Stephane Bardin

9.2

Low acidity with a nice butter finish. — a month ago

Edward Allen

9.0

Nice balance of fruit, oak, and creamy smoothness. Not too much of any one thing but I could use a touch more oak and butter against the fruit. I also prefer a bit more crisp body along with the buttery oak pulled off in the middle or lingering end, but this is a solid fallback and crowd pleaser. — 7 months ago

Peter Coulthard

9.2

Waitrose. Is a very B&B wine. Rich and fruity with elements of smooth buttery undertones. For a Cab Sav a bit different but I enjoyed this - was a pleasant glass with a meal. — 9 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.0

Not as bad as I remember it. It’s been a while though.

Slightly, bruised pear & red & green apple, lime zest, lemon pulp, some ginger white spice w/ a touch of heat, limestone mixed in volcanic minerals, crisp chalkiness, sea spray, yeasty bread dough, yellow & white spring flowers, lively acidity and a balanced & nicely polished elegant finish that last 45 seconds and lands on volcanics.

Emirates SFO. — 9 months ago

Ryan Guy

9.6

Fresh apricot, glazed almond, nutmeg, and cardamon spice. Layered with honeysuckle, pear, and green apple. There is a short crust, pear tart character on the nose. Still so grab and lively on the palate. Stone fruit, orchard fruit, toasted almonds, and Danish butter cookies. Linear acidity with bright, zesty finish with pithy lemon notes and tart apple. Lingering finish with a touch of warm spice. Waited a while to pop this one - it was well worth the wait! — 3 years ago

Jose Castello

9.0

Great weekday wine. Kinda Light but earthy. — 4 years ago

Jay Eagan

9.6

Delicious with lobster claw and a rich butter sauce prepared by Gary Menes. Such a wonderful Michelin star dinner also featuring Dominque Crenn and Josiah Citrin — 5 years ago

with Ara and Kristine

Mike Saviage

9.4

Medium gold color. Light tiny bubbles. Notes of green apples, bread yeast, some citrus and citrus pit, and river stones. Modest in the mouth at first but with air this grew up and improved. Maybe a touch past its prime but a good start to the evening… (Bday 1 of 12) — 5 years ago

Slestyan

9.0

Butter, oak, lime? — 2 months ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.2

Flowers Vineyards & Winery – Chardonnay – 2022
Sonoma Coast AVA – Sonoma County, California 🇺🇸

Overview
A pure expression of the broader Sonoma Coast AVA, this Chardonnay blends fruit from multiple coastal sites to deliver Flowers’ signature style: bright, fresh, and mineral-driven. Less oak-forward and less textural tension than their single-vineyard bottlings, this cuvée leans into steeliness, lift, and coastal clarity. Tropical fruit plays a leading role while creaminess takes a gentle back seat, exactly the balance that makes this wine so inviting.

Aromas & Flavors
Pineapple, Meyer lemon, green apple, and white peach, intertwined with coastal salinity, crushed shells, and light honeysuckle. Subtle hints of vanilla and toasted almond sit quietly in the background.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied, clean, and vibrant. Marked by high natural acidity and a steely mineral line that keeps everything refreshing. The finish is bright and persistent, more fruit-driven than creamy.

Food Pairings
Lemon-herb chicken, grilled halibut, shrimp linguine, caprese salad, or sushi with citrus accents.

Verdict
A beautifully balanced, coastally expressive Chardonnay that prioritizes freshness over opulence. Tropical lift, minerality, and gentle oak integration make this a standout for those who prefer precision over butter.

Did You Know?
Flowers was one of the pioneers of the far Sonoma Coast, planting vineyards in the early 1990s when few believed coastal farming was viable. Their Sonoma Coast Chardonnay is crafted to showcase the AVA as a whole, combining multiple sites to capture the region’s signature brightness and maritime drive. — 7 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

Been awhile since I’ve had this one. Always consistently good.

Beautiful mousse, bruised red apple & Bosc pear, underripe pineapple flesh, blood orange, quince, nougat, hints of white peach, white spice-ginger, whipped cream, yeasty bread dough, sea spray, speckled chalk bits, grey volcanics, limestone, withering yellow lilies/flowers, crisp acidity, well tensioned-structured, well balanced and elegant finish that last two-minutes.

@BalancesRestaurant - Lucerne. — 9 months ago

Paul J

9.4

Gold color with subtle cloudiness. White Burgundy nose - butter, camomile, oak, and a touch of minerality. Similar on the palate with above average depth and thickness. Just my style. A little more reserved and less refined than previous bottles. — 3 years ago

with Brooke

Willie Carter

9.0

A standard that still brings excitement and drama. Medium gold color with plenty of small bubbles. The nose is wonderful with a ton of apples and baked bread. Nice floral accents to match the dried cherry and blackberry notes. Really, really nice.

Composed of the three traditional grapes and injected with a nice bit of reserve wines, this is just one of those bottles that’s always right on time. Powerful, muscular, masculine, and sleek. Lovely fruit on the tongue and an elegant mouthfeel. A classic for a reason. — 3 years ago

Claus Bentin

9.9

For me, one of best champagnes I’ve ever tasted..
This 1996 is still so fresh and so much alive..
It’s apples, vanilla, honey toasted bread and a lot of other excellent notes..
I’m very impressed!! — 5 years ago

Roberta Kallina

9.1

Very buttery hence the name. 🤣 i like it! — 5 years ago

"Odedi"

9.3

#AgedWineTuesday

Very pretty color of peach with a salmon hue.

