Breaking Bread

Bread & Butter Wines

California Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

Ncb
8.9

Super smooth, but pretty good — 2 hours ago

Bread & Butter Wines

California Chardonnay 2021

Buttery with some sweetness. Very good. Bought at TAC for ¥4,000. — 3 months ago

Ayala

Brut Majeur Champagne

Blend of Chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier, pale straw lemon color with fine frothy mousse and lively bead of bubbles. An aromatic nose of fresh fruit with yeast, nutty notes and floral scents. On the palate flavors of apple, pear and citrus flavors with baked bread tones. Nice balance and acidity, delicate textures, medium+ finish ending with toasty notes, yeasty and chalky mineral character. Nice! — 5 months ago

Paul, Tom and 1 other liked this

Bollinger

Special Cuvée Brut Champagne Blend

Happy New Year! Nice citrus and bread notes. — 6 months ago

Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin

La Grande Dame Brut Champagne Blend 1990

Quite young looking lemon , just a hint of gold . very fine bubbles , that dissipate quiet quickly in a white wine glass . Lots of roasted nuts , toasted bread , caramel , and a oyster shell , caramelised lemon peel , saffron , lemongrass and a hint of curry . On the palate this has more of the caramel notes , with saffron , some lemon, mineral a quite tight , slightly astringent acidity and mineral finish. Not overly intense but quite good length , with mineral , oyster shell , toasty , brioche finish . This is fully mature and is at peak in magnum , drink now and over the next 5 -10 years . Disgorged March 2020 — 9 days ago

Tom, Shay and 6 others liked this
ESF

ESF

need an invite to this tasting

Paul Bara

Grand Millésime Brut Grand Cru Champagne Blend 2018

Somm David T
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.
— 3 months ago

Shay, Scott@Mister and 13 others liked this

Roederer Estate

L'Ermitage Brut Anderson Valley Chardonnay Pinot Noir 2017

Golden color, fine bubbles. On the nose pear, bread and butter. First sip tastes and smells like freshly baked bread, followed high acid, pear and peach. A little bit off dry. Delicious. — 6 months ago

Joel liked this

Bread & Butter Wines

California Pinot Noir 2023

Jane had with Dad and Nancy. Solid, good, drinkable, meets expectations for a Pinot, but not magical. — a month ago

Charles Heidsieck

Millésimé Brut Champagne Blend 2012

#AgedWineTuesday

Light yellow in color.

Strong nose of apples, yeast, spices, bread, minerals and sea salt.

Medium plus in body with medium plus acidity, and medium plus sized bubbles.

Dry on the palate with citrus, apples, pears, light earth, yeast, vegetables, spices and bitter herbs.

Nice finish with limes and almonds.

This 13 year old Vintage Champagne feels young and needs 5 years in the bottle to mature properly.

Rich and extracted with lots of bread notes. Elegant and robust.

Showing nice complexity, and will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years.

Paired beautifully with fresh oysters.

A blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay. Disgorged in 2020.

12% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$120.
— 3 months ago

Doug, Jay and 11 others liked this

Louis Roederer

Cristal Brut Champagne Chardonnay Pinot Noir Blend 2015

Quite light lemon yellow , very persistent , fine bubbles . Quite taut and strict on the nose , chalk dust , white flowers , honey suckle and elderflower , lemon peel , touch oyster shell and a touch of fresh baked bread . On the palate really good volume and density , lively acidity . Lots of citrus with good mineral , oyster shell notes . Long and mineral , saline, tinged finish , hint of toasty brioche on the end . This is really quite young and shows tighter and more mineral than the first bottle we had . Would leave this a few years and will have a long life , better in 10 -15 years and last well a further 10 or so . Great potential — 5 months ago

Somm, Jan and 12 others liked this