Reviews

Roses de Jeanne / Cédric Bouchard Champagne Blanc de Noirs Côte de Val Vilaine

PnP was high-pitched and a bit steely, with lemon seed, slate, chalk, and limestone notes. Ultra, ultra pure, with a unique, exacting focus that I have only found in a handful of Champagnes.

René-Henri Coutier Champagne Grand Cru Brut Rosé

A beautiful hue of golden orange-pink, like a sunset in Morea...aaannd that's about as good as it gets....

Gosset Champagne Célebris

Beautifully balanced, with seamless flavors of yellow pear, lemon, stone fruit, white peach, brioche, crema, and some subtle minerality. Resolved and utterly captivating. The elegance and silky…

Marc Hébrart Champagne Premier Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut

A extremely pleasant and inviting Champagne, with yeasty but pure flavors of almond paste, fresh pizza dough, white peach, white stone fruit, green apple, quince, and some chalk and salt rock. A good…

Launois Pere et Fils Champagne Grand Cru Severine

Notes of stone fruit, olive oil, quinine, bruised apple, yeast, banana peel, kerosene, lacquer, and dry white wood. A somewhat clumsy attack, with the back end stifled by the wonky flavors stammering…

Launois Pere et Fils Champagne Grand Cru Veuve Clemence Brut Blanc de Blancs

Same as previous notes. Nice cut and bright acidity; a higher toned, whiter stone fruit profile. The bubbles persisted for hours. A fun and easy sipper for sure.

Launois Pere et Fils Champagne Grand Cru Brut Millésimé

Ripe green apple, buttery brioche, banana peel, bruised lemon, roasted cashew, mesquite honey, and some oyster shell. On the riper side of the spectrum; missing some of the vivaciousness of the…

Salmon Champagne Special Club

At Mr. Jiu's in SF.

Veuve Clicquot Champagne Brut

An easy going sipper that rewards with the most basic of pleasure; essentially zero cerebral eminence to be had here. Nevertheless, straightforward notes of yellow and white citrus, bread dough, and…

Launois Pere et Fils Champagne Grand Cru Veuve Clemence Brut Blanc de Blancs

Same as my notes from a couple of months ago. An easy-going sipper that has some elevated flavor elements and is wonderfully balanced (not too much of the bubbly going on to distract from the…

Moët & Chandon Champagne Brut Impérial

I quite enjoyed this bottle of Champagne. Nothing overly stimulating about it from an intellectual standpoint, but a easy drinker with a healthy dose of flavor, drive, and depth to keep the sips…

Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée

A lovely bottle of Champagne, with yeasty brioche, lemon chiffon cake, Asian pear, ripe green and red apple, sea foam, toasted pignolia, and a banana nut bread note that added depth and character.…

Launois Pere et Fils Champagne Grand Cru Veuve Clemence Brut Blanc de Blancs

Of the three sparklers served at the table, this was the best expression of the trio in terms of overall purity, complexity, cut, and balance. Sophisticated notes of Asian pear, green apple pie,…

Billecart-Salmon Champagne Brut Rosé

A fun and festive brut rose. Light strawberry, ripe peach, and some yeasty brioche flavors. In my opinion, best served as cold as possible. Keep on ice/refrigerated throughout consumption; don't let…

Michel Gonet Champagne Grand Cru Cuvée Prestige Blanc de Blancs

As before, this Champagne was a great way to end a tasting of fabulous reds at Vice Versa. Crisp yellow and white core fruit, pumice dust, and some light lemon zest. 93-94 points.

Roses de Jeanne / Cédric Bouchard Champagne Blanc de Noirs Côte de Val Vilaine

Pure, clean, balanced, and superbly focused without being too linear or biting in any way. Beautiful yellow citrus and white stone fruit, subtle pear, and elegant minerality. Laser-like precision,…

Thienot Champagne Brut

Same as my previous notes. I've admittedly felt less and less drawn to this Champagne over this past year. Time to start looking elsewhere I suppose. Drink now.

Michel Gonet Champagne Grand Cru Cuvée Prestige Blanc de Blancs

A great way to finish off a tasting of an immensely unctuous lineup of 2015 Vice Versa Cabernets, this Champagne was a welcome delivery of frothy stone fruit, pumice, and light lemon. I could've…

Thienot Champagne Cuvée Alain Thiénot

Very mature and rich notes of creme brûlée, lemon curd, fried ripe plantain, olive oil, and roasted hazelnut.

Francois Lecompte Champagne

A right now, ready to go, fruit forward type of wine. Not a whole lot of cut, but man was it giving its all in the core fruit department. Lemon, red apple flesh (mesocarp), clarified butter, and a…

Thienot Champagne Brut

Similar to my previous notes. It was a really hot day, and this wine warmed up fast in the glass. Lost some focus and became a little flat toward the very end. Still enjoyable and fun, but make sure…

Pannier Champagne Blanc de Noirs Brut

A nice balanced sparkler. Pear, apple, and light cream. Subtle yeasty flavors were not overpowering, and added some depth. Didn't necessarily have any noteworthy cut or acid to slice through some of…

Thienot Champagne Brut

Same as my previous tasting note. Went down way too easy. Lacked just a tad bit of focus and tension, but a more plush version of a Champagne sparkler. Fun and just plain good. Not cerebral, but a…

Salmon Champagne 100% Meunier Brut

A very noteworthy Champagne in that it offered some nice upfront, agreeable flavors and didn't clamp down on the back end with any harsh dryness the way some lesser brut Champagne sparklers often do.…

Thienot Champagne Brut

This was the #1 sparkler of the night; tasted side-by-side with two others (#2 was a 2007 Schramsberg Reserve; #3 was a Frank Family Brut Rose). I was honestly shocked at the depth and wonderful…