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

2011 Agrapart Champagne Grand Cru Minéral Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut, France, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2011
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$127.00USD

A nice showing especially considering the vintage.  Light golden in color.  A steady stream of smaller bubble.  The nose is clean with good minerality and slight pear notes.  Full bodied but overall the wine is more on the delicate side.  Clean.  On the palate, slight pear and nice minerality as well.  Long finish.  This should drink well over the next eight to ten years.  Very food friendly.  Nice to open a bottle of this with some popcorn.  

2011 Larmandier-Bernier Champagne Grand Cru Vieille Vigne du Levant Extra Brut, France, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2011
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$120.00USD

A difficult vintage in Champagne, but this one is drinking very well.  Golden in color, clear and bright.  A persistent bead of small bubbles form a nice mousse.  The nose is big with apples, pears, yeast and salinity.  Full bodied but good acidity.  On the palate, apples, salinity and slight yeast.  Long finish.  Delicious.  This is drinking well but should easily go another five to eight years.  Very food friendly, this would be very nice with spicy Thai food.  

MV Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée Edition 166eme, France, Wine Review

Score: 
97
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$225.00USD

Gorgeous.  This is their "basic" non-vintage or multi-vintage but better than most luxury cuvees.  It is a blend of 45% Pinot Noir, 39% Chardonnay, and 16% Meunier.  Light golden in color with a steady stream of small bubbles.  Nice frothy mousse.  The nose has toast, yeast, slight cherries, apples and chalk.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this is complex and deep.  Slightly tart fruit (oranges) with some chalk.  Long finish.  This is drinking well now, and should for the next ten to fifteen years.  This will go with just about any food.  It would be great with Sushi.

2006 Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Champagne Brut La Grande Dame, France, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2006
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$180.00USD

Always a treat though this is starting to show some age (in a good way).  Light golden in color, clear and bright.  The mousse isn't as frothy as it had been not as persistent, but still present.  It is a blend of 53% Pinot Noir and 47% Chardonnay.  The nose is great with yeast, ginger, slight char, and slight nutty note.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this is deep and complex.  Some apples, ginger, char and nuts especially on the finish.  Long finish.  Great on its own, this is incredibly versatile with food. It worked well with grilled, spiced radishes.  

2012 Bollinger Champagne La Grande Année, France, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2012
Score: 
97
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$135.00USD

With 2/3 Pinot Noir and 1/3 Chardonnay, this is slowly opening up.  Pale golden in color, clear and bright.  Lots of tiny bubbles.  The nose is boisterous with pears and green apples along with a bit of chalk and slight black cherry.  Really a lot going on.  Full bodied.  Tart acidity.  On the palate, green apples, slight lemon, slight black cherry with nice chalky minerality.  Long, long finish.  Plenty of depth and layered complexity.  Still quite youthful but getting closer to peak.  Drink over ten to fifteen years.  This is very food friendly and went great with an assortment of cheeses

2007 Perrier-Jouët Champagne Belle Epoque, France, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2007
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$145.00USD

This is a blend of 50% Chardonnay. 45% Pinot Noir, and 5% Pinot Munier.  This is their prestige cuvee in the attractive, hand painted bottle.  Go0lden in color with a steady stream of small bubbles.  The nose is nice with toast, slight lemon and maybe a hint of peach.  Crisp acidity.  On the palate, lemons with some toast.  Long finish.  Very tasty and very food friendly, it will work with just about any food.  Still fresh and vibrant, drink over the next seven to ten years.

2006 Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Cuvée Rare, France, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2006
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$165.00USD

This is a blend of 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir.  Straw gold in color.  A steady bead of tiny bubbles.  The nose is nice with apples, slight peach, spice and a bit of baked bread.  Full bodied.  Firm structure at age 16.  On the palate, red fuji apple, some green apples, some salinity and minerality.  Lots of depth, it unwinds in the glass to show a delicious complexity.  Long, tart finish.  This wine drinks beautifully on its own and will work well with just about any food.  Fried foods would be perfect.  Drink over the next ten to fifteen years.  

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