2004 Henri Goutorbe Champagne Grand Cru Brut Millésimé, France, Champagne, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2004
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+

Consumed on a Celebrity Cruise Ship (Alaska) wine tasting.  A blend of 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay.  Pale golden with some green hues and a steady stream of tiny bobbles.  The nose is interesting with toast and limes.  Perhaps a slight bit of oxidation.  On the palate, this is somewhat demur but had plenty of stuffing.  On the palate, more about minerality with slight pear and a bit of chalk.  An interesting bitter almond note on the finish.  Good acidity.  This is drinking maturely but nice right now.  Depending on how one likes older Champagnes, this is probably best drunk sooner th

1985 G. H. Mumm & Cie Grand Cordon Champagne Brut, France, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1985
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$200.00USD

This was more "bubbly" than the 85 Dom Perignon served with it although in the end, the Dom was the better still wine.  That said, this was a great showing for this wine at age 38.  Deeper golden in color with a fair amount of smaller bubbles.  The nose is nice with ginger, caramel, and slight apple cider notes.  Fuller in body.  On the palate, this is still robust with ginger, slight red apples and just a bit of toast.  Long finish.  Certainly past prime but with a lot to offer.  Nice on its own, better with a bit of food.  Very enjoyable.  

1985 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon, France, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1985
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$590.00USD

Part of 1980's Bordeaux Dinner at Edwin's.  Medium golden in color, clear and bright.  Not many bubbles in the glass.  The nose is nice.  Smoky with lemons and lanolin.  Some trace of oxidation.  Medium to full bodied.  On the palate, not completely flat but getting there.  That said, this was an excellent, crisp white wine.  Lemons with some oxidation.  Complex.  Long finish.  While perhaps a bit over the hill, still really providing an excellent drinking experience.  It was nice on its own, and would work well with all but the heaviest foods.  It went well with a beet dish and Marcona Alm

2016 Champagne Christophe Baron Champagne Les Alouettes Charly-sur-Marne, France, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$300.00USD

This is 100% Pinot Meunier.  Light copper/gold in color with lots of tiny bubbles making a nice mousse.  The nose has caramel, ginger, peach and some toast.  Medium to full bodied.  Great acidity.  On the palate, this has some peach along with a Vernor's Soda quality with some underlying char.  Deep and complex.  Very structured.  Long finish.  This is open and drinking well but not yet at peak.  It drinks great on its own and will work with almost any food.  It went well with assorted cheeses and veggies.  Drink over the next ten to fifteen years.  This was from Magnum which I believe is t

MV Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvee Edition 170eme, France, Wine Review

Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$260.00USD

A blend of 195 wines from twelve vintages back to 1998, 51% Pinot Noir, 38% Chardonnay, 11% Meunier, base vintage 2014, bottled spring 2021.  Another top notch effort by arguably the best producer in Champagne.  Light golden in color with a multitude of very tiny bubbles.  Lovely froth.  The nose is great with ginger, slight brioche, slight caramel and lemon.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Some salinity with lemons and slight ginger ale.  Good balance.  Long finish.  This version does not seem to have quite the quality of the prior few which is unfortunate given how expen

NV Trudon Champagne Dyade, France, Wine Review

Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$50.00USD

Light golden in color with some silvery hues.  Lots of tiny bubbles make up a nice mousse.  The nose is nice with minerality, sulfur, chalk and also some cherries and slight citrus.  Medium to full bodied.  On the palate, this seems ripe with cherries and slight grapefruit but also lots of minerality.  Good acidity.  Long  finish.  Very food versatile, this will go with just about anything.  It went well with vegetarian Egg Rolls.  Drink over the next few years.  

2016 Roland Champion Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut, Chouilly Grand Cru, France, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$60.00USD

Golden in color with a lot of very small bubbles, clear and bright.  The nose is very nice with chalk, toast, and slight marzipan.  Full bodied.  Good balance.  On the palate, this is crisp with a very, very slight sweetness to it.  Chalk and slight dried citrus notes.  Long finish.  This has plenty of depth.  Drinking well now, this should drink well for seven to ten more years.  It is very food versatile and should go with just about any food.  It went very well with a spicy vegetarian pizza.  

NV J. Lassalle Chigny Les Roses Coteaux Champenois Rouge 1er Cru, France, Champagne, Wine Review

Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-

This is a still red wine (Pinot Noir) made in the Champagne region of France.  Garnet in color, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with cinnamon, cherries, slight black cherry, and a bit of poblano pepper.  Medium bodied.  Good acidity.  Light tannins.  On the palate, this is a slightly watery, slightly bitter note that is unusual in a Pinot but also plenty of cherries and a bit of green pepper.  It is a very good wine, but it is also one of the more interesting Pinots I have had.  There is a nice complexity.  It was served with a bunch of wines, and this would be fascinating to drink on i

NV Vouette et Sorbée Champagne Fidèle Brut Nature, France, Wine Review

Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$74.00USD

Tasted from Magnum.  Although this is not vintage Champagne, I am told this is all 2017 vintage grapes.  The Brut Nature indicates this had zero dosage.  It is 100% Pinot Noir and went thru 100% Malolactic fermentation.  A very interesting and very good wine.  Golden in color with a slight copper hue.  Quite a bit of very tiny bubbles.  The nose has seltzer, melon, chalk and slight lemon.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this has a bit of sweetness to it which is likely just from ripe fruit (no easy task in 2017).  There is an herbal note along with melon and plenty of minerality.  This has a

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