Reviews

Pol Roger Champagne Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill

Less overtly red apple driven than the bottle I had last month, this specimen was hallmark Churchill racy and spicy at first pass. Ginger, grilled lemon, yellow apple, and olive oil flavors dominate.…

Egly-Ouriet Champagne Grand Cru VP

2016 base. Disgorged July 2024. 1g/L dosage. 84 months sur lie.

Rémi Leroy Champagne Blanc de Quatre Cépages Mer sur Mont

Much more breadth, body, and focus than the straight-angry and angular 2015, this 2016 shows some interesting oxidative and sherry components that compliment the grilled lemon, olive oil, quince,…

Chartogne-Taillet Champagne Extra Brut Orizeaux

Ripe red berry and apple notes dominate, with Mirabelle plum, bruised fig, and pulverized granite flavors leading the attack on the front end. The mid is rich and slightly heavy, with bitter mineral…

Ca' del Bosco Franciacorta Cuvée Annamaria Clementi

This bottle was fruity and doughy on the front end and bitter on the back. Not especially pleasant overall for me. I agree with the previous taster's note regarding the perception of artificiality of…

Pertois-Lebrun Champagne Grand Cru Le Fond Du Bateau N°13

This bottle was a bit more filled out than the one a few months ago. There are some wood and oxidation influences that add depth, with a finish that maintains freshness and precision. Better focus on…

Pieropan Soave Classico Calvarino

This is a fun wine for food pairing, as it is dry and almost sherry-like in stature. It goes with a great number of varying seafood, pasta (risotto), and vegetable dishes (and even foie gras foam!).…

Kellerei Bozen / Cantina Bolzano Lagrein Alto Adige - Südtirol Riserva Taber

Overtly peppy and more pop-and-lock than the Prestige I had a few nights earlier, the Taber is a freshy-fresh Cabernet Franc imposter, where higher-riding cranberry and crunchy strawberry notes meet…

Kellerei Bozen / Cantina Bolzano Lagrein Alto Adige - Südtirol Riserva Prestige

Hey man, for like $35-40 bucks, this wine is a solid performer. Undeniably superb depth and intensity for its class. Deeply pitched dark cherry and black fruit elements, with earth and fresh soil…

Ultramarine Rosé (Late Disgorged) Heintz Vineyard

When it's on, it's on. White and red raspberry, hibiscus, rhubarb, watermelon rind, unripe peach pit, travertine, strawberry seed, grapefruit, orange spray, rose pedals, and white flowers. A lot…

Chartogne-Taillet Champagne Blanc de Blancs Heurtebise

Much better this time around, especially with extended air. Compelling cut and drive. A slight herbal note shows up on first splash, but dissipates with swirling. Lovely drive from this bottle. Less…

Taittinger Champagne Brut Prestige Rosé

At Lefay, Lake Garda, Italy.

Bellavista Franciacorta Brut Rosé

At Lefay, Lake Garda, Italy.

Abelé 1757 Champagne Le Sourire de Reims Brut

At Restaurant Sissi, Merano, Italy.

Jacques Selosse Substance

At Ristorante NIN, Brenzone su Garda, Lake Garda, Italy.

Bellavista Franciacorta Riserva Vittorio Moretti

At Val di Sogno, Lake Garda, Italy.

Benedict Loosen-Erben Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Spätlese ***

At Restaurant Rebel, Copenhagen, Denmark.

von Winning Forster Pechstein Riesling Großes Gewächs

This thing was beautiful. Same notes as September 2024. Pours a super cool neon yellow green hue. The wood is nicely integrated and the succulent fruit is framed perfectly with subtle hints of petrol…

Marguet Champagne Grand Cru Les Beurys

Mousy and feral. Stooopid. Again. I need to stop calling these flawed and just call them terrible. 70? if scoring.

Dhondt-Grellet Champagne Grand Cru Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Vieille Vigne Le Bateau

A bit rounder and broader than some of Dhondt's more precise offerings, the Bateau shows wonderful depth and budding profundity on the front end, with a mid-palate girth that presents as full-first…

Pol Roger Champagne Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill

This is showing some development and resolve since my last having it a couple of years ago, with a more red apple flesh-driven profile that makes for a fuller and slightly richer delivery. There are…

Impensata Proprietary Red Wine Engelhard Vineyard

This is still working itself out, with some heat pushing the otherwise beautifully pure fruit to the side at times. There are moments of glory here, with pockets of textural genius that envelop and…

Sine Qua Non Syrah Ziehharmonika

A pummeling purple palate eater with blackberries, blueberries, and booze hucked at your face with Xerxes force, the Mighty Z is still at war with itself. There are a bunch of separate elements here…

Sine Qua Non Grenache Profuga

Dark black raspberry, wild muddled strawberry, licorice, huge/dark barrel spice influence, big boozy finish. Some earth shows up down the line, but the alcohol washes over the flavors, creating an…

Michel Fallon Champagne Brigitte Fallon Avysia Avize

With a similar profile to the 2014, this edition of 2015 carries the white melon and yellow-white citrus profile that is hallmark to these wines. The first pop of the cork is unsurprisingly linear…