Reviews

Leclerc Briant Champagne Abyss

This is my second go with this wine since having it at the domaine back in July. Once the bubbles subsided (careful, they are pretty aggressive at first and ripped off the cork due to the cage…

Jean-Paul & Benoit Droin Chablis Grand Cru Valmur

Solid as before (a few years ago). A bit more advanced and ripe with this bottle, but equally as fresh and powerful. As is the case with Valmur, it carries brawn and flex, but no hard edges; drinks…

Claude Cazals Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Clos Cazals

At home, this bottle performs much better than the silly service from the domaine back in July. This is currently best served cold, as it quickly flattens out as temperature rises in the glass. The…

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

Similar sentiments on this as back in July. Definitely a "grand" entrance type of showing, with broad flavors and a gushing mouthfeel, the warm vintage shows here, but is deftly controlled. Ripe…

Leclerc Briant Champagne Grand Cru Château d'Avize, Blanc de Blancs, Brut Zéro

A ripe red apple flesh flavor dominates the front end of the attack for the first half of consumption. The speed, weight, cadence, and texture are all in point, but that singular apple juice note…

Diebolt-Vallois Champagne Cuvée Prestige Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut

Similar to my previous experience at the Domaine in July. This is a fuller and rounder experience, with the 4 g/L dosage often presenting at the front of the yellow pear, lemon, and nougat flavors. A…

Dom Pérignon Champagne

Dude. This bottle killed it! I don't wanna love Dom, but the 2013 is a an exceptional next-level version of this Champagne. Ya, it's mass produced, whatever that means exactly in terms of actual…

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…

Bérêche et Fils Champagne Campania Remensis Extra Brut Rosé

Initially, this appears like it's going to be a little too light on its feet, as its seemingly delicate translucence forecasts a wine that will be lacking stuffing. Not so, it turns out, as this…

Egly-Ouriet Champagne Grand Cru VP

This was supposed to be 2013 base (ordered as such) but it looks like this is 2014 base given the disgorgement is 07/2022.

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

Brought to Madcap restaurant in San Anselmo.

Sphaerics Chardonnay overline

Imma make this real easy for you all and, perhaps for the first-ish time in my life, I'll cut to the chase and save you a bunch of verbal acrobatics you have to sift through for me to get to the…

Sphaerics Chardonnay on days and nights

While the "if and only if" is busy in beast training mode for the 2028 Summer Olympics in L.A., the "on days and nights" is bouncing around and scouting Juilliard and Groundlings, hoping Will Ferrell…

Sphaerics Chardonnay if and only if

So, "if" you told me that I was going to get fervently missile-locked on a Chardonnay from a new producer out of Alexander Valley, who's the next-best hip and fresh thing to come to the wine scene…

Domaine Nowack Champagne La Tuilerie Extra Brut

Though it initially presents as a little brassy, the Tuilerie starts out with a nice push of red apple flesh, grilled lemon, pineapple rind, wet granite, and bruised yellow pear notes on the front…

Bérêche et Fils Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut Cramant

This initially sachets in with a veil of funk that dances over the fruit expression for the first 10-15 minutes, but then it comes into form rather quickly, offering succulent lemon and mandarin…

Le Brun-Servenay Champagne Exhilarante Vieilles Vignes

Lemon and dough intermingle with an affable but fairly predictable execution of flavor, one that is a bit cheapened by the round and yeasty finish carrying a percolation of confection on the tail.…

Vouette et Sorbée Champagne Blanc d'Argile Brut Nature

So, I started off calling this an off bottle. Stern and clipped. Offered very little/no fruit. No mid-palate expansion or density. Finish was sharp and angular, with a sterile, almost anesthetic…

Doyard Champagne Premier Cru Extra Brut Clos de l'Abbaye

Linear, sterile, barely giving way to any fruit expansion, and slightly vegetal. Air did very little to offer relief from the strait-laced profile. Clipped finish. Drinkable, but not enjoyable. This…

Domaine Darviot-Perrin Meursault 1er Cru Les Genevrières

A strong petrol note kicks off a reductive and slightly brassy entry, with medium-minus freshness and limited perception of acidic drive. Currently, this seems to be in hibernation in terms of fruit…

Marguet Champagne Grand Cru Le Parc

Once this gets air and has a chance to stretch it legs for a bit (30-45 minutes), it shows beautiful yellow and green pear, lime pith, lemon bars (not sweet), wet travertine, honeydew rind, and hints…

Leclerc Briant Champagne Grand Cru Chateau D'Avize Blanc De Blancs Extra Brut

This tasting note below was also posted on the Brut Zero wine in Cellar Tracker, though this was a 5g/L dosage and disgorged in 2019 (as opposed to the Brut Zero's 2g/L and disgorged in 2022). I just…

Diebolt-Vallois Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut Millésimé

This really is a nice Champagne. The QPR makes it extremely appealing. Similar to my experience six months ago at the domaine. Lemon and chalk dominate, with a nice medium density that lingers on the…

Chartogne-Taillet Champagne Blanc de Blancs Heurtebise

Astringent, bitter (especially on the finish), bent out of shape, angular, lacking any fruit, and generally angry as all getup for the first hour of consumption. I would have called this flawed if I…

Chartogne-Taillet Champagne Hors Serie

Well this is a pleasant little sipper. Unique with its array of flavors, leading with spicy pear, red apple flesh, orange rind, lime, river rocks (more limestone than chalk), citrus pith, melon rind,…