Reviews

Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut

Higher pitched lemon juice and white fruit, honeydew rind, chalk, and crisp yellow apple. Linear and fairly unexpressive overall. Muted and primary on the finish. This is going to take some time to…

Pol Roger Champagne Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill

This thing slays. The Churchill bested a 2015 Cristal by a decent margin. Previous notes apply.

Marguet Champagne Grand Cru Le Parc

There's an upfront limestone/white travertine thing going on here that keeps the yellow and white citrus and stone fruit in righteous formation, almost to the point of being a bit linear. Much…

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

Reminding me of a Marguet Le Parc I had recently, this LB is an exquisitely built BdB, with a beautiful yellow and green pear-driven profile, carrying additional white travertine-meets-yellow citrus…

Pol Roger Champagne Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill

A solid bottle right here folks. In the same league as other Churchills, with perhaps a little less power and spice than the 2013 and missing the yeast note that the 2012 carries, this 2015 is a…

Kinsman Eades Aisana

I'm too dumb for this wine. I mean, I suppose that's not exactly narrowing it down, as most things can seemingly outsmart me these days. However, this particular upper-cruster makes me feel like I'm…

Château Canon

There is a polish here that immediately adds to the textural profile of this Canon. Somewhat plush, but not so much that it makes for too fruity or flabby of a delivery, the 2018 is similar…

Ultramarine Blanc de Blancs Keefer Ranch Sonoma Coast

Not so sure I'm too stoked on the track record here with some of these sparklers. This one opened up with extremely aggressive bubbles (and yes, it has been resting on its side and treated with kid…

Marguet Champagne Grand Cru Les Bermonts

A super solid showing, and though perhaps a slight step behind in complexity to a recently sampled Le Parc (2018), this 2017 Bermonts is a worthy sibling indeed. Linear and a bit strict on first…

Jean-Paul & Benoit Droin Chablis Grand Cru Valmur

Lemon and lime juice and zest, liquid limestone, sea salt, iodine, and lemon verbena notes make for a vibrant showing. Not as beefy as Valmurs of the past, the 2021 vintage makes for a more honed…

Marguet Champagne Grand Cru Le Parc

A brilliant performance, with a beautifully defined power/spice profile that makes for immediate pleasure; give it some air and you're in for even more of a treat. Yellow pear, yellow apple skin,…

Marguet Champagne Grand Cru Les Crayères

Spicy and powerful on entry, this instantly reminds me of the 2012 and 2013 Churchills I've recently sampled. The edges start out a little angular, but quickly come in to better focus, with punchy…

Jacquesson & Fils Champagne Dizy Terres Rouges Extra Brut

The first sip was a little rough and tumble, with a rustic delivery that reminded me more of Pinot Meunier. About an hour after having been open, it transformed into a lovely display of golden raisin…

Roger Coulon Champagne Blanc de Noirs Millesime

2013 vintage BdN. Marked as Extra Brut. 50/50 split of Pinot Noir/Meunier, with 3g/L dosage; disgorged July 2022; 12% ABV. 8000 bottles produced. VV from Vrigny; Meunier vines planted in 1959.

Marguet Sapience

More mature notes of grilled lemon, olive oil, cantaloupe rind, poached pear, and brioche collide with pithy seed and mineral elements, making for a somewhat clipped back end that keeps the flavors…

Patrick Piuze Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses

Boy, this was as boring and plain as the day is long. I just hope I don't get too tired even writing about this wine and fall aslee.............

Futo Oakville

Ya, so, I don't want to like this wine at all, but there is no denying this is top shelf stuff right here, so much so that the only reason I'm not jumping to 100 is because I am in one of those moods…

Wittmann Westhofener Morstein Riesling Großes Gewächs

Lime skin, citrus pith, white quartz, honeydew rind, and hints of sea spray notes make for an accessible enough delivery of flavor, but with a limited and primary execution overall; everything here…

Maybach Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Materium

Ok, so for those who desire a bit more detail, this is a follow up to my last extremely brief note a few days ago.

La Pelle Cabernet Sauvignon Red Hen Vineyard

This really opens up after a couple hours of air, with a more deeply pitched profile quickly coming into form once a healthy dose of aeration allows the flavors to expand. Earthy black fruits,…

Maybach Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Materium

Ripe. Sweet. .And ripe.

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Elysian Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

It's been a few years since I last visited this wine. It drinks smooth and plush for the most part, with little bits of air helping it stretch its legs. The profile hasn't changed much, with black…

Kinsman Eades Syrah Aberro Bien Nacido Block Z

Decanted for approximately three hours, which seemed to yield good results considering how impatient I was to crack the cap on this bottle and see what all the fuss was about.

Henri Giraud Champagne Grand Cru Brut MV16 Aÿ

Toasty, yeasty, and briochey, with ripe lemon and yellow pear notes that are swarmed by an almost beer-like frothing effervescence which dissipates rather quickly and leaves the tail much softer than…

Château Valandraud

A compelling bottle of wine. In great spot, with smooth tannins but great grip, relaxing just enough to allow the dark and somewhat earthy fruit come in. This obliterated a 2006 Valandraud next to…