Reviews

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.

Laurent-Perrier Champagne Ultra Brut

I didn't catch the disgorgement date, but it was very recent, perhaps painfully so. This is steely and pretty angular. It carries nice zip and is a refreshing enough aperitif type of sipper, but it…

Jerome Blin Champagne Cuvée Apogée Extra Brut

This 2013 has held up quite nicely. Admittedly, I've had hit/miss with reliability on some of Blin's wines. Flawed bottles have been an issue more than a handful of times. This seems to be more true…

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

This bottle was less giving in the fruit department and, instead, spun up and hyper chiseled in its initial delivery. It quickly relaxes its grip (a bit) to unveil white and unripe yellow stone…

Dom Pérignon Champagne P2

I'm a huge fan of this P2's ability to energize the palate with a singular and focused thrust of fruit and mineral elements with such precision. The freshness and exactitude of its flavor expansion…

Jacques Lassaigne Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature Clos Sainte Sophie

A singular and ultra-unique Champagne that I've been lucky enough to hold in the cellar and have opened a couple over the years, the 2013 Sainte Sophie really is a standout. It carries both oxidative…

Dom Pérignon Champagne

With some time to dive deeper with another at-home test on this wine, I'm finding I very much appreciate Dom in racier and more focused vintages, to which I believe the long and cooler growing season…

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

Even better than when I had it at the Domaine in Epernay recently, this latest bottle crushed the at-home test with its beautiful Avize lemony fruit in full display. Perfect balance and cut to match…

Ulysse Collin Champagne Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut (2015) Les Enfers

Frothy and a little bit convoluted in flavor delineation at first pass, this version of Les Enfers shows off an initial blast of oxidative, sour, and somewhat simple monochromatic fruit. Hints of…

Pierre Péters Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Cuvée de Réserve

At Pierre Peters, Mesnil-sur-Oger.

Larmandier père et fils Champagne Special Club Cuis

At Larmandier-Bernier, Blancs-Coteaux.

Larmandier-Bernier Champagne Special Club

At Larmandier-Bernier, Blancs-Coteaux.

Larmandier-Bernier Champagne Grand Cru Vieille Vigne du Levant Extra Brut

At Larmandier-Bernier, Blancs-Coteaux.

Larmandier-Bernier Champagne Grand Cru Les Chemins d'Avize

At Larmandier-Bernier, Blancs-Coteaux.

Larmandier-Bernier Champagne Premier Cru Terre de Vertus

At Larmandier-Bernier, Blancs-Coteaux.

Larmandier-Bernier Longitude

At Larmandier-Bernier, Blancs-Coteaux.

Larmandier-Bernier Champagne Latitude

At Larmandier-Bernier, Blancs-Coteaux.

Roses de Jeanne / Cédric Bouchard Champagne BO/R19

At Le Royal restaurant, Royal Champagne Hotel, Champillon.

Bérêche et Fils Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut Cramant

At Le Bellevue restaurant, Royal Champagne Hotel, Champillon.

Ultramarine Blanc de Blancs Heintz Vineyard Sonoma Coast

Hey now, for as much as Ultramarine can be a hit/miss experience for me, this thing did every right tonight. Offerings from Heintz have produced the most consistent and best lineages from this house.…

Diebolt-Vallois Champagne Fleur de Passion Extra Brut

At Diebolt-Vallois, Cramant.

Bellavista Franciacorta Riserva Vittorio Moretti

At Petra Segreta Resort, San Pantaleo, Sardinia.

Diebolt-Vallois Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut Millésimé

At Diebolt-Vallois, Cramant.