Strong nose of apples, citrus, peaches, yeast, light bread and minerals.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity and tiny bubbles.

Dry on the palate with raspberries, over ripen strawberries, apples, limes, yeast, sea salt, brioche, spices, minerals, light earth and cardamom.

Long spicy finish with limes and grapefruits.

This 14 year old Rosé Champagne is drinking beautifully already, and will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years. Elegant, spicy and rich. Fruity and nicely balanced, complex and engaging.

Wine Spectator 96 points. Wine Advocate 95 points.

Good right out of the bottle, and better when not too cold.

A great sipping wine that paired beautifully with my Tuna Avocado Tartare.

A blend of 67% Pinot Noir and 33% Chardonnay, with 5% red wine. Disgorged in 2020.

12% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$200. — 2 months ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.4

Ridge Vineyards – Chardonnay – 2023
Monte Bello Estate Vineyard – Santa Cruz Mountains – USA 🇺🇸

Overview
A mountain-born Chardonnay from one of California’s most historic estates. The long, cool 2023 growing season delivered a wine of vibrant energy and varietal purity, shaped by indigenous fermentation and extended lees aging. Ridge once again proves that Chardonnay from the Santa Cruz Mountains can rival the world’s finest in precision and longevity.

Aromas & Flavors
Lemon zest, green apple, and white peach lead with lifted notes of chamomile, fresh herbs, and wet stone. Subtle toasted hazelnut and light vanilla cream echo softly from the barrel work, never overpowering the fruit.

Mouthfeel
Bright, linear acidity frames a medium-bodied palate with tension and focus. Silky texture from nine months on the lees adds quiet depth, finishing mineral, citrusy, and long.

Food Pairings
Grilled branzino, butter-poached lobster, roast chicken with herbs, shaved fennel salad, or creamy burrata with olive oil and sea salt.

Verdict
Beautifully balanced, mountain-driven Chardonnay that captures Ridge’s signature restraint and purity. Enjoy now or follow for the next decade, this vintage will reward both patience and curiosity.

Did You Know?
Ridge ferments its Chardonnay with indigenous yeasts and relies on minimal SO₂, crafting the wine with a philosophy closer to Burgundy than to typical California richness. The Monte Bello Estate vineyard sits at high elevation on fractured limestone soils, one of the rarest soil types in California for Chardonnay. — 7 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

Tasted from 1/2 bottle. They come in handy for dinner for two in many cases, but especially at a restaurant that allows corkage. Most do in California. It is even harder to find vintage champagne in 375ml’s.

The 2018 vintage was good to very good. You need to taste and or read up for its best offerings.

A note, I tasted at the Billecart-Salmon property in later October 2022 with Mathieu Roland-Billecart. As insightful as that was, he was asked other than Billecart Salmon champagnes, what was one of his favorite champagnes? His reply was surprisingly an older vintage Paul Bara he had recently. That’s a producer question that gets asked often. Normally generates a pause with some minor angst to answer.

The nose shows; lemon chiffon/meringue, bruised apple to slightly cider, bruised pear, yellow & white stone fruits, just ripe pineapple, orange citrus blend, lime pulp, tropical melons, whipped, white cream, white spice-ginger, yeasty bread dough, saline, crushed limestone pulp, crumbled chalk, sea fossils, white spring flowers set in yellow lilies.

The palate is round & soft. The mousse is delicate w/ micro oxidation. Ripe; lemon chiffon/meringue, white & yellow stone fruit, slightly bruised apple & Bosc pear, lime pulp, orange citrus rind, some tropical melons, cream, ginger white spice, yeasty bread dough, sea spray, saline, sea fossils, dry crumbled chalkiness, caramel notes, heather honey, warm perfectly toasted toast, graham cracker, nougat w/ nuts, yellow flowers set in a field of white spring flowers, excellent acidity with a nicely; balanced, structured, tensioned, polished finish that lasts a minute and falls on limestone laced with soft, dry, powdery chalkiness.

Photos of; the house of Paul Bara, chalky caves w/ riddling racks, old wood basket press & a vineyard picking party. — a year ago

Andrea Watt

9.3

Oak, lemon, and light butter over pear and brioche. — 4 years ago

"Odedi"

9.2

#AgedWineTuesday

Celebrating our wedding anniversary, with a Vintage Champagne from the same year.

Light yellow in color with a golden hue.

Strong nose of bread, spices, earth, wet leaves, herbs, yeast, white pepper, lemons, yellow apples and river rocks.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity and soft, small bubbles.

Dry on the palate with light citrus, over ripen apples, spices, yeast, bread, river rocks, herbs and white pepper.

Short finish with limes.

This 28 year old Champagne is still delicious, although probably on its last leg.

Showing great complexity with a nice mouthfeel. Soft and elegant.

Not much fruit is left, but enough to make it tangy and interesting.

Thank you Judy for sharing this with us.

Good by itself or with food. I paired it with caviar and good friends. Very tasty, especially with the caviar.

12% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$550. — 5 years ago