Reviews

Jacques Lassaigne Champagne Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Le Cotet

Disgorged October 21, 2023, this Cotet is a much more put-together specimen than the Colline Inspiree I had the other day. Very nice intensity and focus kick off notes of lemon pith, nougat, white…

Champagne J.Vignier Champagne Grand Cru QVFMR "Les Jardins d'Elise" Cramant

Pros: Pure, clean, focused, crystalline lemon. Cons: Angular, sterile, superficial, lacks mid-palate.

Jacques Lassaigne Champagne Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs La Colline Inspirée

I initially couldn't find a disgorgement date or any info on the bottle to save my life, with no clue what vintage(s) base this is. However, thanks to CT'r Ghoulardi, who told me it was the barely…

Château Belair-Monange

This fell flat with a 4-5oz Coravin pull. It was next to a 2015 Rauzan-Segla that initially was just as dumb, but managed to wake up and eventually obliterate the Belair-Monange. The B-M displayed…

Château Rauzan-Ségla

It's been five years since last having this wine. I pulled a Coravin glass of this a few months ago and thought it was one of the most boring wines I'd ever tried in my life. Red currant, red cherry,…

Harumph Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon O $#!t

A. STRAIGHT. BIGGIN.

Harumph Cellars Grenache Flora Marie Vineyard

It's big, sweet, chewy, and insanely satiating for those who want instant DJ hoppin' pool party madness in your mouth. Sugar, spice, raspberry bomb, red cherry sucker.and sugar.and spice. Pair with…

Westborn Perpetual Reserve 01

2020 base. 50%/42%/8% Chardonnay/Pinot Noir/Pinot Meunier. 4g/L dosage. "Perpetual reserve" (NV) from a project that started in 2018. Vineyards from "Northern California. Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino,…

Marguet Champagne Grand Cru Les Crayères

Stupid. The fruit was there this time and there was no wet Pomeranian smell, but the effervescence came and went faster than a Tik-Toker's attention span. To call it a still wine after a few minutes…

Ultramarine Blanc de Noirs Heintz Vineyard Sonoma Coast

This is probably the freshest Ultramarine BdN I've had, especially given the bottle variation and duds I've experienced over recent years. White raspberry water, yellow and red pear flesh and skin,…

Turtle Rock G2

Followed this over 3 days. Man, this is a potent potable for sure. Day 2, into Day 3, it was at its best. No heat. Just gobs of blackberry and blueberry fruit saturating the palate with…

Domaine Taupenot-Merme Auxey-Duresses 1er Cru Rouge

Still chugging along nicely. Decent depth and breadth, with a darker berry profile than I remember. In a good window now, with previous linearity seemingly resolved; quite approachable and appealing…

Domaine Launay-Horiot Pommard 1er Cru Les Chaponnières

I haven't had this in four years, and though I find this bottle well resolved and in a balanced drinking window, albeit with a bit of air, I do think it to be less exciting than when I had it back in…

Henri Boillot Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatières

Holy potent panther of ripe and ready profundity! All you Aubert and Kongsgaard cronies take note, as the 2019 Henri Boillot Folatieres is a double-barreled doozy of such volume and intensity that it…

Nicolas Maillart Champagne Premier Cru Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut Les Chaillots Gillis

Strikingly better on Day 2. More depth and a broader flavor expansion. So, either hold for a few more years or give it plenty of air so it can fan out and deepen.

Savart Champagne Grand Cru Haute Couture Le Mesnil

It's been two years since my last tasting note on this wine and there has been some notable development over that time, specifically a bit more depth and flavor expansion. However, it requires air to…

Ultramarine Sparkling Rosé Hirsch Vineyard

As detailed in my previous note, this is fairly linear and chiseled. Better with food. .And eons better than the 2018 Hirsch Rose. Stick with this 2019, but perhaps best to hold for a year or two to…

Ultramarine Sparkling Rosé Hirsch Vineyard

Still.weird. Plastic aftertaste. Bitter finish. Funky in not a good way. The 2019 is way better. This 2018 is.. Not.

Kinsman Eades Syrah Aberro White Hawk Vineyard

Both the White Hawk and the mighty Z Syrahs from Aberro (Kinsman) are stellar performers. Whereas the Bien Nacido Z was most defined by a sheeny and silky bubble encompassing the core berry fruit,…

Marguet Champagne Grand Cru Les Bermonts

This bottle was slightly off, which is just icing on a flattened cake of tears and sadness since a huge percentage of Marguets I went fairly deep on turned out to be flawed. I love this producer when…

Jean-Paul & Benoit Droin Chablis Grand Cru Grenouilles

Love this wine. My previous tasting note covers most everything, but I figured I'd put a note in here to accentuate my absolute appeal for the 2019 vintage with this producer. It is perhaps the best…

Marie-Courtin Champagne Présence

Last bottle of this and a quick final note just to put a period on all the other previous notes.

Jerome Blin Champagne Cuvée Octave Zero Dosage

Not flawed, so that's an automatic bonus. Medium intensity, with lemon, travertine, and yellow pear (pulp and skin). It's relatively simple, but fresh and clean all the way around. With air, its…

Bollinger Champagne Special Cuvée Brut

Liquid dough.

Bollinger Champagne Brut Rosé

Superficial and high riding watermelon and white rock notes. Depth is missing here, though it does provide some satisfactory pick-me-up freshness that would at least compliment certain fare (for…