Reviews

Huré Frères Champagne L'Inattendue Blanc de Blancs

Again, a performance marked by freshness, the 2018 offers both white rock-infused energy and white/yellow melon, lemon pith, and crunchy green, white, and yellow pear fruit notes that give some…

Champagne Suenen Champagne Grand Cru "La Cocluette" Extra Brut

Lemon and red and yellow apple flesh, with some salty yuzu and limestone to add frame and direction. Starts out with an injection of crystalline minerality, but soon becomes more voluminous. With…

Ultramarine Blanc de Blancs Heintz Vineyard Sonoma Coast

Broad and ripe, but also focused and framed, this bottle of the 2016 Heintz is full of lemon and yeast flavors that are indeed forward, but balanced and measured in overall intensity and volume.…

Chartogne-Taillet Champagne Blanc de Blancs Heurtebise

This version was a later disgorgement date and higher dosage than previous bottles (June vs April; 4g vs 3g). Although it displayed nearly the same profile as its former siblings, this bottle was a…

Chartogne-Taillet Champagne Chemin de Reims

Last bottle of this from the cellar, with a later disgorgement date and higher dosage than previous bottles (June vs April; 4g vs 3g). Similar profile, with spiced apple cider (but not cidery at…

Larmandier-Bernier Champagne Grand Cru Vieille Vigne du Levant Extra Brut

Crunchy white and yellow pear, yellow apple skin and flesh, flint, yeast, white travertine, white melon rind, lemon pith and juice, and hints of crystallized ginger and yuzu. This is a fresh…

Larmandier-Bernier Champagne Premier Cru Terre de Vertus

A solid Champagne built on yeast, lemon, and limestone flavors that are beautifully balanced, offering refreshing verve as well as volume. Not as complex nor deep as L-B's top offerings (eg: Levant…

Pertois-Lebrun Champagne Grand Cru Derrière le Mont Aigu N°13

As before, golden pear, grilled lemon, olive oil, cardamom, and wood offer a pleasantly oxidative profile that is lifted by notes of limestone and ginger. Decent breadth and volume; medium intensity.…

Adrien Renoir Champagne Grand Cru Les Montants

Chiseled, racy, and crystalline, with speedy and spun up flavors of fresh lemon juice, chalk, sea salt and foam, yuzu, lime pith, lemon zest and pith, and white travertine. Finishes with lemon…

Ultramarine Blanc de Blancs Heintz Vineyard Sonoma Coast

Lemon, melon, dough, pear, and yuzu, with that tinge of Hefeweizen yeast that often accompanies young Heintz BdB Ultramarines. Full and a bit fruity, but stays in proper line through the rounded…

Bérêche et Fils Champagne Premier Cru Les Beaux Regards

These are settling into a beautiful rhythm of deep grilled lemon, poached pear, sea salt, olive oil, yuzu, and limestone flavors. Succulent and full, with micro-oxidative elements that add depth and…

Champagne Suenen Champagne Grand Cru "Les Robarts" Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut Millésime

Though it shares a similar profile to the 2013, this 2012 is a more sumptuous specimen, with ripe yellow pear, olive oil, yuzu, grilled lemon, lemon curd, coriander, orange rind, yellow apple, and…

Bérêche et Fils Champagne Premier Cru Les Beaux Regards

A smoother ride than last year's bottle from the same batch, this is coming into a nice window; no blocky edges here, as was the case previously. Lemon and yuzu flavors are complimented by olive oil…

Huré Frères Champagne L'Inattendue Blanc de Blancs

A similar showing here as with the 2018, this 2020 version exhibits the same chalky freshness and white fruit spritz, but too with some of the yellow fruit elements poking out to make an appearance.…

Salima et Alain Cordeuil Champagne Altitude 350m Bio

Less compelling than the previous bottle I had recently, with every flavor dialed down and quieter, making for a more pedestrian delivery. Yellow fruit. Less tension than before. 90-92 on this…

Ultramarine Blanc de Blancs Heintz Vineyard Sonoma Coast

A sour apple note leads the charge here, with mandarin spray, Meyer lemon, yellow pear flesh, and barley. Works well with a spicy Asian meatball and coconut broth dish. A good wine, but not a…

Salima et Alain Cordeuil Champagne Altitude 350m Bio

Lemon and pear notes are pleasantly intertwined, making for a balanced unfolding of flavor and volume. Once the chalky bubbles calm in the glass, the fruit really shines through with wonderful…

Bérêche et Fils Champagne Premier Cru Les Beaux Regards

This is the last of these bottles from the cellar. Again, the red apple flesh and juice notes dominate the profile. It's quite tasty, and still maintains all the requisite freshness and focus to make…

Larmandier-Bernier Champagne Grand Cru Vieille Vigne du Levant Extra Brut

An alluring honey note touches off a seductive and contemplative delivery of poached pear, grilled lemon, limestone, yuzu, cardamom, and subtle ginger flavors. Some red apple shows up to the swanky…

Leclerc Briant Champagne Premier Cru Le Clos des Trois Clochers Brut Zero

Nose seemed fine. Flat on the palate with little-to-no fruit. The slightest alkaline aftertaste. Not indicative of previous bottles.

Paul Pernot et ses Fils Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Folatières

In a good place now, with succulent lemon, lime zest and pith, and yuzu notes delivering a noteworthy depth and expansion of flavor, this presents as giving and ready, with a nice unfolding of…

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

Even better than last year, this vintage of Nogers is the most compelling version of the cuvée I've had to date. Similar to before, notes of pear, chamomile, yuzu, limestone, brioche crust, and…

Ruppert-Leroy Champagne Brut Nature Blanc de Blancs Martin-Fontaine

Simple apple juice (red apple flesh) note on the front end, with golden raisin and yellow pear adding a modicum degree of interest. The finish is both round and a bit bitter. Minimum complexity.…

Pertois-Lebrun Champagne Grand Cru le Mont de Craie N°17

This is quite a nice specimen, with hallmark Pertois-Lebrun notes of grilled lemon, olive oil, limestone, and red and yellow apple flesh. Slightly oxidative elements add depth and complexity, with…

Marcassin Chardonnay Marcassin Vineyard

Lemon curd, vanilla, and even some subtle coconut (not ideal for my palate) start off the delivery on the first pop of the cork. Tasty and balanced, but a bit predictable and shy initially, with the…