NV Weingut Markus Huber Sparkling Rosé, Austria, Wine Review

Score: 
87
Grade: 
B
Current Price: 
$18.00USD

This is a sparkling Rose blend of Zweigelt and Pinot Noir.  It is meant to be a light hearted, fun wine and it achieves that and more.  Pale pink in color.  There is a nice mousse of larger bubbles that disappears quickly.  The nose has cherries, cherry juice and a touch of lanolin.  On the palate, this is sweet.  Light bodied with apples and cherries.  Shorter finish.  This is refreshing and a nice end of the day/start to an evening wine.  Drink now.  This is very food friendly and will work well with poultry, fish and lighter foods.  

1996 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut, France, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1996
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$550.00USD

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

NV Billecart-Salmon Champagne Brut Réserve, France, Wine Review

Score: 
93
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$40.00USD

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.  

2012 Bollinger Champagne La Grande Année, France, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2012
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$125.00USD

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.

2007 Billecart-Salmon Champagne Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon, France, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2007
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$180.00USD

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

2008 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut, France, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2008
Score: 
99
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$190.00USD

First time trying this vintage and it is awesome if still young.  I hate to call it elegant as that is not correct, but it is the kind of wine that fans of the "less is more" philosophy of wine will love.  Light silvery/gold in color, clear and bright with a lot of tiny bubbles.  The nose is great with green apples, minerality, slight lanolin and chalk.  But it is not big, just intense.  The palate is similar.  At first taste, it seemed to be missing something, but it has an energy and persistence that keeps building.  Intensity without volume.  The green apple and minerality carry thru to

2008 Caillez-Lemaire Champagne Extra Brut Cuvee Jadis, France, Champagne, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2008
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-

From the excellent 2008 vintage.  This is 60% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir and,10% Pinot Munier.  Light golden in color, clear and bright.  A fair amount of tiny bubbles.  The nose has apples, slight cider notes, and a touch of chalk.  Medium bodied.  Good acidity.  The fruit is ripe which comes off a bit sweet but that calms down with air.  Nice apple fruit.  Solid finish.  This is drinking quite well now and should continue to do so for the next decade.  It went well with a varied menu from Shishido peppers and garlic to sharp Cheddar.  

NV Domaine Jean Bousquet Brut Rosé, Argentina, Tupungato Uco Valley, Wine Review

Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$13.00USD

This is a sparkling wine made from 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay from Argentina.  The grapes used are grown organically at an altitude of 4,000 feet.  It has a pretty salmon pink/orange color with a nice mousse of many smaller bubbles.  The nose is very nice with strawberries and cranberries and a slight ginger note.  On the palate, this is slightly sweet (12 gr/l residual sugar) but still refreshing.  it drinks quite easily with nice strawberry and cherry fruit.  The best thing about this wine is the price.  It retails for $13 a bottle which makes this perfect for anytime quaffing (and

2002 Bollinger Champagne R.D. Extra Brut, France, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2002
Score: 
97
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$200.00USD

Golden in color with a persistent stream of tiny bubble.  Frothy.  The nose is tight at first but opens to show ginger, peach, toast, slight nuttiness and minerality.  On the palate, this is dry and very crisp.  Mostly about minerals, but some peach comes thru.  With air, a slight strawberry note. An incredibly long finish.  Just a delicious and complex Champagne.  Drinking quite youthfully now, it should continue to drink well for the hext couple of decades.  This will work with any food.  

2008 Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Champagne Brut La Grande Dame, France, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2008
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$130.00USD

This is the top "Luxury Cuvee" from this Champagne house.  They nailed it in 2008 and while it might not be quite at the levels of some of the top Champagnes, it isn't priced like they are either.  Another great showing for this wine.  Silvery gold in color, clear and bright with a nice mousse of lots of tiny bubbles.  The nose has smoke, minerals and light chalk.  Full bodied with excellent acidity.  The minerality and chalk carry thru to the palate.

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