Reviews

Christophe Mignon Champagne ADN de Meunier Brut Nature

Frothy and a bit bitter, with lemon pith, apricot pit, chalk, bark, and rye, this is fairly twiggy and rustic, which is not atypical for Christophe Mignon. A less friendly rendition of Meunier, with…

Huré Frères Pinot Meunier Champagne 4 éléments

Crystalline and exacting in presentation, with a focused and pure delivery. No Meunier rusticity here; more of a honed profile. Though far from angular or sterile, this 4 Elements Meunier also offers…

Éliane Delalot Champagne Meuniers d'Exception Impressions

Very orange and olive oil driven at first pass, with chamomile, cardamom, grilled lemon, red poached pear skin, ginger spice, and bark. A rustic, brassy, and woody finish that is somewhat abrasive…

Laherte Frères Champagne Extra Brut Les Vignes d'Autrefois

Salt rock, cherry water, unripe quince, granite, crunchy yellow and red pear, bruised lemon, chalk, and brioche. Zippy and a little high strung at first, deepening with time in the glass. More yellow…

Chartogne-Taillet Champagne Les Barres

Firm and precise on entry, this bottle is another strong showing. As before, ginger, Mirabelle plum, brown, red, and yellow pear, honey, wood, and granite lead the charge, followed by a salty bite…

Emmanuel Brochet Champagne Rosé d'assemblage Extra Brut

Prevalent black cherry and muddled strawberry fruit flavors dominate the attack, kept in proper line with higher riding chalk and white melon rind elements preventing this from becoming too heavy.…

Chartogne-Taillet Champagne Les Barres

A strong showing, and one that outshines the 2020 Orizeaux on complexity and weight, Les Barres is a beautiful balance of energy and volume. Ginger, Mirabelle plum, brown, red, and yellow pear,…

Emmanuel Brochet Champagne Rosé de Saignée

Black. Cherry. Soda. Pop.

Georges Laval Champagne Premier Cru Brut Les Hautes Chèvres​

An exceptionally chiseled and precise version of Meunier, the 2015 Hautes Chèvres is a masterfully honed expression of the varietal. It presents as young and direct, but relaxes some with time and…

Déhu Père & Fils Champagne Cuvée La Rue des Noyers Extra Brut Rosé de Saignée

There's a fruity element here that battles the stricter and meaner forward facing Meunier core, making for a less-than-seamless entry. Dry and chalky; a one-note raspberry dollop of fruit then…

Jérôme Prévost Champagne La Closerie Extra Brut Les Beguines

Blind.

Leclerc Briant Champagne Premier Cru Blanc de Meuniers Brut Zéro

A somewhat strict and mineral-driven showing at the onset, especially when compared to the more-gushing bottle I had back in July at Maison Leclerc Briant, which had indeed been open for a bit of…

Jerome Blin Champagne Cuvée Apogée Extra Brut

This 2013 has held up quite nicely. Admittedly, I've had hit/miss with reliability on some of Blin's wines. Flawed bottles have been an issue more than a handful of times. This seems to be more true…

Bérêche et Fils Champagne Rive Gauche

At Bereche, Ludes.

Leclerc Briant Champagne Premier Cru Blanc de Meuniers Brut Zéro

At Maison Leclerc-Briant, Epernay.

Champagne Christophe Baron Champagne Les Alouettes

Day 1: Pours a golden brass color. Decanted for a total of three hours. A little sharp and alkaline on the finish for the first hour or so, with a coppery delivery that lacks envelopment and polish.…

Déhu Père & Fils Champagne Cuvée La Rue des Noyers Extra Brut

At Au Jardin de la Vague restaurant, Saint-Paul-de-Vence.

Nicolas Maillart Champagne Premier Cru Mont Martin

Pours a salmon hue, resembling a Rosé in the glass. Somewhat aggressive bubbles, with no aromas in the nose at all. At first, this is notably bitter and extremely linear on the palate. (This needs…

Jérôme Prévost Champagne La Closerie Extra Brut Les Beguines

A bit more savory and oxidative than the LC13, and certainly less spicy and vivacious than the LC17 I had not too long ago, this LC14 is a comparative belly-showing Labrador once it gets a bit of O2…

Jérôme Prévost Champagne La Closerie Extra Brut Les Beguines

A little less wlld and spunky than the LC17, this LC13 is still equally spicy, but with dialed down power and a more refined classicism to its profile. Red apple skin and flesh, as well as ginger…

Jérôme Prévost Champagne La Closerie Extra Brut Les Beguines

Spicy, fun, and quite powerful, this LC17 Shaolin monkey was doing some krazy Kungfu kicking on the palate. There too is a saline element here that enlivens the execution of flavor. Raw ginger,…

Laherte Frères Champagne Extra Brut Les Vignes d'Autrefois

A marked improvement from the last bottle I had, this was performing exceptionally well after a bit of air. With a shimmering, coppery glow, this sample of VdA showed a beautiful hue and was…

Jérôme Prévost Champagne La Closerie Fac-Simile

Well I guess if the best Rose I've ever had has to be now, it might as well be from Jerome Prevost. The Fac-Simile LC18 is a stunner and is one of my favorite Roses I've had in recent memory. Fresh…