2016 Roland Champion Champagne Grand Cru Special Club, France, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
89
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$100.00USD

Light golden in color with a nice mousse of medium small bubbles.  Clear and bright.  The nose has some pears but overall, quite tight.  Medium bodied with good acidity.  More open on the palate with lemon-lime notes and minerality.  Good finish.  Overall, it seems to be hiding something, but even with air, it never developed the depth it seems to promise.  To be sure, a very nice wine that will work with most foods.  It would go well with spicy Hunan food.  Drink over the next few years.  

NV Tarlant Champagne Zero Brut Nature, France, Wine Revieew

Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$48.00USD

This is a blend of 32% Pinot Noir, 32% Chardonnay, 32% Meunier, and 4% Petit Meslier, Arbanne, and pinot Blanc according to the label.  Of course, Zero Brut nature is an indication that this is the driest level of Champagne and has no added sugar prior to bottling.  Light golden in color with a frothy mousse of tiny bubbles.  Clear and bright.  The nose is great with spice, ginger, slight golden delicious apples and a hint of  lemon peel.  Great acidity.  Dry.  On the palate, lemon peel with minerality and a touch of toast.  Long finish.  Very impressive.

2004 Dom Pérignon Champagne, France, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2004
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$260.00USD

Always a pleasure to drink Dom.  Amazing that they can make so many bottles at such a high quality level.  For me, this is not up to the 2002 or 2008 but still a fantastic wine.  Light golden in color with a nice mousse of small bubbles.  The nose has toast, some citrus and a touch of chalk.  Full bodied.  Great acidity.  On the palate, some lemon peel with smoke and minerals.  Long, long finish.  This one is starting to show just a bit of age but if well stored, should easily go another ten years.  Very food friendly, this will go with just about any food although my favorite match is stil

NV Henri Giraud Champagne Esprit Nature, France, Wine Review

Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$45.00USD

This is a blend of 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay.  Golden in color, clear and bright with a nice mousse of tiny bubbles.  The nose has lots of peach with some strawberries and spice.  Medium to full bodied.  On the palate, the peach comes thru along with a touch of pineapple.  Clean, long finish.  A tasty wine that is drinking very well.  Drink over the next few years.  This is very food friendly and will go well with many foods.  It worked nicely with Thai food.  

NV Brice Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut, France, Wine Review

Score: 
91
Grade: 
Current Price: 
$60.00USD

100% Chardonnay from two parcels in Bouzy (Le Mont de Tours and Les Ramonnieres) and Grauves.  Pale gold in color with a nice mousse of small bubbles.  The nose is very clean with some red apples and a bit of yeasty dough.  Medium bodied.  Good acidity.  On the palate, this is crisp and leaner in style.  Granny smith apples with some minerality.  Long finish.  Very nice on its own, this is very food friendly.  It was a nice foil to baked tofu made in a "Buffalo Wings" style.  Drink over the next few years.  

2002 Dom Pérignon Champagne P2, France, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2002
Score: 
98
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$500.00USD

Wowza.  What a great bottle.  Golden in color with lots of tiny bubbles.  Persistent.  The  nose is great with Meyer lemon, smoke, spice, slight dried peach and a bit of a floral quality.  Deep and complex.  Full bodied.  Great energy and balance.  On the palate, this is very structured but all the stuffing you could ask for.  A bit of lemon peel, toast, and spice.  Mature but years left.  This is great on its own but will work well with just about any food.  Delicious. Drink over the next ten to twenty years.  This would be great with Chinese food.

NV Piper Sonoma Brut Rosé, USA, California, Wine Review

Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$23.00USD

This is a blend of 61% Chardonnay, 33% Pinot Noir and 6% Pinot Blanc.  Light golden in color with slight salmon pink hues.  A nice mousse with lots of small bubbles.  Nice nose with strawberries, cranberries, slight citrus and a whiff of smoke.  Medium to full bodied.  Good acidity.  On the palate, nice minerality with light cherries and some orange citrus.  Long finish.  This is drinking well now but seems a bit tight.  It took a couple of hours to open, so if serving, give it an hour or so to breathe.  It is very food friendly and would be great with duck or turkey.  A really nice value a

NV Piper Sonoma Blanc de Blancs, USA, California, Wine Review

Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$23.00USD

This California Sparkling wine is made in the Methode Traditionelle way.  Interestingly, it is a blend of 90% Chardonnay and 10% Pinot Blanc.  Light golden in color, clear and bright.  There is a nice mousse with small-ish bubbles.  On the nose, it has baked bread (Brioche?) along with a touch of lemon.  With air, some green apple scents emerge.  Medium bodied with excellent acidity.  The palate is more about minerality but also has some citrus.  Long finish that has a bitter almond (in a good way) note.  This is drinking well and should continue for another five years.  Very food friendly,

NV Piper Sonoma Brut, USA, California, Wine Review

Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$23.00USD

This is a blend of Chardonnay (56%), Pinot Noir (37%) and Pinot Blanc (7%).  Golden in color with some faded pink hues.  A nice mousse with small bubbles.  On the nose there is some strawberries, minerals, slight green apples and slight yeast.  Full bodied with good acidity.  On the palate, lots of minerality with cherries and green apples.  Long finish.  This is quite tasty now and should drink well for another five to seven years.  Very food friendly, this would work with most foods.  It was lovely with fried appetizers.  At $23, this is an excellent value and will be a great addition to

NV Domaine Bousquet Brut Rosé Méthode Traditionelle, Argentina, Mendoza,

Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$18.00USD

This is 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay.  Salmon pink in color with gold hues.  A moderate mousse with small bubble, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with strawberries, and slight orange peel.  Full bodied.  Good acidity.  Less froth than the Brut.  On the palate, pomegranate and strawberry notes. Some orange notes.  Long finish.  This is ever so slightly sweet.  Drink over the next couple of years.  This would go well with Roasted Chicken or Duck.  

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