Reviews

Leclerc Briant Champagne Grand Cru Grand Blanc Brut Zéro Blanc de Blancs

Continues to impress, with succulent lemon, olive oil, and yuzu flavors that are beautifully counterbalanced by racier limestone, barrel spice, and chalk notes. Drinking well now.

François Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre

This is in a beautiful spot, with lime and Meyer lemon notes circling around meringue, yuzu, limestone, wet chalk, almond paste, and ripe yellow pear. There is a succulence here that is especially…

Ceritas Chardonnay Peter Martin Ray

Gentle and basic flavors of lemon and yellow pear. There is a crème note that adds a slightly lactic texture. Medium to medium-minus intensity; balanced but simple. Missing some tension and energy at…

Hubert Lamy Saint-Aubin 1er Cru En Remilly Blanc

A touch of reduction calls for some significant swirling and air to coax fresh lemon juice, crunchy yellow pear, white melon, and white travertine notes from the glass. Direct and a little strict,…

Kongsgaard Chardonnay The Judge

Distinctive and full of layer upon layer of lemon bar, lemon curd, vanillin oak, peach, yellow pear flesh, and marshmallow. Ripe and a bit sweet, but maintains an airy and ethereal composure…

Kongsgaard Chardonnay

Sweet and ripe notes on lemon curd, powdered sugar, coconut shavings, corn milk, pineapple, and unripe mango. There is certainly a topical element here, but it's not so exotic that it loses traction…

Domaine Roulot Bourgogne Blanc

Lemon and lime, with hints of petrol and damp rock. Fresh and sound, but with the wet mineral element coating the fruit, with an oyster shell finish.

Ultramarine Blanc de Blancs Heintz Vineyard Sonoma Coast

Slight wet newspaper on the nose here. Bitter and astringent on the finish. Not my bottle, so I can't attest to how provenance was compromised on this. No bueno.

Caroline Morey Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Vergers

Mild reduction touches off an entry that subtly, almost gently unfolds with flinty notes of green and yellow citrus, unripe pear, green and yellow apple, and hints of wood. There is a pretty push of…

Arnaud Ente Bourgogne Blanc

Balanced and fresh, the Arnaud Ente is a pleasant starter that stays Steady-Eddy for most of consumption. Lemon, lemon, and lemon all the way around, with flavors that are pure and a bit modest upon…

Domaine Bernard-Bonin Meursault Les Tillets

Although this was a bit of a funky monkey at first pass, I found myself becoming more and more drawn to this wine as time passed. There is an old-school presence here, with candied lemon, grilled…

Aubert Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard

Well this bottle was all sorts of delicious, "beating" out a number of the otherwise beautiful white Burgundies in the lineup. This vintage of Lauren is all class, and carries a seductive display of…

Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Pucelles

Similar to the Paul Pernot Batard, this Leflaive displays notable energy and spine, with an exacting and chiseled frame houses tense, youthful fruit and mineral elements that excite the palate and…

Paul Pernot et ses Fils Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet

At first, there is a shyness to the initial entry, with a cooler, more measured cadence and expansion of flavor. White fruit and mineral elements slowly transform into vibrating yellow citrus,…

Domaine Henri Boillot Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos de la Mouchère

A bit of reduction kicks off an intense display of lemon curd, ripe yellow pear, yuzu, white travertine, fresh lemon juice, and a kiss of vanillin wood. Thankfully, this shy in the exotic department,…

Hubert Lamy Saint-Aubin 1er Cru En Remilly Blanc

I was hoping for a bit more energy and tension here. Unfortunately, this might have been my least favorite in the lineup, mostly due to the simplicity of flavor and a more dialed-back display of…

Jacques Selosse Initial

Deep and penetrating, with orange peel and candied lemon rind notes immediately signaling a profile that can only be Selosse. Like a baby Substance, this disgorgement of Initial offers deep yuzu and…

Domaine Jacques Prieur Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Combettes

Flinty and lemon/lime juice-driven, with lemon curd and softer white and yellow pear notes to round out the profile. Medium in delivery and body, with the reduction just enough to add interest and…

Adversity Cellars Chardonnay Five Wells Vineyard

Hands down the best white wine Russell Bevan has ever crafted, the Adversity 5 Wells bursts with extraordinary vibrancy and tension. The rippin' acidity provides chiseled and crystalline focus,…

Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut

These are still a little too vanillin and confection-driven for my tastes at the moment. Fresh and lively indeed, but a juvenile saccharine layer makes the fruit feel a tad sluggish on entry,…

Aubert Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard

Continuing to come together nicely since my last sample, the 2023 Eastside is still more of a gourmand experience, especially when comparing it to previous vintages. There is certainly adequate…

Marcassin Chardonnay Marcassin Vineyard

Initially served a bit too cold, muting the yellow citrus fruit flavors, but as it comes around to standard cellar temperature, this sample slowly unveils white melon, crème fraiche, lemon curd, and…

Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Bougros

A shy and somewhat muted performance, with some subtle lemon and lime flavors, but otherwise a bit boring. Diluted finish. Better as it warmed up and with food.

Dhondt-Grellet Champagne Grand Cru Extra Brut Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Cramant

Another strange bottle of this. I seem to be shooting 50/50 on these Dhondt Cramants. It is the only one that hasn't delivered with the consistency of his other wines. White melon, chalk, strong…

Dhondt-Grellet Champagne Premier Cru Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut Les Nogers

A stunning bottle, showing marked improvement on a number of levels from my last go with the 2018 Nogers about a year-and-a-half ago; this is all about crystalline lemon juice and white travertine on…