Champagne

This was Magnum 94/200.  A friend's daughter was awarded this bottle from her employer, and she presented it to him for his 60th birthday which was generously shared with his friends.  Amazing wine.  Silvery gold in color, a steady stream of tiny bubbles, clear and bright.  The nose is big with toast, Meyer Lemons, chalk and a hint of ginger.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this is so smooth, yet so crisp.  Flavors of green apples, orange peel, minerals and some toast.  So complex and deep.  Incredibly long finish.  This is the best DP since at least 1996.  Quite a treat.  In Magnum format, i

This is made from six of the seven authorized grapes in Champagne.  Pinot noir, Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Arbane, and Petit Meslier (Pinot Gris (called Fromenteau in Champagne is the one not used).  Golden in Color with a lot of tiny bubbles, clear and bright.  The nose is strong with a tad of oxidation.  Caramel, Vernor's Soda, and slight nuttiness.  Perhaps a slim touch of lemons.  A strong backbone of acidity on the palate.  A bit toasty with apples and some nuttiness comes thru.  Medium length finish.  This is very good on its own but would work better with food.  Soft che

This is a commemorative bottle for the release of the James Bond movie, No Time to Die.  Golden in color, clear and bright, with a steady stream of tiny bubbles.  The bubbles disappear quickly in the glass though.  The nose is toasty with a bit of nuttiness and brioche.  Also some smoke and slight apple.  Tart green apples on the palate.  Some depth.  Easy drinking with a long finish the begs another sip.  This is a fun wine and for a James Bond themed party would be great but at the same time, this is $20 more than the regular version and really not as good.  It is very food frien

This is a blend of Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris grapes.  Deep salmon pink with orange hues.  There are a lots of tiny bubbles making a nice mousse.  On the nose, there is orange peel, slight strawberries, and apples.  Medium bodied.  Good acidity.  On the palate, cherries and apples with a bit of minerality.  Long finish.  This is very tasty.  Drink over the next few years.  This will work well with a wide variety of foods.  Pulled pork sandwiches to grilled tuna would work.  

Always a pleasure to drink this wine.  Light golden in color, tons of very tiny bubbles, clear and bright.  The nose is great.  Toasty with some lemons and a lot of minerality.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Lemons, minerals with plenty of complexity and depth.  Long finish.  This should drink well over the next fifteen to twenty years.  It will go with practically any food.  Popcorn is always a great choice with great Champagne.  

Not much more to say about one of the greatest wines on the planet from a great vintage.  This bottle was bought on release and cellared well.  Light golden in color with a lot of small bubbles.  The nose is concentrated with baked apples, some spice, slight lemon and a brioche/oxidized note that is classic Krug.  Medium to full bodied.  On the palate, this is still youthful.  Great acidity.  A bit of baked apple, spice and slight cider note.  Long finish.  This is still youthful and should easily go another ten to fifteen years at this level if well stored.  It will pair with virtually any

From Magnum.  Silvery/gold in color with a nice mousse.  The nose is nice.  More elegant with some ginger, a bit of smoke, citrus and slight floral notes.  On the palate, great acidity.  delicious.  Lemons with slight lime.  Long finish.  Unclear as to disgorgement date on this bottle.  Drinking great from this format.  It will work well on its own or with just about any type of food.  

This is from the people who bring you Cayuse and other wines from Washington State.  It is Champagne from France made from the Pinot Meunier grape planted in 1969.  Only made in Magnum and sold thru the Cayuse mailing list.  Golden in color with a slight ruby tint to it.  A nice mousse with a lot of effervescence.  The nose has Vernor's soda notes (sort of ginger and caramel).   With air some cherries and lemons come out.  Medium to full bodied.  On the palate, the cherries and lemons are more pronounced but there is still that underlying ginger.  Nice minerality.  Very concentrated, it slo

Always a great wine and great "value" in the world of expensive Champagne, it seems as the 2012 is one of the best vintages yet, perhaps surpassing 2008 and going back to 1996 for that level of quality, at least for my tastes.  Light golden in color with slight green hues, clear and bright.  The mousse is consistent with lots of tiny bubbles.  The nose has a hint of toast upfront, followed by pears with a slight  floral quality.  Some citrus on the back end.  Full bodied.

This is a 50/50 blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.  Salmon pink in color, clear and bright.  Minimal mousse but very tiny bubbles.  The nose is lighter but opens with air.  Cherries, oranges and lemons with some minerality.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this is refreshing and delicious.  Cherries and lemon rind with underlying minerality.  Long finish.  Great acidity.  This took some time to open in the glass suggesting it might yet have some upside.  It should drinking well over the next ten to fifteen years.  It drinks well on its own but will be incredibly versatile with food.  It shoul