Reviews

Larmandier-Bernier Champagne Grand Cru Les Chemins d'Avize

As before, golden apple, poached pear, a drip of olive oil, limestone, and some spice roll on to the palate; this becomes richer with air and temperature, but holds a delicate mousse that keeps…

Philippe Lancelot Champagne Grand Cru Le Fond Du Bateau Chouilly

Less of a stellar showing from this bottle. It needed an hour or so before it stopped being a one-note white fruit catawampus sourpuss. Even with air and time, it was fairly disjointed and never…

Dom Pérignon Champagne

Dough, yeast, lemon juice, and white fruit. The dosage is evident but not distracting (compared to 2012 for example). Some decent tension, but not as electric as 2013. 2015 is essentially a hybrid of…

Marguet Champagne Grand Cru Les Beurys

Another funky bottle with a bitter finish. Annoying.

Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut

Green and yellow pear, green and yellow apple, lemon and lemon pith, honeydew, margarita, wet white rock, and quince. Subtle yeast, just enough to create body and nuance. With air, the fruit balances…

Rémi Leroy Champagne Blanc de Quatre Cépages Mer sur Mont

One word: ANG-U-LAR.

Déhu Père & Fils Champagne Cuvée De L'Orme

This has quite the bite to it, with a prickly entry that starts and finishes with a bitter barb. The tip of the needle dulls with air and time in the glass, but it never fully backs off from being a…

Dhondt-Grellet Champagne Grand Cru Extra Brut Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Cramant

Wonderfully balanced, with Meyer lemon, lemon curd, honeydew, yellow pear, and wet white travertine notes hitting the palate with an instantly appealing sense of equilibrium. With air, its deepens,…

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,…

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

Starts out a little sour and Hefeweizen-esque at first pass. With air, it balances out and shows deeper lemon, honeyed pear, lemon curd, orange zest, quince, yeast, and hints of funky apricot. Like…

Dom Pérignon Champagne P2

Green pear and apple notes dominate, with a high pitched margarita/prickly pear, unripe kiwi, and limestone thing going on that is super electric. A thin veil of yeast on the back end is swiftly…

Dom Pérignon Champagne

Doughy, yeasty, bready, dosage-y, and confection.-y.

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…

Pertois-Lebrun Champagne Grand Cru L'extravertie

Fine and all, but not especially memorable. A lot of white fruit and fizz. Some higher toned yellow citrus and while melon come to the party, but it stays pretty foursquare throughout consumption.…

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…

Krug Champagne Vintage Brut

This begins to hit a stride after a couple hours of air. After a vigorous start out the gate, there is a nice mid-palate pause on the final sips that peacock beautiful green and yellow pear,…

Leclerc Briant Champagne Abyss

I've reviewed the 2018 Abyss a couple of times now and though I'm not convinced the underwater thing is really a thing, I am fortunately able (I think) to separate myself from whatever mechanisms…

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…

Chartogne-Taillet Champagne Hors Serie

One thing I can say with a high degree of certainty is that these Hors Serie wines from Chartogne-Taillet are built for the long haul and are generally spun up, locked up, balled up, torqued up, and…

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…