Reviews

Jacques Selosse Initial

Oxidative but exceptionally lively with notable lift, these fresher versions of Selosse with more recent disgorgement dates are certainly compelling. Any seeming divide between the Initial and the…

Marguet Champagne Grand Cru Les Beurys

These Marguet wines are a trip, bouncing around in their flavor profiles on initial opening and taking a decent amount of time to settle into themselves. I'm torn, because the final sips of this…

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

Lemony lemonness with a side order of lemons. Succulent and even a bit chewy, but with a beautiful bead of acidity and white elements (melon rind, chalk, white pear) to keep it honest. Previous notes…

Marguet Champagne Grand Cru Le Parc

This bottle was sharper and more angular than the one I had back in December. Man I really hope we aren't gonna go through the same inconsistent nonsense we went through with the 2018s. Come on…

Bérêche et Fils Champagne Grand Cru Mailly

This bottle was solid and sound. Poached pear, grilled lemon, limestone, Mirabelle plum, orange rind, red apple flesh, and olive oil notes work in unison with more lifted elements of chalk, white…

Pertois-Lebrun Champagne Grand Cru L'ambitieuse

Fresh and straightforward in execution, with the perpetual reserve rescuing it from becoming too foursquare. Deeper lemon, red apple flesh, honeyed pear, almond, and melon notes accompany the…

Agrapart Champagne Grand Cru Vénus Brut Nature Blanc de Blancs

There is an instant richness here that is immediately appealing, though such accessibility is countered by its medium intensity and dialed-back acidic tension. The flavor profile signals a more…

Adrien Dhondt Champagne Grand Cru Pisseraines Avize

Bosc and green pear, honeydew melon, white melon rind, lemon juice, green apple, wet white travertine and chalk, lime juice and zest, white marzipan, white pepper, and limestone. An array of flavors…

Pertois-Lebrun Champagne Grand Cru L'Egoiste

Yeasty, doughy, and frothy, the 2014 L'Egoiste is mostly bread and white fruit that ride high and apéritif-y for most of consumption. Some lemon juice, sea spray, and fondant show up with air, as…

Pertois-Lebrun Champagne Grand Cru Le Fond Du Bateau N°15

Balled up and a little reductive at first, the N°15 presents its white melon rind, lemon meringue, white travertine, and yellow/white pear notes with an initial sternness and higher riding authority.…

Adrien Dhondt Champagne Grand Cru Les Potées Le Mesnil-sur-Oger

Bunches of water-sprayed herbs lead the attack, with fresh tarragon, oregano, and mint, encasing the lemon, flint, chalk, yuzu, white melon rind, white/yellow pear, and limestone notes. The striking…

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…

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.

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…

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…

Larmandier-Bernier Champagne Grand Cru Les Chemins d'Avize

Solid stuff. In a great window right now. Golden apple (without being too apple or cider-dominant, which can be hugely distracting), grilled lemon, quince, limestone, yellow poached pear, almond, and…

Adrien Dhondt Champagne Grand Cru Les Coullemets Le Mesnil-sur-Oger

Now this is what I'm talking about. A beautiful BdB that delivers on all fronts. This maintains impeccable balance all the while delivering perfectly cadenced expansion with an array of energetic…

Marguet Champagne Grand Cru Les Crayères

A 100% Chardonnay version of the historically Pinot Noir Crayeres from Marguet is a solid Blanc de Blanc that pushes lime juice and zest, lemon, wet limestone, and white flowers forward in a…

Philippe Lancelot Champagne Grand Cru Cramant

Lemon, quince, and chalk drive the attack, with a medium-bodied delivery of balanced fruit-to-white rock. The finish lacks a little persistence, but it rounds-out nicely nonetheless. Pure, clean, and…

Philippe Lancelot Champagne Grand Cru Le Fond Du Bateau Chouilly

This presents as a beautiful and delineated Champagne, with baskets of white flowers and fresh herbs swirling around the brisk yellow citrus, lemon pith, sea spray, and salt flake notes. White rock…

Bérêche et Fils Champagne Grand Cru Mailly

Pours a beautiful golden hue, with the slightest salmon tinge around the edges. Bubbles are especially delicate and fine, almost fragile in their appearance.