Reviews

Larmandier-Bernier Champagne Premier Cru Terre de Vertus

Starts out a little sharp and overly astute, but manages to toss off the academia cap and follow-up with some inviting notes of brassy lemon peel, melon rind, quince, olive oil, and limestone. The no…

Emmanuel Brochet Champagne Premier Cru Extra Brut (2015) Le Mont Benoit

2015 base, with PM, PN, and Chard components in fairly even thirds. Brassy and at times a bit unpolished, but still maintained brightness and energy. Grilled lemon, red apple, roasted walnuts,…

Salmon Champagne Special Club

Light bronze color. Biscuit and olive oil notes surround the brassy yellow citrus core on initial entry. Medium effervescence that allows the flavors to expand mid-palate. Finishes with moderate…

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

Sherry and brassy, burnt citrus notes dominate on the ultra-dry and and near-astringent execution. Some dried apricot, red apple skin, and cheap olive oil notes also emerged. Mid-palate stayed biting…

Chartogne-Taillet Champagne Les Barres

Red apple, candied citrus peel, preserved Meyer lemon, raw ginger, honeycomb, wet limestone, olive oil, and Rainier cherry water. Slight lamp oil in texture, with a peripheral oxidized dynamic that…

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

Quality and focus every time with this wine. An obvious serious side to Bouchard's Champagne, but also plenty giving in the yellow citrus, yellow pear skin, limestone, and black cherry water core.…

Laherte Frères Champagne Premier Cru Extra Brut Les Longues Voyes

Ripe apple and preserved lemon rind lead the front end of this round and medium-bodied Laherte. Slightly rich and heavy on the mid-palate, with red cherry water, yellow apple, and some plantain notes…

Christophe Mignon Champagne Blanc de Noirs Pur Meunier Brut Nature

Black cherry water, white stone, white fig, lemon pulp, and yellow apple skin. The 100% PM makes for a pretty serious and chiseled delivery, with a direct execution that provides limited, though…

Pierre Gerbais Champagne L'Originale

Lemon juice, stone fruit, lemon seed, chalk, yellow and green apple, and pumice. A white and high-pitched yellow core, that opens up and expands nicely over time with air. Pithy on the finish;…

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

Meyer lemon preserve, apple pie filling, copper, chalk, brioche crust, and quince roll over the palate in both a mature advancement of flavor as well as a perfectly balanced tension that keeps the…

Schramsberg Vineyards Blanc de Blancs

Aaah the standard Schramsberg BdB... The Caymus of Champagne... or rather, the Caymus of California "sparklers." Doughy, pie crusty, lemon curdy, banana peely, creme brûléey, high dosagey,…

Cruse Wine Company Valdiguié Pétillant Naturel Deming

Dry, sharp, and fairly empty overall. Some floral elements inject a bitterness that adds insult to injury. Finishes hollow and vapid. Not sure what the overall intent of this wine is. Seemed to carry…

Ultramarine Blanc de Noirs Heintz Vineyard Sonoma Coast

The sparkler of the evening, this installment of Ultramarine impresses for its instant gratification delivery of open knit yellow citrus flavors, banana peel, wet limestone, seafoam, and salt lick…

Ployez-Jacquemart Champagne Extra Quality Brut

Disgorged 5/22/2018. 1/3 split of Chard/PN/PM. Blend of 09/10/11 vintages (I think).

Larmandier-Bernier Champagne Premier Cru Terre de Vertus

A fairly serious Champagne, with a hyper-focused delivery of white stone fruit, chalk, white melon, lemon seed and white lemon rind, travertine, and some bark notes. The no dosage shows at the…

Larmandier-Bernier Longitude

An easy drinker with some nice yellow citrus foam and sea salt. Displayed slight metallic notes on the finish. Otherwise an enjoyable wine. I preferred the 2011 Terre de Vertus served beside it.

Dom Pérignon Champagne

Spritely lemon and white stone fruit core, with hints of banana peel, pumice, quince, and olive oil. Effervescence was a bit aggressive, masking some of the would-be layering of fruit, but the PnP…

Armand de Brignac Champagne Ace of Spades Brut Gold

Yellow citrus, chalk, 9V battery, lemon rind, lemon seed, chamomile, varnish, and some twig notes. Slight oxidative notes on the attack, finishing bitter with an alkaline aftertaste. Not a ton of…

R. & L. Legras Champagne Grand Cru Saint-Vincent

Still sticking with my previous note. For me, this is a Champagne to pop now and over the short-term. In a decent window now. Still has some refreshing qualities along with some reductive elements.

Drappier Champagne Carte d'Or Brut

Riper yellow citrus and stone fruit with a mineral streak on the back end. Hints of an oxidized/honeycomb component in the profile, but finishing with a steely cut that keeps it from seeming weighed…

Laherte Frères Champagne Extra Brut Les Vignes d'Autrefois

Much more wired-tight than previous vintages, this primary pumpkin has yet to peacock (nice alliteration, right?!). This was a PnP (and likely should been a decant). Hyper-focused and chiseled,…

Laherte Frères Champagne Extra Brut Les Vignes d'Autrefois

Similar to the 2012 version but with a bit more of an understated flavor profile overall. Nicely balanced, showing subtle mature lemon and white cherry notes; limestone and bark show up mid-way…

R. & L. Legras Champagne Grand Cru Saint-Vincent

Grilled lemon, almond skin, lamp oil, plantain, marzipan, and hints of pulverized wet granite. Carries a decent amount of speed, but exhibits a more mature and oxidized profile. Finishes medium and…

Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée Edition 165eme

Bruised lemon rind, roasted almond, chalk, and "other" oxidative notes TBD. With air, more plantain and lamp oil permeated through the profile. I like it, but I feel that the Krug style lacks some of…

Champagne Le Mesnil Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut

A decent yeasty style on the front-end attack, with bread dough, white melon, pie crust, and lemon seed. Skirts the mid-palate a little high and linear, finishing nearly opposite of how it started,…