Reviews

Savart Champagne Premier Cru Bulle de Rosé Extra Brut

A wild and funky nose at first pass (initially concerning, but blows off with some swirling in the glass - not flawed). The palate carries some hints of sauvage, but is otherwise clean and correct.…

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…

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

Amongst other Champagne in the blind, this was the clear BdB that exploded with its Chardonnay energy. Bright and citrus-juicy lemon. As mentioned in my previous note, unique flavors of crunchy…

Georges Laval Champagne Premier Cru Brut Nature Les Chênes

Bright and clean, the Les Chenes shoots an attractive bolt of crisp green and yellow apple and pear, wet limestone, honeydew rind, quince, lime juice, chalk, travertine, and sea spray notes in a…

David Leclapart Champagne Premier Cru L'Apôtre Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut

Best performance from these bottles yet (my last bottle). The nose is pure honeycomb. The palate reflects the honeyed note (completely dry; not sweet, but perfectly succulent), with sherry, grilled…

Bérêche et Fils Champagne Premier Cru Les Beaux Regards

This bottle has more of a wet stone and honeydew melon rind thing going on with it at first pass, until it then turns more into a yellow animal after an hour or so of air. Once settled, it shows some…

Girard-Bonnet Champagne Premier Cru Recueil Extrait No 1

Zippy and aperitify in profile, but with some nicely placed lemon and yellow pear notes to balance out the White Avenger Speedy McSpeedster mineral and crunchy melon rind elements. Skipping over the…

Savart Champagne Premier Cru Le Mont des Chrétiens

A bitter bumpkin, with exceptional focus and a chiseled drive, but equally piercing and abrupt in delivery, especially on the finish. After trying to massage my way through half a glass, I was over…

David Leclapart Champagne Premier Cru Cuvée L'Aphrodisiaque

At first, the 2019 L'Aphrodisiaque presents as especially angular and pushy, with full-throttle power bombarding the palate, finishing brassy and abrasive. The extra pump of alcohol (13.5%) is…

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

Cut and paste my previous notes. "Grilled lemon, hazelnut, and yuzu are hugging it out with more mineral and spice components." A perfect combo of oxidative notes and measured vibrancy. Went…

Bérêche et Fils Champagne Premier Cru Les Beaux Regards

I still think this is a solid Champagne. I'm liking Bereche's BdBs more than their BdNs these days (though Cran is usually very compelling). In fact, I have often favored their 1er Cru over their GC…

J-M Seleque Champagne Premier Cru Soliste Chardonnay Pierry Les Tartières et Les Porgeons

Chardonnay with bubbles. It works with caviar and chips. Not sure it works by itself enough to hold attention for more than a minute or so. Lemon and effervescence. If your conversation in good…

David Leclapart Champagne Premier Cru L'Artiste Blanc de Blancs Pas Dosé Trépail

Honeydew, yellow pear, quince, citron zest, lemon and lime pith, white melon rind, lemon curd, creme fraiche, and white stone flavors. More inviting with increasing depth as time goes on. Extremely…

Leclerc Briant Champagne Premier Cru Brut Zéro Les Monts Ferrés

Blind.

David Leclapart Champagne Premier Cru L'Apôtre Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut

Brought to the Caviar Co., Tiburon. This was the freshest of the three bottles I've had, with all the hallmarks of a more aged grower wine (sherry, oxidized notes, grilled orange, poached pear,…

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

At Single Thread*** Restaurant, Healdsburg, CA

Bérêche et Fils Champagne Premier Cru Les Beaux Regards

Just as fresh and balanced as the bottle I had at the domaine last year, with perhaps a touch more depth and expansion here, the 2020 is a solid performer and one of my go-to wines in the Bereche…

David Leclapart Champagne Premier Cru L'Apôtre Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut

The sherry and oxidative elements are even stronger with this bottle. Yet, despite carrying a heavier and more aged profile, it holds up nicely with a frame that keeps it from collapsing. Like an…

Leclerc Briant Champagne Premier Cru Brut Zéro Les Monts Ferrés

A beautiful showing again, with iron, chalk, sea salt, and mineral elements jumpy-housing it out with olive oil, grilled lemon, white lemon rind, ginger, and white pear notes. I'm loving that iron…

David Leclapart Champagne Premier Cru L'Apôtre Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut

Poached pear, grilled lemon, sherry, brown butter, limestone, river rocks, almond skin, salt rock, prickly yellow and green pear, and baking spices (cardamom and coriander). The front end pushes a…

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

There are instantly captivating notes of lime pith, yuzu kosho, unripe honeydew melon, and lemon verbena that enliven the white melon rind, white travertine, and freshly squeezed lemon juice notes.…

Leclerc Briant Champagne Premier Cru Brut Zéro Les Monts Ferrés

Iodine, saline, perfectly ripe lemon and yellow pear, grilled citrus, limestone, and hints of honey, yuzu, and iron provide the foundation for an exquisitely balanced and complex array of flavors.…

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…

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…

Savart Champagne Premier Cru Le Mont des Chrétiens

Medium bodied all the way around, with an oxidative vein that runs through the otherwise spritely lemon and yellow stone fruit flavors. It's a little straightforward at first and fires off at about…