More

There are touches of both petrol and toasty yeast to the white orchard fruit citrus and soft spice wisps. The full-bodied and impressively complex flavors are shaped by a firm and generous if not especially refined effervescence... Read More

The 2008 Extra-Brut Non-Dosé Oenophile is rich creamy and beautifully textured yet maintains the brightness and focus that are such signatures of the house style. A Champagne of real depth and power the 2008 is a wine for the... Read More

The 2016 Champagne Cote is bright effusive and charming right out of the gate. Apricot white flowers mint tangerine oil and marzipan are nicely pushed forward in this soft open-knit Champagne from vines in Cramant. Drink it over... Read More

Geoffroy's 2004 Extra Brut Millésime (magnum) is 71% Chardonnay and 29% Pinot Noir from old vines in Cumières. Ample and creamy with an added hint of softness from vinification in oak the 2004 is super-expressive today.... Read More

The Savart “l’Accomplie” Vieilles Vignes bottling is composed from a cépages of eighty percent pinot noir and twenty percent chardonnay. The vins clairs are again raised in a combination of casks and tank... Read More

The Savart “l’Accomplie” Vieilles Vignes bottling is composed from a cépages of eighty percent pinot noir and twenty percent chardonnay. The vins clairs are again raised in a combination of casks and tank... Read More

This is a fantastic and refined Blanc de Blancs. So layered and complex with lemon curd chalk hazelnuts pastries baked apples and almond croissants. Structured and tightly wound with almost imperceptible bubbles.